Weekly spotlight on breeding

Breeding authority Peter Wharton presents all the harness racing news on breeding from Australia, New Zealand and North America every week brought to you by Garrard’s Horse & Hound.

Mildura Cup to Sahara Tiger

The $60,000 Mildura Pacing Cup, the feature race of the Mildura cup carnival, was won by Sahara Tiger, a little fancied gelding by Art Major from Sahara Miss.

Art Major, a son of Artsplace, has been one of Australia’s top sires for over a decade, and has been one of the most successful juvenile sires of all-time.

Sahara Miss, the dam of Sahara Tiger, was by Village Jasper, also a leading sire and broodmare sire, from Macrandra, a Classic Garry mare who left 14 winners and tracing to the noted foundation mare Parisienne.

This has been a most successful family, as Sahara Sirocco, a half-brother to Sahara Tiger, was also a winner on Mildura Cup night.

Sahara Miss, who took a record of 1:54.4, produced others in Starofsahara (1:56.2), a Group 2 winner at two, Sahara Breeze and Sahara Sunrise (1:59.9), a sister to Sahara Tiger, who left the good Gloucester Park winner Sahara Storm 1:54.4 ($101,583) and Prince Sahara (1:54.1).

Sahara Tiger was bred and is part-owned by Harness Racing Victoria board member Peter Watkinson and Bruce Paul.

Kingmaker from top family

Kingmaker, a son of the deceased champion sire Mach Three, has been one of the stars of the autumn racing in Sydney.

He won three races – two over the sprint distance and one over 2300 metres – highlighted by his win in the Joe and Michael Ilsley Free-for-all at Menangle last Saturday night.

His winning run over 1609 metres in 1:49.9 clipped 0.5 off his previous record.

Kingmaker is closely related to an earlier top pacer in Iraklis, who won six races at Group level including the NZ Cup and Miracle Mile and a tick over $1 million in stakes. He later stood successfully at stud in both NZ and Australia.

A seven-year-old gelding, Kingmaker is by Mach Three from Paddy Brown, by Christian Cullen, a champion son of In The Pocket. Paddy Brown, who took a mile record of 1:57.7, was out of Braeside Star (1:59.8), winner of six races and by Soky’s Atom from a fine racemare in Tuapeka Star (1:59), by Knowing Bret.

Besides Iraklis, Tuapeka Star was the dam of the NSW Carousel winner Blue And Royal 1:51.6 ($235,856), a top NZ juvenile in Ermis 1:59 ($191,868) and the Melton Plate victor Braeside Seel Star 1:58.7 ($169,541).

Several daughters of Tuapeka Star bred on with real distinction. Marsa Star left two high class pacers in Whenacoa 1:58.8 ($152,492) and Erotas 1:53.2 ($184,959), The Star Class produced the dual Derby winner Lavros Star 1:50 ($558,313) and Its Written In The Stars 1:53.4 ($140,901), while Braeside Star left eight sub 2:00 winners including the NZ Sires Stakes champion Kayla Marie 1:54.7 ($201,470), Neighlor 1:56.1 ($152,464) and Paddy Brown, dam of Kingmaker.

Braeside Star also figures as the grand-dam of the NZ 3YO Filly of the Year O Baby 1:54.8 ($391,273).

A star from Arma Xpress

A star two-year-old filly in WA so far this season is Xceptional Arma (American Ideal), who was bred and is raced by Jim Currie and Liam O’Connor and trained by Colin Brown.

A filly by American Ideal, he is out of a champion juvenile in Arma Xpress 1:56.5 ($279,890) and the fourth of her produce to win, the others including the Group 2 winner American Arma 1:55.8 ($148,236).

Xceptional Arma won the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion at Gloucester Park and was runner-up in the WA Sales Classic and Gold Bracelet and looks a two-year-old with the potential one would expect of her breeding.

Well related three-year-old

Rocket City (Huntsville), who won the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion 3YO Final at Gloucester Park, showed ability as a two-year-old last season when he finished second to Never Ending in the Westbred Classic.

ROCKET CITY REPLAY

He has opened his three-year-old season on a winning note and will be well in line for the major juvenile classics.

