Three Melton winners from the one family

One of the most interesting features of the Melton harness racing meeting last Saturday from a breeding viewpoint was the fact that three of the winners, Let Her Roll (Alabar Sapling Stakes), Keayang Tokyo and last season’s Breeders Crown champion Perfect Class, who looks one of the most capable young pacers in the country, all belong to the one family.

All three trace back to the Windshield Wiper mare Larrakeyah Lady, a Vicbred champion and a mare who has had a terrific influence on light harness breeding in Australia.

The Australian Broodmare of the Year in 2002, Larrakeyah Lady was bred from by Maryborough enthusiast Peter Gleeson and the Cameron brothers, Bruce and Craig. She was the dam of 15 live foals by eight different stallions for nine winners – seven inside 2:00 – and six producing daughters.

Let Her Roll, who is undefeated in four starts, is a two-year-old filly by Sweet Lou from the Breeders Crown and Vicbred winner Rocknroll Magic, by Rock N Roll Heaven from All The Magic, by Live Or Die from Celebrity Ball, who established a very strong branch of the Larrakeyah Lady tribe.

Celebrity Ball is the grand-dam of the brilliant speedster Ride High, the Sapling Stakes winner Major Celebrity, Always Fast (Vic. Mercury80), Star Celebrity (Vicbred Platinum 4YO) and the dual Listed winner Starburst Girl.

Perfect Class, the winner of nine races and $279,880, is a four-year-old by Captaintreacherous from the Live Or Die mare Perfect Life, the dam of seven winners from seven foals including the Group/Listed winners Perfect Major, That’s Perfect, Rogue Wave and Perfect Look.

Perfect Life, who won eight races, was out of Secret Life (dam of seven winners), by Safely Kept from Lifeline (dam of seven winners), by Classic Garry from Larrakeyah Lady.

Meanwhile, the Marg Lee bred, owned and trained Keayang Tokyo, a winner of five of his seven starts so far, is a four-year-old Captaintreacherous gelding out of the $100,000 winning Always A Virgin mare Keayang Secret, whose dam, Feel The Magic, was by Fully Loaded from Dreams (dam of six winners), by What’s Next from Larrakeyah Lady.

Keayang Tokyo is the first foal of Keayang Secret, a half-sister to three winners.

Guaranteed, the four-time Group 1 winner and dual Vicbred champion, will stand stud at Blayney in the NSW Central West this season at a fee of $2,200 including GST

Pat Driscoll bred a winning double at Melton with Rapid Return, winner of the Aldebaran Park Sweetheart Trot Final, and Iron Love

The three-year-old Bail Denied, who won effortlessly on debut at Ballarat, is an Art Major brother to Perfect Major and That’s Perfect and a half-brother to Rogue Wave and Perfect Class

by Peter Wharton, for Harness Racing Victoria