Haley Jaccka producing the goods for the Smaills

By Jonny Turner 

After winning hundreds of races with hundreds of horses, Charlie and Ailsa Smaill's passion for harness racing still runs deep.

The Northern Southland industry stalwarts have enjoyed a stellar six weeks thanks to the winning deeds of their mare Haley Jaccka.

The Brett Gray-trained five-year-old won the last heat and the final of the Southern Speed Belle Series before going on to break the national mares record for 2700m at Ascot Park late last month.

Neither of those accomplishments could have been completed had the Smaills thought differently about an approach to buy the mare. 

"We decided to keep her and I am so glad we did," Charlie Smaill said.

"We thought about it and if we sold her we wouldn't have all of the excitement and the thrills, as well as the disappointments – you always have them racing horses."

"I am really enjoying racing her and we're very proud of what she has been able to achieve."

“I think people are probably a bit surprised we are doing it with a pacer because we’ve had a lot of luck with our trotters lately.”

Smaill admits the thrill of Haley Jaccka winning the Southern Speed Belle Series Final and setting a national record are hard to split.

"The Southern Speed Belle Final is the replay we have watched a few times over."

"But her run at Invercargill was pretty good too because she missed away and to win was a big effort."

She has now won nine races.

Haley Jaccka's record-breaking effort at Ascot Park has effectively opened up a world of opportunities for her in the spring.

The victory was her second past 2200m, with her first being a powerful display in last year's South Of The Waitaki event during New Zealand Cup Week.

"I was thinking about maybe retiring her later in the year, but I don't think I would be too popular with Brett if I did that."

"She is showing that she can handle distance well, most of her racing has been over shorter distances up until now."

"So there are a lot of good races she will be able to have a go at."

"I think she will get her head around the standing starts too because she's an intelligent horse, she just hasn't had much experience with them yet."

Haley Jaccka has headed to the paddock for a freshener before she is aimed at her spring targets.

While the Smaills are not breeding quite the number they were when they were operating Jaccka Lodge at its peak, they have a smaller broodmare band which includes Haley Jaccka's dam Erin Jaccka.

The mare is in foal to Captain Crunch and has left a Tiger Tara two-year-old who broke in nicely.

Haley Jaccka's full brother Jaccka Henry is working back towards racing after an extended break.

Jen Jaccka is also among the Smaills' broodmare band.

The trotting mare is the first national record breaker for the breeder-owners and trainer Brett Gray.

Jen Jaccka holds the 2400m national standing start record for trotting mares, setting the mark in 2017.