A treble of pure Group 1 class

Victoria Cup night at Melton Entertainment Park provided yet another storied chapter in the life of top Victorian standardbred stud farm, Alabar Bloodstock.

Stallions on the Echuca-based nursery’s roster provided the winners of three of the five Group 1 races contested on the nine-race harness racing program.

Kingman (by Always B Miki) led in an Alabar quinella in the Group 1 $250,000 Sportsbet Victoria Cup with Hi Manameisjeff (by Art Major) second, Fox Dan (by Art Major) took out the Group 1 $150,000 Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby and Keayang Zahara (by Volstead) proved a class above her rivals in the $60,000 Group 1 Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint.

Meanwhile, Surfingmakescents (by Vincent) led throughout to claim the Group 3 $50,000 Hertz Melton Ladyship Cup for mares.

Fox Dan became the second Victoria Derby winner sired by Art Major, joining Sushi Sushi (2011).

To further demonstrate Alabar’s influence on the Victoria Cup meeting, Art Major figured as the damsire of Soho Americano, the winner of the Group 1 $150,000 Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Oaks, and Soho Park Avenue (IRT Shakamaker 2YO Classic), Majestic Son is the damsire of the Group 1 $60,000 Renown Silverware Victoria Trotters Oaks winner Tracy The Jet, while Fox Dan is out of a mare by the former Alabar stallion Jereme’s Jet.

“What an incredible night at Melton! To see Alabar stallions sire the winners of four of the main races was something really special. It doesn’t get much better than that,” Alabar general manager Brett Coffey said.

“A huge thank you to the breeders who backed our stallions – your support and belief have been rewarded in the best possible way. Nights like this are what we all dream about.”

In all, Alabar’s current roster has sired 576 individual Southern Hemisphere stakes winners of which 176 are Group 1 winners.

Maxnjax, a gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven, was the fifth winner sired by one of the Alabar Bloodstock roster at the Melton feature meeting. The four-year-old is from a mare by Safari, who also stood at Alabar.

Leading Perth identity Robert Watson took the breeding honours at Melton with a winning double with Soho Americano and Soho Park Avenue.

The Victorian raiders Forty Love, who was bred by Yvonne and the late Barry Dunn, and the Alabar bred Always Dancing took out both heats of the SA Derby at Globe Derby Park

by Peter Wharton, for Harness Racing Victoria