Weekly spotlight on breeding

Breeding authority Peter Wharton presents all the harness racing news on breeding from Australia, New Zealand and North America every Friday brought to you by Garrard’s Horse & Hound.

The Binshaw to Alta Intrigue

Alta Intrigue, a son of the deceased American sire Mach Three, has been one of the stars of the winter racing at Gloucester Park.

He won at his last two appearances – both over 2130 metres – and before that finished second in the Group 2 San Simeon and John Higgins Memorial. His winning run in the $50,000 The Binshaw last Friday, when he outsprinted a top field after racing wide throughout, elevated him to the verge of WA Pacing Cup class.

Alta Intrigue is a member of the same family as Fake Left, a Little Brown Jug winner who became the leading sire in Australia for seven consecutive seasons.

Alta Intrigue is by Mach Three from the American-bred mare Samantha Q, by Real Artist, an Artsplace horse and a half-sister to the fine racemare Michelle’s Revenge 1:52.8 ($432,157) and to Perfect Profile, dam of the champion sire and broodmare Art Major.

Samantha Q, who took a record of 1:53, was out of Paige Nicole Q 1:52 ($712,801), winner of the USA Breeders Crown and by Beach Towel from the Cam Fella mare Turn To Stone (1:56.6), a sister to Fake Left.

Paige Nicole Q was the dam of the American speedsters Cue The Paige (1:49.6) and Teenage Paige 1:50 (dam of Agent Q 1:48.8, $1.2 million) and the Victorian-bred Shesallyank (1:56.3) and Getya Wings Out 1:58.8 ($137,459), who won 11 races including the SA Southern Cross 3YO and became the dam of the highly promising Denis William (1:53.9).

Shesallyank left a smart racemare in Luvyoubabe (1:53.5), who won nine races including the Vicbred Platinum Series and $98,400.

Jilliby Fernando is classics material

Jilliby Fernando, a three-year-old by Captaintreacherous from Metro Mint (1:54.7), by Metropolitan, finished a distant third at his only start as a two-year-old last season.

But the Captaintreacherous colt has proved himself to some purpose in his three-year-old racing, and he won at Bendigo last Friday in 1:53 – a new lifetime mark.

It was Jilliby Fernando’s fifth success on end and his mile in 1:53 was put up when he clocked 26.9 seconds for the opening quarter and was sternly tested in a 55.7 final 800 metres. He is a very good youngster.

Metro Mint, the dam of Jilliby Fernando, won five races including one at Melton. She is out of Mint (2:02), by Walton Hanover from the American-bred mare Satin Tabella, by Icarus Lobell from Satin Lining, dam of the Moonee Valley winners Best Of British 1:54.8 ($221,264) and Silk And Satin (TT1:59.1) and the grand-dam of the Listed winners Hippity Hop 1:53.2 ($231,010) and Stihletto 1:57.1 ($116,359). She is also the third dam of the recent Albion Park victor Vinny Chase 1:51.4 ($225,186).

Jilliby Fernando is a member of Paddy Lee’s Terang team.

Spirit Of Anzac bred to be good

Spirit Of Anzac, who has won at his first two appearances on Australian soil, highlighted by a career-best 1:51.8 effort at Menangle, has now won 10 races and is rated one of the brightest prospects in his class.

He ranks as a six-year-old brother by Bettor’s Delight to the NSW Tatlow winner Our Crown Law, who, at one stage, held the Australian mile record for an aged pacing entire at 1:51.4.

Their dam, Spirit Of Eros, an In The Pocket mare from Spirit Of Bethlehem, by Soky’s Atom from the Cambridge Cup winner Tabella Beth (1:55.6), has proved a most successful broodmare. Besides Spirit Of Anzac and Our Crown Law, she is the dam of the Listed winner Bettor Spirits 1:50.2 ($344,825), Spirit And Desire 1:55.9 (NZ North Island Breeders Stakes), Double Rocket 1:57.2 (NZ Sires Stakes 3YO Graduate), Spirit Of Art (1:56.5) and the Southern Belle Series winner Spirit Of Delight (1:55.2).

An unraced daughter of Spirit Of Eros in Cathar figures as the dam of the Menangle winner God’s Spirit (1:50.2).

Spirit Of Eros was not of much account herself but she was a half-sister to Flyin Messiah (TT1:57.1), a double winner at Auckland.

This has been one of the most successful branches of the Mona R family, Spirit Of Bethlehem being a half-sister to the NZ Kindergarten Stakes winner Karmic Reward and a sister to the NZ Sires Stakes 3YO champion Spirit Of Zeus 1:57.8 ($243,472) and to Spirit Of Beth, a handy racemare who has produced an outstanding family of winners including the mighty Lazarus (1:48.8), Victory Spirit (1:53) and Poisedtopounce (1:54.1).

Lost 50 metres – and won!

Highlight of the Kilmore meeting last weekend was turned on by the three-year-old trotting filly Banglez, who broke soon after the start in the Group 1 APTS Final and gave the leaders 50 metres start.

With 1200 metres to run she will still 35 metres from the leaders, and her chance could have been written off. But Banglez launched her bid three-wide at the bell, joined the leader going down the back straight and finally prevailed in a photo finish.

Banglez’s performance was an amazing one in every respect.

She is a daughter of the Angus Hall horse Majestic Son, a top trotter himself and who has been the leading sire in both Australia and NZ for many years.

Gypsy Flair, the dam of Banglez, was a Skyvalley mare from a fine straightout trotter in Fiona’s Flair, by Entrepreneur from Fiona Lyn, by Timely Ace from Lynmont Hanover, a daughter of one of Victoria’s best pacing mares in the 1960’s, Lynmont, who won two Oaks classics.

Paige One on top

Paige One, the winner of the $36,000 Allwood Sales Series Final at Globe Derby Park, is one of the best four-year-old mares in South Australia at present.

She has won $27,671 in stakes, a worthwhile return for the $9,000 paid for her as a yearling. By the Somebeachsomewhere horse Sunshine Beach, and one of his first crop, she is out of Jayne Tee, by a champion American pacer in American Ideal (a Western Ideal horse who is now standing in Victoria) from Spice On Ice, by Pacific Rocket from the good producer Tosti.

Paige One ranks as a half-sister to the Melton winner Seize Power (1:57.3) and the smart Sunraysia pacer Shadow Terror (1:59.4), their dam, Jayne Tee, being a half-sister to the metropolitan winners Roylance (1:56.3) and Manchego (1:57).

Tosti, the third dam of Paige One, founded a strong winning branch of the noted Black Watch tribe. It includes the NZ Cup and A. G. Hunter Cup winner Arden Rooney, Arden Messi (1:51.8), a top NZ juvenile in After The Reckoning 1:57.6 ($265,201), Smackwater Jack 1:56.1 ($122,517) and others.

Well related three-year-old

Otis is proving himself a three-year-old of some worth in WA and during this campaign he has won five races including four at Gloucester Park and finished a creditable second to Lavra Joe in the Pearl.

Bred and raced by Steve Johnson, he is a colt by the Yankee Cruiser horse Sweet Lou from the Art Major mare Janet Gai (1:58.6) and is her first foal.

Janet Gai ranks as a sister to the Dainty’s Daughter Classic winner Mandy Joan 1:54.9 ($147,227) and a half-sister to the Pearl winner Isaiah Artois 1:58.3 ($117,351) and Dibaba (1:54.1), being out of Endless Journey, by Die Laughing from Hold Tight, by Embrace Me from the former glamour racemare Stormy Port.

This is the family which produced such winners as the millionaire David Hercules, Major Martini (Westbred 2YO Classic), the dual Derby winner Albuquerque, Supreme Royalty (WA Sires Stakes 2YO), Cosmic Flight 1:57.7 ($202,835) and Cosmic Legacy 1:56.6 ($195,536).

James Dean tops in Tassie

James Dean, who won at Launceston last Sunday and earlier in the season won the Carrick Cup and New Norfolk Cup, is regarded as one of the best stayers in Tasmania.

James Dean is a seven-year-old gelding by the Art Major horse Santanna Blue Chip. He is out of a noted producer in Alegria, a Caprock mare from the same family as the smart NZ pacer Mac De Stroyer.

Alegria, who was unraced, is also the dam of the Victorian country cups winner Glenferrie Alexis 1:55.9 ($288,323, dam of the Tas. Coastal Pacing Thousand winner Hezatoff), the Menangle winners Du Vella 1:50.9 ($208,011) and Freedom Is 1:53.7 ($165,265) and Im Alex 1:54.8 ($151,101) and the Albion Park victor Jackaroozy 1:56.1 ($112,759).

The next dam, Miesque (by Plat Du Jour), left the NZ Spring Cup and Taylor Mile winner Mac De Stroyer 1:49.8 ($268,762) and the Methven Green Mile winner Il Informed (1:58.6), who, in turn, is the dam of the Melton and Menangle winner Hickstead 1:51.4 ($220,025).

In the back removes of James Dean’s pedigree are horses of the calibre of 1951 Inter Dominion champion Vedette, Courage Under Fire, Delightful Memphis 1:51.4 ($507,811), Triple Eight (NZ Spring Cup), the Breeders Crown winner Cyclone Kate and Passion Stride (1:53.4) – source classicfamilies.net

Group 1 winning trotter has strong bloodlines

Aldebaran Zeus, winner of the $50,000 Australasian Premier Trotting Sale Final at Kilmore, is a three-year-old trotter of some potential.

Failing to reach the reserve when offered at the 2019 APTS sale, Aldebaran Zeus is a well developed colt by Muscle Hill from Zoia Boko, a Swedish mare who was imported by Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson a decade ago.

Zoia Boko, who was only lightly raced, is by the Italian bred Viking Kronos, the leading sire in Sweden for many years.

Zoia Boko ranks as a sister to a top Swedish trotter in Yield Boko 1:54.9 ($814,031), now a successful sire in both Europe and Australia.

The family, which traces to the noted taproot Minnehaha, produced a world champion in Cash Hall (TT1:51.2), who won 11 races and was placed in the Hambletonian, and other good trotters in Cartier Hall (1:54.6), who won 21 races including the John Simpson Memorial, Marseille and Capetown Hall.

By Peter Wharton for Harnesslink