by Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Travelnfeelin, will nip anyone if they get too close, especially when he was a colt. But it seems last Wednesday’s (July 17) $14,000 Qbred bonus winner has one human exception – the 83-year-old mother of his owner/breed, Susan Taaffe.
“He would have dragged and eaten me for breakfast, lunch and dinner when he was younger, but I’ll always love him. He’s special,” Taaffe said.
The 2-year-old son of Mr Feelgood and Travelnfast (real Desire) did however take a shine to Mrs Jeanette White when her daughter recently took her to see Travelnfeelin, who is nicknamed ‘Tommo’.
“Mum still loves to get to the stables. My late Dad (Basil) and Mum trained harness racing horses as they have always been a big part of our lives. I drove Mum up to the stables recently and ‘Tommo’, who is extremely strong with everyone at times, came right up to the car window and nestled up to Mum.
“There was no mischief in him It was like they were friends. It was quite amazing to see really. It made both of our days. I’m sure ‘Tommo’ knew Mum loved him, and that she was elderly and frail.
“He’s only two and got a lot of growing up to do both on and off the track, but he will always be the apple of my eye.
“He’s the first horse I have had who actually glides across the track. He also looks good and trains well. He can be a bit naughty sometimes if you get a bit too comfortable around him,” 58-year-old Taaffe said.
“But not if you are my Mum. He absolutely loves her,” added Susan who for the past 14 years has been running her own Driving School.
Travelnfeelin is trained by Taaffe’s husband, Gary Vernon at Pallara which is an outer suburb 24km south of Brisbane. At this early stage of his career, Vernon agreed with his wife, saying ‘Tommo’ hopefully will develop into the best horse he will train.
“We’ve been in this game too long to know not to get carried away with any pacer or trotter, especially 2-year-olds that has only had two starts, but when Nathan (Dawson) let him go in his trial on June 17 – and he easily went 1:57.8 – we are hoping he is going to be a nice horse. He is still very green, but he does glide along beautifully – the same way his father (Mr Feelgood) used to,” Vernon said.
It was a gutsy second-up effort from Travelnfeelin, who sat parked throughout race nine – the Redcliffe Leagues Maiden Pace – over the 1,780m mobile.
Dawson knew what he had in front of them and they cruised to an easy 3.7 metre victory with a 2:00.9-mile rate. ‘Tommo’ was the $7 fourth-favourite.
Travelnfeelin won both of his Albion Park Trials both trials at Albion Park on May 3 and June 17, before finishing ninth on debut at the same venue in atrocious conditions on July 2 when the $6.50 fourth-favourite.
“That win was a whole lot better than his debut run, when the weather and track got the better of him. It was great to see ‘Tommo’s’ true worth. We thought he might go close, especially from the nice draw (3). We hope he can go on with it now. He will line up again at Redcliffe this Friday (July 26),” Taaffe said.
She explained that ‘Tommo’ was the second of three foals out of 2011 Real Desire four-win mare, Travelnfast, who was bred by Victorian friends Brian Hunt and Paul Rix.
I bred the first foal with my sons Aaron and Chris – a now 5-year-old Bling It On gelding named Yogi. He won five races for us and is now with our son Joseph in Maitland.
“Travelnfast missed to Follow The Stars in 2019, and then a year later On October 1, 2021, Travelnfeelin was born. Last October the mare left a Vincent colt and is currently in foal to For A Reason. Aaron bred the last two, which are at Monarch Farm Standardbreds” Taaffe said.
The mother of three-and grandmother of one believed ‘Tommo’ had turned out an above average pacer because her husband did his breeding homework.
“We actually got to meet the Hunt family through purchasing Darcy Darling and we were later reading a Kiwi Blog – Before Breeding – that showed how the Safely Kept and Life Sign maternal lines matched perfectly with Mr Feelgood.
“She is by Real Desire, who in turn was by Life Sign and out of the Troublemaker mare, Deadly Desire. The key is the strong mares on both sides of the family going back to K Nora and Golden Miss families “Vernon said.
He said he would now target the Triads and Qbreds with ‘Tommo’.
“We will learn more about him as he develops. Friday’s race at Redcliffe will be another good gage.
“I’m not getting too carried away because I know just how much horses, especially young ones, can make liars of you. But I’ve always known he’s had ability, right from when Bob Stephens and I broke him in. He’s progressed well since then. Let’s hope he can keep climbing the ladder. You know the saying happy wife, happy life,” Vernon said.
With the departure of Yogi to Maitland, Travelnfeelin, is Vernon’s only horse in work.
Footnote: A July 2022 story I wrote about Gary Vernon can be viewed here:
