Leading studmaster goes back to the future

When breeding guru John Coffey begins his new role as pedigree consultant at Alabar Bloodstock next week, it will be a case of déjà vu for the Western Australian-born studmaster and breeder.

Coffey, who has been actively involved with harness racing since 1977, started his working life in the Perth office of bloodstock company Coles Brothers (later Dalgety Bloodstock).

He later served as manager of the Pinjarra Trotting Club and bloodstock advisor for leading Fremantle breeder-owner Roy Annear, an association that led to him joining the staff of giant breeding conglomerate Alabar Bloodstock in 1986.

John was the general manager, studmaster and pedigree consultant at Alabar for more than three decades.

For the past three seasons, Coffey has worked as bloodstock consultant for the prominent northern Victorian breeding nursery Llowalong Farms. He also did consultancy work with the yearling sales companies Australian Pacing Gold and Nutrien Equine and, until recently, served as president of the Australian Standardbred Breeders Association.

He also regularly conducts breeding seminars throughout the country.

Coffey is excited about rejoining the team at Alabar where his son, Brett, is the general manager.

“I’m very much looking forward to returning to Alabar and working with Alan Galloway and my son Brett,” Coffey said.

“Alan gave me a career-changing opportunity back in 1986 – the year that Brett commenced schooling in Grade 1 at St Pat’s in Tongala – and I am forever grateful of that opportunity to work with such a prestigious brand name and in an industry that has made my life very enjoyable.

“The stallion roster at Alabar this year is once again a five star line-up. Art Major is a marvel, Always B Miki is the stallion on his way up the ladder and Majestic Son the doyen of trotting sires in the Southern Hemisphere.

“I’m particularly pleased to see Alabar giving our home-grown stallions in Elite Stride, Ride High, The Storm Inside, Ultimate Machete and Vincent every opportunity to succeed.”

The ranks of trotting sires in Victoria were given a significant boost with the news that the 2021 USA 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year and 2022 Breeders Crown champion King Of The North 1:50.6 ($1,171,385) is slated to stand at Dr Kath McIntosh’s Llowalong Farms, Kyabram.

The brilliant, young stallion is the first son of Walner, the leading two and three-year-old sire in America, ever to become available to Australian breeders. His dam, the dual world champion Check Me Out, the winner of $1.9million, was a Breeders Crown winner herself and his third dam, No Nonsense Woman, banked $1.2million and was the leading trotting mare of her day.

Besides the Breeders Crown, King Of The North’s major successes included the $640,000 William Wellwood Memorial, $293,450 Peter Haughton Memorial and the $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final.

The three-year-old Settebello became the eighth winner produced by the broodmare Arty Alice NZ, owned by Brendan and Anne James, when he emerged successful at Horsham on Monday.

Others from Arty Alice to win have been Rockstar Angel, Beach Shack, Angel Of Arts, Earth Angel, Tracer Bullet, Tarin Kowt and Angel Of Heaven.

Anywhere Hugo, an impressive trotting winner at Melton last Saturday, was bred and is raced by renowned veterinarian Alistair MacLean and his family. The gelding has now won 15 races, including two at Group level, and $243,450 in stakes.

by Peter Wharton for Harness Racing Victoria