Dreams unwind – love is a state of mind

Blanche and Dean Poole both come from a farming background and, typically for people involved with Standardbreds, have a deep and abiding love of harness racing horses. 

With a CV that includes working at various times for a number of leading nurseries including Alabar Farms, Karamea Farm and Concorde Park, Blanche and Dean purchased their own property at Congupna in 2006. 

Opposite Mick Lombardo’s former showpiece Concorde Park, the Pooles established Rhiannon Park settling on a name through a mutual love of iconic band Fleetwood Mac. 

As the 2024 Nutrien Melbourne Yearling Sale rapidly approaches the couple are busy preparing 11 yearlings for the sale. 

Headlined by a trotting colt by the outstanding French stallion Love You, Lot 240 should attract plenty of interest. 

He is the first colt produced by his dam Gypsy Flair who produced her third winner Keayang Gypsy earlier this month. 

Gypsy Flair’s first foal was the Group One 2yo Vicbred Super Series winner Banglez tr,3,1:57.8 $127,350 while her second foal was the Group One 2yo Australasian Breeders Crown winner Just A Bit Touchy tr,2,1:59.3 $134,690. 

Both fillies were awarded Australian 2yo Trotting Filly of the Year honours which seems a little ironic as the pedigree is replete with outstanding trotting colts including Australian Trotter of the Year A Touch Of Flair and Australian 3yo Trotter of the Year Son Of Flair. 

“He is a lot like Banglez and is nice and long in the barrel which is an asset for a trotter,” Blanche said. 

Lot 193 is a colt by Soho Tribeca from the unraced Badlands Hanover mare Bring Her Back. 

This colt is a three-quarter brother to the American Ideal Listed Classic winner Sophies Ideal which won 16 races and $150,979. 

“We went to a son of American Ideal as the mares best two winners were by him and we really liked Soho Tribeca as a racehorse and the $12,000 Vicbred Pure Bonus was also a factor”, Blanche explained. 

“He is a really nice balanced colt.” 

Soho Tribeca’s first crop are current 2yos and he is already the sire of the Menangle winner Soho The Real Deal p,2,1:56.5. 

The Vicbred Pure Bonus is an additional attraction for a pair of Vincent yearlings that Rhiannon Park will offer. 

Lot 254 is a colt by Vincent from the imported Western Hanover mare J K Luckbealady and he is a half-brother to three winners. 

“I really like this bloke as he has a cheeky and adorable personality with a go-getem attitude.” 

A winner as both a 2yo and 3yo, J K Luckbealady is a daughter of LChaim which won 36 races and $674,908 in addition to being a half-sister to no less than four $100,000 earners headed by Thereisapaceforus which won 30 races and $562,595 and Molly Pitcher Stake winner Jkmusicofthenite which won nine races and $307,370. 

Jkmusicofthenite is now the dam of three $100,000 earners herself. 

Lot 279 is another yearling by Vincent and in this case a filly out of the Armbro Operative mare Molly Pitcher which won eight races. 

Molly Pitcher is a full-sister to Group One 4yo Vicbred Super Series winner Adams Rocket and the Gawler Oaks winner Spitfire Shadow which is now the dam of four $100,000 earners headed by the Group Three Vicbred Platinum Metropolitan Pace winner Somebeachshadow which won 14 races and $193,528. 

“She might be a filly but she is tall and strong – more like a colt,” Blanche said. 

Lot 334 is a colt by the first season sire Tall Dark Stranger and he is a half-brother to nine winners being from the Perfect Art mare Slip Slop Slap. 

He is a half-brother to Chariots Of Fire winner Jilliby Kung Fu p,1:48.8 $579,088 while his half-sister Soho Gloria Jane is the dam of the 2024 2yo winner Soho The Real Deal p,2,1:56.5 which recently became the first winner sired by Soho Tribeca. 

Lot 290 is a colt by Stay Hungry from the lightly raced Rocknroll Hanover mare Nicki Rocks. 

Nicki Rocks is a half-sister to Pray Tell which won seven races and $105,578 and took a record of 1:53.7 as a 3yo. 

She is also a half-sister to Nikkis Delight which won on nine occasions and is now the dam of the Group Three Chandon Stakes winner Dominus Factum at Gloucester Park and has banked $140,398 from his 16 wins. 

“He is a tall athletic colt, looks like he mightl run early.” 

Stay Hungry’s first Australian foals began racing this year as 2yos and he is already the sire of four individual 2yo winners which makes him Australia’s Leading First Season sire at this point of the season behind only Sweet Lou and Downbytheseaside. 

His first North American crop was so successful that Stay Hungry finished in fourth place on the 2yo Sires List and followed that with a similar placing when that crop were 3yos in 2023. 

In conjunction with Fred and Pauline Barker, Rhiannon Park will offer a Captain Crunch colt as Lot 270. 

This dam of this colt is the winning Art Major mare Manellira which is a full-sister to the unraced dam of triple Group One winner and millionaire Soho Tribeca and the Australian Aged Pacing Mare of the Year Carlas Pixel p,1:49.5 $480,128. 

Captain Crunch’s first Australasian foals commenced racing as 2yos in 2024 and he is already the sire of three 2yo winners. 

Rhiannon Park are also preparing four yearlings for outside clients. 

Lot 201 is another Captain Crunch colt and this one is on account of Hugh Walker and is the first foal from a ten time winning full-sister to the Tailamade Lombo Stakes winner Sophies Ideal. 

Lot 172 is an Always B Miki colt from the 13 times winning Village Jasper mare Alta Calypso and this colt is being offered by Colin Moore. 

Alta Calypso is the dam of six winners including the 4yo Vicbred Super Series winner Milly Perez and Redcliffe Gold Cup winner Sebs Choice. 

Lot 263 is on account of Lynette Eastman and Barry Lyons and is a colt by Downbytheseaside from the 14 times winner Lombo Cloud Nine. 

Lombo Cloud Nine is now the dam of four winners after her 3yo Ultimate Joy won at Maryborough on March 25th. 

Lot 357 is a Vicbred Pure eligible filly by Ride High from the very well performed Village Jasper mare Village Witch. 

Village Witch won at Group Three level on no less than four separate occasions on her way to 24 wins and $281,233 in stakes.

by Alan Parker