Rocket City is a gelding by the Somebeachsomewhere horse Huntsville, from Gabriella Rocks, the best of whose several progeny has been the dual WA Sales Classic victor Red Hot Roxy 1:55.9 ($162,550) and the Group 1 placegetter Rock On The Beach (1:55.2).

Gabriella Rocks ranks as a half-sister to a smart pacer and WA Derby heat winner in Grinjaro 1:55.2 ($248,982) and the Listed winner Fletcher Christian, being by Four Starzzz Shark from At Melrose Place NZ, by Soky’s Atom from Morose, by the dual-gaited Gerry Mir.

Bred by Steve Johnson, Rocket City was knocked down for $45,000 at the APG sale at Perth in 2021. He has now earned $119,978 in stakes.

Blue-blooded filly

Between Two Thorns, who won the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion Final at Gloucester Park, is a three-year-old filly who can claim some worthwhile blood.

By the Somebeachsomewhere horse Downbytheseaside and one of his first crop, she is out the Western Hanover mare Kiwi Rose, whose dam, the champion racemare Tupelo Rose 1:51.4 ($879,867), was a member of the same family as recent USA Borgata Series heat and Consolation winner Hemsworth (1:51.2), La Bella Vita (1:51.6), the Northam Cup winner Our Ideal Act (1:56.9) and the Tontine winner Nunkie.

Downbytheseaside, the sire of Between Two Thorns, had a record of 1:48.6, earned $2.1million and was the leading three-year-old of his year in America.

Smart trotters closely related

Two of Victoria’s star trotters at present, and both recent winners who promise to be a force in the forthcoming trotting cups and classics, are Gotfeelingsyouknow and Barhoon.

Both bred by Goulburn Valley horseman Brad Aylett belong to the same family. 

Gotfeelingsyouknow, who is undefeated in four attempts, is a three-year-old gelding by Majestic Son from the unraced Zeeyena, by Bacardi Lindy from El Twotter, by Wind Cries Maori (a Pine Chip horse from the Maori Miss family).

While, Barhoon, winner of the Mount Gambier Trotters Cup and second in the Mildura Cup, is a seven-year-old Yankee Spider half-sister to Zeeyena, dam of Gotfeelingsyouknow. Barhoon has won eight races to date.

Crack colt by Art Major

A two-year-old colt to take a high ranking in WA is Ten To The Dozen, a son of Alabar Bloodstock’s flagship sire Art Major.

Ten To The Dozen has won four races and been twice placed for $48,693. He won the $50,000 APG Gold Bullion Final at Gloucester Park in the smart rate of 1:58.6, and appears every bit as good as the Sandgropers rate him.

He is out of a useful racemare in Nolessthanperfect (1:57.1) and the first of her produce to race. She was a half-sister to the Melton winner Vasari 1:52 ($235,447), being by Bettor’s Delight from Thebestamancanget, by Mach Three from the smart racemare Ciccio Star (1:58.4), by Soky’s Atom and descending to the prized matron Regina.

Siblings win at Maryborough

It was no mean feat for the siblings Dancin Dolly (Somebeachsomewhere) and Sheza Chocolatier (by Art Major) to win on the same card at Maryborough recently.

Both were bred and are raced by Bendigo couple Peter and Beatrice Salathiel.

Highview Ember 1:53.3 ($122,798), the dam of Dancin Dolly and Sheza Chocolatier, was out of the Holmes Hanover mare Zena Hanover, who won twice in NZ.  Besides Highview Amber, she was also the dam of the prolific Perth winner Zennart 1:51.4 ($173,612), the Menangle winner Zena’s Art 1:55.8 ($100,298) and Zest Philly, who became the dam of American Lightning 1:51.4 ($154,222), who is racing successfully in USA.

Zena Hanover was out of Zentua, by Tuapeka Knight from Now And Zen, a half-sister to the former NZ 2YO of the Year Motoring Magic, the Group 2 winner Harvey’s Sister, a top juvenile trotter in Zebec and the racing and breeding influence Interchange.

Other members of this family have been the Inter Dominion champion Elsu, the Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave (1:48.8), Revonez (NZ 2YO Championship), Sirletic ($299,673), the Oaks winners De Lovely and Copper Beach, Vessem (NZ Kindergarten Stakes) and Vinke B (NZ Sapling).

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink