The last foal of broodmare gem, Cool Kahli, added to her impressive record as a dam when winning his maiden at Alexandra Park last Friday night.

Money Mayweather, a four-year-old son of What The Hill, became the seventh winner from Cool Kahli from just eight foals and the eighth was also race-placed.

Derek Balle, who trains the horse in partnership with daughter Neita, said he was one he never thought would come.

“He’s been a work in progress for a while now – he owes us a bit, mentally and physically.”

In fact, it took nine workouts and trials – nearly every week for two-and-a-half months – before Balle decided it was worth taking him to the races, and he did so with no great hope.

“He’s been a pain in the arse, frankly, just not going way from a stand.

“We’d waited on him because he’s got a twisted front leg and he spent a year in the paddock.

“But when he came back in, he was very racy and would just get himself agitated week after week.

“It was tearing me up and eventually I said to Neita that he’s going on Gavelhouse because he’d galloped for five trials in a row.

“But he has a twisted front leg, and I thought it was probably be unfair to sell him to someone with that on top of his racing manners.”

As a last resort, after consulting with feed rep Tiffany Hopkins, Balle changed the horse’s diet.

“And almost overnight, he changed.

“It seems to have really helped settle him down in the brain – he’s a lot more relaxed.”

Balle said the traits displayed by Money Mayweather weren’t consistent with the other stock of his dam that he had handled.

“I think it was more a What The Hill thing, to be honest.

“I’ve had a few of them and I think you’ve just got to be patient with them.”

The turning point was confirmed when Money Mayweather charged home for a nose second at Cambridge on July 31.

If ever there was a red flashing light on a maiden trotter, that was it.

Sure enough, seven days later, he came out at Alexandra Park and went one better for driver David Butcher, out finishing the consistent Pinayas and hot favourite Royal Petite in the process.

Whether he can go on with it is another question altogether, but one the Balles are eager to find out the answer to.

“It’s up to him to step up, but based on his progress in recent weeks, you would hope he can.”

Money Mayweather is the last foal of the Balles’ longtime broodmare, Cool Kahli – named after Neita’s older sister – which Derek bred in partnership with clients late last century.

He had trained her dam, Cool Store, as far back as 1994 when it was sent north by its owners from Canterbury.

Cool Store, who won nine races and over $55,000 for Jason Teaz, was the best of her foals, but Cool Kahli also won seven and was always earmarked for breeding on.

And it was in the matron’s paddock where she would truly leave her mark.

Granted there were no champions among her seven winning progenies, but her second foal, The Dude Abides, who was sold by the Balles after winning a maiden here back in 2012, went on to win the G2 Darrell Alexander Trotting Championship in Brisbane.

King Of Cool and Mr Good And Evil won races here for Teaz and Tim Vince respectively after being sold at the yearling sales.

Two others that the Balles sold cheaply after trying them themselves – Aeonian and The Greek Freak – won races for other trainers too.

The former died tragically after rearing up at the races and the latter is still performing down in Southland for Richard and Fiona Stevens.

But it was Kimkar Dash that proved to be the best of her stock, winning 11 races and nearly $170,000 in stakes for the Balles despite battling unsoundness throughout her career.

She raced in a Rowe Cup and was good enough to be stakes placed in the G3 Cambridge Flying Stakes.

The daughter of Skyvalley will continue on the Balle family’s association with the breed as their new broodmare.

“She has a King Of The North weanling colt and is in foal to Tactical Landing.

“If they are half as talented as her, we’ll be doing alright.”

The stable is managing about 10 horses at present with Neita only just returning to light duties after having a baby – she had her first workout drive this past Wednesday.

The new stable star is last start Auckland winner, B Envious, who carries high expectations for a bright future.

The Southland-owned three-year-old son of Always B Miki could be back at Alexandra Park next Friday night.

By Garrick Knight

Photo caption: Patience and perseverance were rewarded when Money Mayweather won in Auckland.