Not bad, for a little horse from the bush!

Underrated trotting sire Danny Bouchea (Sundon) has notched up a significant harness racing career milestone, recording his 30^th winner as a sire from what could only be called limited opportunities.

A 2004 foal out of Past Judgement who is by Torado Hanover, out of Majestic Maori (Thor Hanover), Danny Bouchea was arguably the best of his year.  He took country Victorian owner-trainer Nick Youngson and his family on the ride of their life, winning three group ones and almost $200,000 in stakes in his first 16 starts.

In his career, “Danny” recorded 19 wins in 57 starts and over $300,000 in earnings between 2007 and 2012.

In retirement, he was “given a try” at stud at the property of veterinarian Greg Hargreaves and now at the Wedderburn property of his owner Nick Youngson – and Danny Bouchea has more than held his own.

Hargreaves is a “natural only” breeding advocate – and “Danny” was turned out each season with the mares he was to service.

Chantilly Dee (out of Town Player (Classic Adam) recently became Danny Bouchea’s 30^th individual winner from 90 foals on the ground in his career (30 percent).

He has had 42 starters overall (71 percent winners to starters), with average winnings per starter of $35,400 and average earnings per winner of $50,000.

As Nick Youngson observes: “not bad for a boy from the bush”!

But a career in the breeding barn was never assured – in fact, was possible only by chance.

“He’s actually a rig – Frank Evans came out to geld him when he was a yearling and he only had the one testicle, so we decided just to leave him,” Youngson recalled.

“You dream of having a good horse and you wouldn’t even dare to dream about having a good stallion.  We were lucky enough to have Danny.  It was a dream for us to race him and now it’s a dream for us to keep watching his stock go around.

“It keeps us watching horses all around Australia.  It’s been pretty special.”

But it’s likely that season 2022-23 will be Danny’s last in the breeding barn at least in a commercial sense.

“What he’s been able to do shows you what can happen and I think the Sundons have bred as well as anything down here,” Youngson said.

“But in all honesty Danny didn’t get the best opportunities.  He didn’t get the best mares in the world, by any stretch, which is a pity.  His figures stack up, but it’s just too tough for the little guys in the breeding game.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink