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.

Swingband star stayer

Swingband, a son of the New Zealand-bred sire Alta Christiano, who died three years ago, was the star of the early winter racing at Gloucester Park.

He won at his last two appearances – both over 2130 metres from behind the mobile barrier – rating 1:55.3 and 1:55.9.

Bred by Trevor Lindsay, Swingband is closely related to an earlier top pacer in Rare Gem, who won 11 races including the Victoria Derby and $215,350 in stakes.

Swingband is by Alta Christiano from a fine racemare in Bettor’s Gem 1:54.6 ($103,276), by Bettor’s Delight. Bettor’s Gem, who won the Westbred 4&5YO Championship, was out of Falcon’s Gem, a lightly raced mare by Falcon Seelster from Payson’s Gem, by Payson’s Brother from the American-bred mare Emerald Breeze.

Falcon’s Gem was the dam of Rare Gem (1:52.6), the Chariots of Fire winner Ebony Gem 1:56.9 ($317,030), the exported C C’s Gem (1:57.2) and Tapestry, dam of the metropolitan winners Hez Declan (1:55.1), Our Pontiac (1:56.5) and The Notorious One (1:57).

Swingband was one of three winners sired by Alta Christiano on the night, the others being High Price and Acharne Girl, an impressive winner and a young mare of some real potential.

Watts Memorial winner

South Coast Arden (Somebeachsomewhere), who won the J. D. Watts Memorial in 1:49.1 at Menangle – Spirit Of St Louis, I Cast No Shadow and Mach Shard filled the placings behind him – is Brisbane Winter carnival bound.

It was his second success from as many starts on Australian soil.

Bred by Otago (NZ) breeder John Stiven, South Coast Arden is a six-year-old gelding by Somebeachsomewhere from a fine racemare in Southwind Arden (1:58.4), by Bettor’s Delight from the broodmare gem Winter Rose, by In The Pocket from Bella Chip, by People’s Blue Chip (son of Most Happy Fella).

An interesting feature of South Coast Arden’s pedigree is that there is a double strain of Direct Scooter blood through his sire Somebeachsomewhere and his grand-dam’s sire In The Pocket. 

Southwind Arden, a Listed winner, produced others in Platinum Stride (1:53.8) and South Beach Arden.

Won Melton Mares Championship

Im Presi Belle (Mach Three), winner of the Melton Mares Championship last Saturday and before that the Canberra Cup, continues to prove herself in the top bracket among the female pacers. She is undefeated in six outings this season.

She holds a mark of 1:52.2 and is a member of one of NZ’s most successful families, being a five-year-old Mach Three mare from the Queensland Oaks winner White Thunder 1:57.4 ($344,717), a Presidential Ball mare who has produced others in Shezwhitelightning (1:59.5) and Stormborn, now being bred from in Tasmania.

White Thunder was out of Latoya Franco (2:01.2), a good producer by Holmes Hanover from the Cambridge Gold Cup winner Lady Franco, by Plat Du Jour from Eastwood Jubilee, by Bachelor Star and tracing to the imported mare Berthabell.

Latoya Franco, a good Harold Park winner, left the NSW Breeders Challenge heat winner Cousin Christian (1:59.3) and Oh So Sweet (1:58.2), dam of last year’s juvenile winner Rebounder.

Im Presi Belle was bred by Condell Park (NSW) couple Peter and Loretta Dewsbury.

Well related three-year-old filly

No Dramas, who won the NSW Bred 3YO Final at Menangle, showed ability as a two-year-old last season when she won two of her four starts.

She has opened her three-year-old on a winning note, capturing a heat and the $30,600 final of the NSW Bred Series.

No Dramas is a filly by the Bettor’s Delight horse Betterthancheddar, who has returned to Canada after standing in Victoria, from Neverending Drama (1:56.9), who left an earlier winner in Endless Drama (1:54.9).

Neverending Drama ranks as a half-sister to a smart pacer and Tatlow Memorial winner in Composed, being by McArdle from the Fake Left mare Troy’s Dream, a half-sister to the NSW Carousel winner Sailor’s Corner.

Two-year-old classic winner

Luvareschs (Art Major), the season’s latest two-year-old classic winner in beating a useful field in the inaugural NSW Bred Final at Menangle, gives the impression that she could develop into one of next season’s top three-year-olds. 

Sold for $30,000 at the APG sale at Warwick Farm in 2022, Luvareschs is a strongly built filly by Art Major from a handy racemare in Maxwell’s Pride (1:56.8), and is her first foal.

