Four of the best on Redwood Day

The race- and track record-breaking Victoria Derby success by Cravache Dor and a new lifetime mark set by Visionary in the Matchmaker Mile were the highlights of harness racing’s big Redwood carnival for Haras Des Trotteurs’ stallions.

Both progeny of leading sire Orlando Vici, Cravache Dor and Visionary promise to be a force in the Breeders Crown and Vicbred Super Series.

Cravache Dor completed a clean sweep of the Haras Des Trotteurs sponsored Derby in leading throughout in the Group 1 $75,000 final at a record 1:58.9 rate for 2690 metres. It was his eighth success from 16 starts and pushed his lifetime earnings over the $100,000 plateau.

Visionary, who posted her third win from her last four outings, clocked 1:56.8 for the flying mile after racing without cover from the outset. Her time was the second fastest recorded in the race’s history.

The Love You pair Aroha Koe and Kyvalley Surfrider NZ completed the quadrella for HDT stallions on the day.

Love You, who is second on the Australian money-winning list and third in New Zealand, sired a swag of winners – on both sides of the Tasman – during the past fortnight.

They included the two-year-old filly Aroha Kenny (Invercargill, NZ), the three-year-old fillies Con Grazia Love and One Thirtythree (both Auckland) and So Vogue (Globe Derby Park) and the four-year-olds Astro (Melton) and Hi Ho Kyvalley (Bendigo).

Village Mystic and Brillantissime, both members of the Haas Des Trotteurs sire roster, left important winners in NZ and North America.

Village Mystic was represented by the three-year-old Mystic Max, who captured the Group 3 NZ Hambletonian Classic in a new lifetime mark of 1:56.8 at Ashburton, while Pure Hope S, a Swedish-bred two-year-old daughter of Brillantissime, won the $53,100 John Simpson Memorial by open lengths in 1:54.8 at Harrah’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was her third success from seven starts.

Other stud-sired winners were Right Moves (The Best Madrik), a winner in 1:56.1 at Menangle, Champagne Charley (Used To Me) and Quake Proof and Im Hector (both by Quaker Jet).

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink