Breeding expert Peter Wharton presents harness racing breeding news from Australia, Novel Zealand and North America, presented by Yabby Dam Farms & Racing!
Yabby Dam Racing Director Pat Driscoll's dream of breeding and racing world-class trotters was born when he saw a billboard on the Champs-Élysées in Paris advertising the notable harness race, the Prix d'Amerique . Driscoll took part in the Prix d'Amerique and immediately developed a love affair with the trotter.
Driscoll spent the next five years visiting top harness racing establishments in Europe before setting up his own business here in Australia, where he spearheaded the significant development of harness racing in the Southern Hemisphere.
Along the way, Driscoll made friends with many of Europe's leading owners and breeders.
Bulletproof Boy is the up-to-date cup king
Bulletproof Boy, a son of American father Art officialwas the star of the Country Cups carnival in Victoria.
The 10-year-old gelding recorded his fourth straight victory when he beat a class field in the $100,000 Ballarat Pacing Cup last Saturday. In his previous start he defeated Tact McLeod and others in the $75,000 Bendigo Pacing Cup and before that he comfortably secured victory in the Christmas Cup at Globe Derby Park.
Bulletproof Boy has now won 46 races with 44 placings in 204 starts and a stake of $704,541.
By Art Major Horse Art Official he is out of My Riviera Girl (1:58.7), out of Red River Hanover (a three-quarter brother of Rocknroll Hanover) out of Dance Trix, out of Holmes Hanover out of Woodpecker and out of Lordship.
Other members of this family included NSW Oaks and Breeders Crown winner Dancingonmoonlight, Master Moonlite (Queensland Derby), Moonrock (City of Melton Sprint), Moonlite Dream and Cambridge Gold Cup winners Potkova and Xray.
Bulletproof Boy was bred in South Australia by the overdue Charles Okmasich, Margaret Smith and Jeff Radomi.
Star siblings win in two states
Australia's two current best pacers and both recent feature race winners who promise to feature strongly in the Brisbane Inter Dominion Series are Leap To Fame (by Betting pleasure) and Swayzee (by Rock 'n' roll heaven).
Leap To Fame made a triumphant return in the open pace at Albion Park, winning the $60,000 Tamworth City Cup.
Both bred by Paul Kahlefeldt are by Lettucereason (1:55.9), herself a good racing mare who also outpaced Group 2 winner Maximus Red with 1:51.6 ($448,117).
Lettucereason was by Artsplace horse Art Major by major producer Left For Me, by Bogus Left by Our Lady Delwin, by Lordship. In their current form, Leap To Fame and Swayzee almost have a stranglehold on the most significant tempo functions.
Well-known trotter family
Arcee Phoenix, who won the Group 3 Knight Pistol at the Ballarat Cup meeting and is one of the leading local hopes for the Great Southern Star, has a background of trotter blood that is second to none.
his father, Trixtona Hambletonian winner son of Muscle Hill, left behind the great French trotter Callmethebreeze and other clever Australian trotters in Aldebaran Vera (who finished third in the Knight Pistol), Van Sank and Constantinople.
His mother, Justa Phoenix, descends from Sundon, the leading trotter sire for many years. Justa Phoenix, who won four races, was out of a useful racing mare in Byrdie Num Num, a son of Speed Supreme out of Jolabyrd.
The family, which goes back to the American mare Jenny W, produced Eljaykay Phoenix, a two-year-old trotter champion who won 18 races, including four in Group 1, and Princess Phoenix (Vicbred 2YO Final), another good trotter: She's Ruby Roo (Vic. Trotters Oaks) and Ofortuna.
Arcee Phoenix was bred by part-owner Ash Haynes, Chris Shaw, and Ted and Brian Payne.
Won Adore Me Stakes
promise land (Betting pleasure), winner of the $30,600 Adore Me Stakes at Menangle – Tay Tay and Aardie's Express finished behind her – continues to prove she is at the forefront of mares in NSW.
As a two-year-old she won the Pink Bonnet and finished second in the Australian Pacing Gold Final, while at three she won the Breeders Crown Silver.
Promiseland didn't race much, averaging 12 starts per season. In four racing seasons, Promiseland has won 10 races and been placed 20 times in 48 starts for $216,193.
Promiseland was bred and raced by the Xerri family. She is a five-year-old Bettor's Delight mare from Art Major mare Miss Ami Sloy (1:56.2) and her first child to race.
Miss Amy Sloy, a winner of seven races, was out of NSW Oaks Heat winner and Grand Producer My Ami Lee, by Safely Kept out of the Thor Hanover mare Cosmophylla.
My Ami Lee left nine individual winners, including multiple Group 1 winners Louvre 1:54.5 ($402,665), Miss Hazel 1:57 ($310,063) and Renaissance Man 1:53.1 ($297,904), plus others in My General Lee 1:52.2 ($261,897). , Priceless Gem (1:55.5) and Rock 'n' Roll Tony (1:56.4).
She is the second dam of exported Benicio 1:50.2 ($313,391), Mister Brazil 1:51.2 ($247,821), Group 2 winner Let's Go To Brazil 1:50.6 ($218,376), Oliver Dan ( 1:51.3), Hazelnuts (1:52.7), Christian Sloy (1:53.8) and Barrett (1:52.7), all pacesetters reasonably worth it.
Nyack in 1:49
Nyack (Betting pleasure) has joined the growing list of horses joining the 1:50 list at Menangle. He clocked a time of 1:49 last weekend when he won a $20,000 free-for-all tournament.
By Yankee Cruiser horse Sweet Lou – a world champion – Nyack is by Benediction (1:57.8), by Bettor's Delight by the crack racing mare Queen Carey (1:56.3), by Walton Hanover by Draw Card, by What's Next.
This is the family that has produced top players like Devendra, Bettor Draw, Faithful Gabby, Diva's Delight, Kohanah and King Carey.
A star of Ima Spicey Lombo
A star pacer in WA during summer racing is Spicey Major, bred by Trevor Swans Elite Bloodstock and trained by Gary Hall Junior.
A gelding from Art majorHe is out of a top racing mare in Ima Spicey Lombo 1:55.1 ($483,686) and is her fifth winner from seven starters. He won a run at the Nights of Thunder at Gloucester Park and looks like a five-year-old with the potential one would expect from his breeding.
Burnie Cup winners
Favorite Fitzy (Sports journalist) gave a taste of his class when he easily won the $20,000 Burnie Cup, the season's star race at the picturesque northern Tasmania track.
There was no threat of defeat in the last 800 meters. By Sportswriter, who has since returned to Canada, Keayang Fitzy is descended from Emma Jade, a mediocre Victorian winner. Emma Jade was by Safari (son of Bogus Left) by Dianne Valerie, by Classic Garry by Louise Mitch, by Lou Mitchell by Heytesbury Eve, by Heytesbury Meadow, the top pacer of the Victorian Western District, and finally went to the well-known foundation mare Topsy back.
Heytesbury Eve founded a successful branch of this family. These include Hamilton Cup winner Bad Billy, Victoria Youthful Stakes winner Speedy Heytesbury and top SA pacer Flying Relay.
Keayang Tara, a Western Terror half-sister to Keayang Fitzy, won at Redcliffe the following evening.
from Peter Whartonfor harness link
