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Group one winner Volstead’s potential as a sire could not have been more clearly highlighted than in a quinella performance in the first 2YO trotting features of the harness racing season in Victoria at Melton on Saturday night (May 20).
Haras des Trotteurs had the privilege of launching the American-bred Swedish star’s stud career on Australian soil in 2019, and from his first crop to race, his progeny are now living up to their potential.
Violet Stanford, out of the NZ 10-times winner Mingara (Thanksgiving), was a professional winner of the $50,000 Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic Final (fillies) for trainer-driver Nathan Jack (2:00.4), with another of the Volstead crop, Maoris Mac finishing 4.2 metres away in second spot for David Aiken.
Volstead is by Cantab Hall (Self Possessed), acknowledged as one of the pre-eminent sires in world trotting ranks, and offering one of the best bloodlines available. He comes from one of the most prominent square-gaiting families, going back to the legendary Scotland (1925), whose influence through 10 generations continues today.
The US Hall of Famer Cantab Hall (1:54) was a star on the track from his juvenile season, being voted the USTA trotter of the year as a 2yo during which season he recorded a 1:56.3 time. After 14 victories and $US1.44m in stakes, he was sent to stud and was an overnight success, being the leading sire of 2yo trotters with his first crop in the US.
Father Patrick, now a leading US sire, is his richest earning foal, having tallied up $US2.56m in stakes in a distinguished career.
Volstead’s first crop produced 50 foals in Australia, which are now two-year-olds. Six of the crop have raced, with two individual winners, most notably, Violet Stanford.
“I really like her,” Jack, of Lemnos, near Shepparton said.
“She’s very inexperienced but has a great action and is a great-gaited filly. Hopefully she’s got a big future,” he said.
“She’s quite a strong filly, but exceptionally fast. She hasn’t shown the speed (at the races) that she’s shown me, because she’s not concentrating 100 percent yet.”
The quinella result at Melton on Saturday night followed an outstanding performance the previous night by another Volstead filly in the first 2yo trotting feature of the season in Auckland, New Zealand.
We Can Have It All, out of the stakes winner Duchess Ella (Earl), was purchased from the Nutrien Yearling Sale in Melbourne by US-based Gordon Banks and Marc Hanover.
The filly was an impressive winner in the $40,000 Young Guns Final at Alexandra Park at just her third start.
Trained by Mark and Nathan Purdon and driven by Blair Orange, We Can Have It All trotted 1700 metres in a time of 2:01.4, with a last quarter in 28.7 – only a second outside the NZ race record for fillies over that distance.
“The filly caught Nathan’s eye at the sales and has been brought along by them in masterful fashion,” Banks said.
Driven confidently by Orange, the filly showed speed and grit, avoiding the bad luck that marked her first two starts.
“If one has to wake up at three in the morning Miami time to watch a race, this is the result that makes it worthwhile,” Banks said.
To read more:
Violet brings green as Volstead filly lands Classic