Maxwell’s Pride, who won 11 races, was a sister to the Vicbred champion and Inter Dominion heat winner Wrapper’s Delight 1:50.6 ($496,430) and a half-sister to the Victoria Sires 3YO Classic winner Watch List (1:53.2)and the Group placegetter Outback Shadow 1:57.3 ($117,850).

Their dam, Charlotte Church (1:59.2), a Group 3 winner, was a Christian Cullen mare from Donna’s Reign, by Vance Hanover from Maxine’s Reign, and tracing eventually to the imported mare Brown Lancet.

Luvareschs, who has now won $118,055 in stakes, was bred by Matt Day of Goulburn.

Siblings win on same night

Two of Australia’s star mares at present, and both winners on the same night in different States, are Delightful Angel (Bettor’s Delight) and Beach Memories (by Somebeachsomewhere).

Both bred by Wagga couple Denis and Jo Howe are out of Distant Memory, a top racemare herself, and who has left other winners in Hows The Memory, a Group winner, and Something Bettor. Distant Memory has produced four $100,000 earners from five foals to race.

Distant Memory was by the Most Happy Fella horse Troublemaker from the grand producer Macrandra, by Classic Garry from Melanie NZ, by Nero’s B B. On their latest form, Delightful Angel and Beach Memories promise to be a force in the upcoming mares’ features.

Sold to America

Among a recent shipment of horses sold to North America are the NZ bred Don’t Bother Me None and Swedish Starlet, Elektra and Oratoria, from NSW, and the Victorian The Huntress.

Don’t Bother Me None, a Bettor’s Delight entire from Corbell, has proved himself a top ranking pacer in Perth and has a mile record of 1:54. He ranks as a brother to Micky Gee (1:50.2) and Anytime (1:51), both good winners in America. 

Swedish Starlet, a double winner at Albion Park recently, is a five-year-old Mach Three mare from the Live Or Die mare Top Of The Pile.

Elektra, a last start winner in 1:51.5 at Menangle, is a five-year-old Four Starzzz Shark mare from Protikori, while Oratoria, runner-up in the $100,000 NSW Regional Championship Final, is a four-year-old by Well Said from the top racemare Bylog Bele.

The Huntress, a three-year-old Huntsville filly from Our Burning Desire NZ (by Real Desire), had won six of her 13 starts including the Vicbred 2YO Silver Pace. She is a half-sister to the good Gloucester Park winner Gee Smith.

Up-and-coming trotter

One of the most promising trotters racing in Victoria is Arcee Phoenix (Trixton), bred and part-owned by Henty (NSW) breeder Ash Haynes and trained by Chris Svanosio. A four-year-old, Arcee Phoenix is in his second season of racing, but from 17 starts he has won five and been six times placed.

Arcee Phoenix further underlined his potential when he won at Melton last weekend, rating a brilliant 1:56.8 over 1720 metres with the last 800 in 56.4 seconds.

Arcee Phoenix has a background of trotting blood second to none. His sire Trixton, a Hambloetonian winner, has left the Group winners Van Sank, Victree Hill and Utopia and in America, he has sired 63 in 1:55 including Cuatro De Julio ($879,061). His dam Justa Phoenix is by Sundon, the leading sire of trotters in both NZ and Australia for many years.

Arcee Phoenix ranks a half-brother to three winners including the Albion Park victor Querencia.

Justa Phoenix, a Listed winner, was out of Byrdie Num Num (8 trotting wins), by Speed Supreme from Jolabyrd, by Joey’s Byrd from Bobby Gentry.

The family, which traces to the imported Almont mare Jenny W, produced a top flight trotter in Eljaykay Phoenix (1:58.6), who won 18 races including four Group One’s, and other good trotters in the Inter Dominion heat winner Ofortuna, Princess Phoenix (Vicbred 2YO Final), Supreme Gent and Joseph Boppard.

SA yearling produces winners

Tonkawaikon, an impressive two-year-old winner when having only his second start at Globe Derby Park, is the second winner to have been sold at the 2022 SA Silver Salver yearling sales.

Tonkawaikon was sold for $10,500 at the sale to David Heinjus, of Temora (NSW). He is a colt by Downbytheseaside out of the Holmes Hanover mare Ymbro Coco, who was bought by ASBA secretary from the APG online sale.

Star Man, winner of the Silver Salver Final, is the other winner from the sale.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink