Champion sires exert their influence on VSS Finals

The profound influence exerted by the immortal Western Hanover on the pacing breed and Muscles Yankee on the trotting side was emphasized with the results of the $1.5 million Vicbred Super Series harness racing meeting at Melton.

Western Hanover featured in the pedigrees of no less than five of the six pacing champions crowned on the night in Always Hot, Miki To Success, Ivseenheavenslight, Heza Punk Rocker and Sweet Bella.

Always Hot and Miki To Success are both progeny of the touted Alabar Bloodstock import Always B Miki, a great grandson of Western Hanover, while Heza Punk Rocker is a product of another great grandson of Western Hanover in Rock N Roll Heaven, who is also the damsire of Iveseenheavenslight (by Bettor’s Delight).

Western Hanover appears on the fourth line of the distaff side of the pedigree of Sweet Bella (by Sweet Lou).

Meanwhile, Muscles Yankee can be found in the family trees of five trotting Final winners in Keayang Zahara, Rapid Return, Commodus, Keayang Kurki and The Locomotive.

Keayang Zahara (by Volstead) is out of a daughter of Muscles Yankee, while The Locomotive was sired by Muscles Yankee’s son Muscle Mass, who also ranks as the damsire of Rapid Return (by Orlando Vici).

The two-year-old trotting winners Commodus (by Father Patrick) and Keayang Kurki (by Royalty For Life) are both out of daughters of Muscles Yankee’s greatest son Muscle Hill.

Cantab Hall figures as the paternal grandsire of Derek The Jet, Keayang Zahara (both by Volstead) and Commodus (by Father Patrick)

Ballarat breeder Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms  stole the show on Vicbred Super Series night as the breeder of four winners in Derek The Jet, The Locomotive, Rapid Return and Commodus

Bruce and Vicki Edward, of Durham Park Standardbreds, bred the two-year-old fillies’ winner Ivseenheavenslight and the dam of another winner, Sweet Bella (4YO mare)

Rapid Return, the winner of the $100,000 Final for four-year-old trotting mares, is owned by 92 year-old Goulburn Valley identity Patsy Abrahams and trained by her son David. Patsy conducted the famed Meadowbrook Stud, Riddells Creek with her late husband Kevin for many years

Always Hot, who won the two-year-old colts and geldings’ division, is the sixth Vicbred champion tracing directly to the prized matron Larrakeyah Lady

by Peter Wharton, for Harness racing Victoria