9 hours ago
NSW trainer Rob Wellington keen to solve mystery of retired stallion Aylmerton after buying son Drumcondra for $10,000
A win at Wodonga on Saturday could bring the answer to a question that has left Albury trainer Rob Wellington wondering.
Where is the stallion Aylmerton?
Aylmerton won the Group 2 Todman Slipper trial as a two-year-old in 2018 before losing form and heading to stand at Woodpark Stud in the Southern Highlands of NSW, who subsequently sought expressions of interest to stand the son of top European stallion Siyouni in 2023.
Aylmerton only produced 19 live foals in four seasons at stud before he was retired from breeding last year.
'I've tried to find out a bit more about it but no luck,' Wellington said.
'It's a shame about him not getting the mares or being infertile or whatever.
'There's not many of them around.'
Aylmerton twigged Wellington's interest when he inspected Drumcondra at a Gold Coast yearling sale last year.
After showing a bit of initial early spirit, Wellington said Drumcondra has settled into his work as a professional racehorse as shown by his two trial wins in NSW.
'You don't know what you're trialling against of course but he's a sensible enough horse,' Wellington said.
'He had a bit of a spark early but he's matured and mellowed and that's why he trialled so well.'
Wellington considered making the trip to Caulfield for a two-year-old race on Saturday but decided to stay up near the Victoria and NSW border.
'There aren't many two-year-old races around so we thought we throw in a nom and hope there would be only eight or 10 in it,' Wellington said.
'But it has come up a very strong field and it's out of our class but we thought we'd stick with Wodonga and go there.'
