Jovial Jay added a harness racing victory at Young Quinn Raceway yesterday to stock of winning Thoroughbred trainer Brian Anderton’s racing master across Australasia.

Jovial Jay produced a tough leading display in testing conditions to continue a standard breeding legacy for Anderton and his late friend and fellow Wingatui trainer, Bryan ‘Mouse’ Kennedy started five decades ago.

Through Sweet Lou Descended from the couple’s excellent mare, New Year’s Jay, Jovial Jay is the sixth and final generation of harness racers, dating back to Anderton and Kennedy’s first foray into standard-bred horse breeding.

“It’s been a big old breed for us,” Anderton said.

“The biggest thrill for me (yesterday) was hearing my big old pal Mouse Kennedy’s name read next to mine.”

“Mouse’s dad arranged to borrow a mare called Blue Jay and that’s how we started.”

“We’ve bred a lot of good ones and a few slow ones, but that’s how it goes.”

Anderton and Kennedy’s first colt, Jayship, didn’t start their standardbred business on a winning note, until she arrived at the breeding barn.

“Barry Nyhan trained her and we went to Timaru to watch her and he thought she would win.”

“But she passed out on the straight and a few days later he called me and said she had gone downwind.”

“She had the ability there, she had a bunch of speed.”

Of the many breed winners, Jovial Jay has a point of difference.

Winning at the age of three makes him the precocious of Anderton and Kennedy’s horses.

“It’s the first of them,” Anderton said.

“He showed a bit of a ticker to win, he has a tough old breed but they also showed a bit of speed.”

“Her New Year’s mum Jay had tendon issues early in her career, it wasn’t until she was seven that we were able to get her running.”

Jovial Jay is trained by Graeme Anderson and Mike Love and driven to victory in Race 5 by Matthew Williamson.

Anderton will offer a half-brother to Jovial Jay, per Art majorat next month’s National Yearling Sales in Christchurch.

“We tried to improve the breed over the years and move on to modern bulls.”

“He’s a beautiful colt, I hope we can sell him, but if we don’t we’ll race him ourselves.”

Anderton has New Years Jay and her The pleasure of bettors half-sister Delightful Jay, both in foal to rookie sire Downbytheseaside.

Just four days before Jovial Jay’s win, Anderton trained three winners at the nearby Gore Guineas meeting, all born and bred at his White Robe Lodge stud.

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through Johnny Turner