Stallions Australasia sires to the forefront

The 2022 harness racing season was a breakout year for sires on the Stallions Australasia roster.

Leading the way was the great Muscle Hill, the premier sire for five consecutive seasons and who finished runner-up on the North American all aged list with $10.8million last year.

Muscle Hill finished second on the NZ sires’ list and third in Australia in 2022.

Three of Muscle Hill’s sons on the Stallions Australasia roster in Tactical Landing, Southwind Frank and Trixton all ranked highly on the various sires’ lists.

Tactical Landing was the second leading first crop sire and ranked sixth on the overall two-year-old table.

He left the winners of $1.8million with 25 in 2:00, six in 1:55 and five $100,000 earners including the Stakes winners Mambacita 1:53.4 ($496,161), Quick Stop 1:55 ($285,718), Southwind Admiral (1:55.2) and Mommamia Volo (1:55.8).

Meanwhile, Tactical Landing’s yearlings were in demand at last year’s sales in America with a filly bringing $475,000 at the Harrisburg Black Book sale and a filly selling for $375,000 and a colt at $325,000 at the Kentucky Selected sale.

Southwind Frank, whose oldest stock are four-year-olds, left the winners of $2.1million in 2022. His progeny have earned more than $5million to date.

The biggest contributors to Southwind Frank’s tally last year were the top flight two-year-old filly Bond 1:52.6 ($587,264) and Eternal Lee ($241,075).

Trixton was a Top Ten sire in America again with progeny earnings of $4.3million in 2022, of which his three-year-olds banked $1.3million.

In Australia, Trixton was represented by the Group 3 Breeders Crown Graduate winner Victree Hill and Arcee Phoenix, runner-up in the $100,000 Vicbred 3YO Final.

Deceased International trotting star Wishing Stone, who is available to Australian breeders for the last time this season, continues to churn out the winners.

In America, Wishing Stone’s stock earned $1.8million in 2022 and his lifetime tally stands at $7.1million.

His ‘down under’ progeny are headed up by cup class trotters in Zarem and Phoebe Onyx and the Group 1 juvenile winner Keayang Ninja.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink