Accidental Obsession – Vassallo’s trotting gambling

Victorian Harnas racing trainer Joe Vassallo almost accidentally found his way to Square -Beaays – but it was years ago that he raced something else.

And on Saturday evening in Melton, his promising Trotter Lady Vici (Orlando Vici) has delivered a version that suggests that it could be his best so far.

The slightly raced five -year -old returned from more than a year on the sidelines with a stylish victory and took her record for six wins from just seven starts.

“It was a long break, but she had trouble scoring behind the gate – she would go into a canter, or even pace. She is actually a pretty good pacer for a trotter!” Vassallo, from Caroline Springs, laughed.

“I brought her up once after her enchantment, but she was still not right, so I took off her and started again. She is going well now – and she is just a little older and a little more mature.”

Lady Vici got her first start since April 2024, when she completed a point of five consecutive victories. Bred by Yabby Dam Farms and purchased by Joe and his brother Sam at the Nutrien Sale, the mare has always shown promising, but Vassallo has learned not to hurry.

“We have bought a handful over the years. Normally I just like to have a few at work, and I have had a few mares that we have bred, and every now and then we buy one.”

Vassallo has been training since the 1980s, when he helped his partner Ian Caruana at the stables, turned into a lifelong passion.

“I started to switch off boxes, when joggers do, then pacework and it just goes on. The bug comes in you, and that’s it!” he said.

Vassallo’s first horse was a pacer that ran good (Hilarious), who gave him his first training victory in Wangaratta in 1989, and then won three races.

He trained Pacers for many years, until a twist of fate introduced him to trotters. He breeding a foal of his Pacing Mare stunning impact, using Pacing Sire Dorpsper– But the resulting spiral of foaling Jasper turned out to be a trotter.

“I didn’t know much about trotters at the time, so I just trained him like a pacer,” he said.

“So because she had thrown a trotter, I sent her to Pegasus Spur a few years later. Unfortunately, the mare and the foal both died, and so for the return service on Pegasus Spur I rented a mare from Peter Hornby, Ginger Gem, who was a half -sister for Zesta and Zooma, so a good family.”

The foal was that I am Pegasus, who won eight out of the 11 starts for Vassallo, and two GR1 races (Ras for Speed Gold and Vicbred Super Series 3YO Proto).

“She was a nice horse, but had a stable accident at the end of her three -year -old season, and was never really the same. We were probably lucky that she could go back to the races, but she was never the same horse,” he said.

“So we were very lucky if you think about it, and we thought that this troubling game looks good! The trick game is now also becoming difficult, with the better breeding and better horses that come through. But then, if you had a good priority, you had a bit of a mortgage on things.

“They are fun, and they are great to look at when they are in full swing. They can sometimes be a bit frustrating, but normally if they don’t do things well, there is something that is bothering them and if you can work that out, you are right.”

I was raced in 2024 for the last time and Vassallo said Tactical approach.

“Lady Vici is now a class of 75, and in her race on Saturday evening she was by far the lowest Prizemoney earner,” said Vassallo.

“The rating system as it is now makes it more difficult for younger horses – they have no chance to mature before they race against the real and capable horses.

“I hope that Lady Vici can continue to improve and I don’t think the 1720 meters is hair, I think she’s better during the longer journey.

“She always works alone, except when she goes to the tests, and of course it will be more difficult, but I think there is certainly an improvement compared to what she did (on Saturday evening).

“Many people ask me if Lady Vici is as good as I am Pegasus and I think she might be better. I think she is a more difficult horse, but we will see how far she can go.”

From Terry Gange for Harnesslink