Allasera (NZ) (Zacinto) has been a boomerang horse for Trent Yesberg and the Rangiora horseman isn’t complaining one bit.
Yesberg’s father, Paul, bred the now six-year-old gelding under his Yesberg Bloodstock Ltd banner and sold him as a yearling for $36,000 to syndicator Go Racing, who entrusted him to Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston for the early part of his racing career.
Last year Yesberg, who has established himself as a prominent harness racing trainer, wanted to expand his operation into training thoroughbreds and thought Allasera would be the ideal candidate when he spotted him on gavelhouse.com.
He secured the son of Zacinto for $1,600 and has now trained him to two victories, including the Hygain Stayers (2200m) at Ashburton on Sunday.
“I was absolutely chuffed to get the win. I was very happy with him going into the race but didn’t expect him to handle the conditions (Heavy8) as well as he did,” Yesberg said.
“We bred the horse and raced his mother out of Lance O’Sullivan’s stable to start off with. We bred her to Zacinto because he was just down the road from us, and he (Allasera) was the resulting foal.
“We sold him at the autumn sale to Go Racing who raced him out of Andrew Carston’s stable. When I saw him for sale on Gavelhouse I thought I would give it a go and took the step into racing thoroughbreds.
“I knew the horse inside out because I had looked after him as a younger horse. I liked him as a type and knew he had a great attitude and was easy to work with. I thought he was a good place to start.”
While he is enjoying training a few thoroughbreds, harness racing will always be Yesberg’s first love. He cut his teeth in that code and reached the heights as a leading preparer at the yearling sales for a number of years before diversifying into training.
“I went to university and studied science and got a good job out of university but my love for horses kept bringing me back,” he said.
“The yearling sales got bigger and bigger, and I was the biggest preparer in the standardbred industry for three or four years. We still do a few but not to the same degree.
“A lot of good horses were passing through my hands and I wished I had the opportunity to train them. I had always worked in (racing) stables so I thought I would give training a go.
“We have about 25 (standardbreds) in work and we have got about 135 owners with varying percentages. Things are ticking along well and now we a preparing to make an assault on the thoroughbred world hopefully and try and accumulate some more horses.
“A dual code racing stable is my dream at this stage.”
Yesberg has joined a growing list of harness racing trainers trying their hand at racing thoroughbreds, including Australasia’s leading trainer Mark Purdon.
“There are a lot of us, and we are all having fun, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you see a few more of us around,” he said.
“A few of us have got a group chat going where we share ideas. I definitely think we will be in it for the long haul.”
