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.

WA Pacing Cup prospect

One of the stronger WA Pacing Cup candidates, particularly among the local brigade will be Miracle Moose, who has proved himself in the top flight and has won his way back to cup class with two recent Gloucester Park successes.

His latest winning run over 2536 metres in a Free-for-all was a terrific performance. He was spotting the leaders a conservative 50 metres at one stage, but finally won decisively at a 1:55.2 rate.

A tough customer, Miracle Moose is a six-year-old gelding, being by Mach Three from the star racemare Minnie Moose 1:55.9 ($140,958), dam also of the Menangle winner Funatthebeach 1:50.4 ($316,294), now racing successfully in America.

Minnie Moose was sired by Bettor’s Delight (leading sire in Australia, NZ and USA) from Magic Moose (TT1:58.3), by Holmes Hanover from the El Patron mare Lady El (1:58.4), a former NZ 4YO Mare of the Year and dam of the NZ country cups winner Ashcott El (1:52.4).

Miracle Moose was bred by Palmerston North breeders Braeden and Caroline Whitelock.

Heza Son Of Agun is Derby material

Heza Son Of Agun, who won the Group 1 $100,000 VHRC Caduceus 3YO Classic and is regarded as Derby material of the highest order, is a three-year-old colt by Art Major from Itz Nosuprisesthere, a triple Oaks winner who took a record of 1:58 and banked $216,900.

He is a member of an old time NZ founded which was founded by Poplar (by the thoroughbred Burlington) and to which horses of the calibre of Portree (WA Pacing Cup), Itz Bettor To Win (NZ Franklin Cup), Itz Cherry Ripe and Itz Magic In Newyork also belong.

Itz Nosurprisesthere was a McArdle mare from Itz Queen Of Newyork, by New York Motoring from Itz Regal, by Clever Innocence from Adenwin, a mare by Out To Win. Adenwin was the dam of Itz Magic, who held the NZ mares’ mile record at 1:55.6 for almost a decade.

Itz Queen Of Newyork, the grand-dam of Heza Son Of Agun, was also responsible for Itz Cherry Ripe 1:51.4 ($573,127), a listed winner in NZ and who later competed successfully in America, and Itz All About Me, dam of the NZ Kindergarten Stakes and Franklin Cup winner Itz Bettor To Win 1:54.3 ($218,092) and the Perth victor Itz All About Magic (1:57.5).

Heza Son Of Agun ranks as a brother to the Breeders Crown 3YO Silver winner Itzamajor Surprise 1:56.1 ($112,985) and a half-brother to the ill-fated Itz Longtall Sally (1:57.5).

Won Simpson Memorial

The winner of six races as a two-year-old last season, My Ultimate Baxter downed the top three-year-olds in the $50,000 Simpson Memorial at Menangle, including a top ranking three-year-old in My Ultimate Byron, who finished second.

Bred by Woodlands Stud, My Ultimate Baxter is by Sweet Lou, and one of the third crop of the American horse to race in Australia, from Bettabe Fast (2:01.4), by Bettor’s Delight from the Bo Scot’s Blue Chip mare Speedy Lass, who left a Tatlow Memorial winner in That’s Rite 1:54.1 ($160,350), the exported Ruthless Speed (1:53.2) and High Velocity (1:56.4) and Girl Of Your Dreams, dam of Sheikh Yabooty (1:52.8).

Bettabe Fast, who won twice, is the dam of the Australian winners Joey Lincoln (1:56.8) and Ideally Fast (1:57.7).

Spring In His Step bred to be good

When he won the inaugural Group 2 $50,000 The Breakthrough Final at Melton, Spring In His Step scored his eighth success, and he is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in his class.

Last season he won the Group 3 Gordon Rothacker Memorial Championship Final. From 25 starts he has won eight and has been eight times placed for $114,610 in stakes.

Spring In His Step ranks as a brother to a capable pacer and Vicbred Platinum winner in Three Summas 1:53.8 ($123,580), being a four-year-old entire by Somebeachsomewhere from Summa Of Dreams (1:57.5), by Live Or Die from the Son Of Afella mare Touch Of Silk, dam also of the Globe Derby winner Big Shot Bob (1:57.2).

Touch Of Silk, who won three races, was a half-sister to the Albion Park winner Satin Time 1:52.6 ($238,349) and the Moonee Valley winners One Last Hand (1:59.8) and Don’t Laugh Now.

Spring In His Step was bred and is raced by Todd and Wendy Rivett, of Swan Hill.

Three wins on end

Our Cowgirls N Lace, whose success at Menangle last Saturday was her third winning run from as many starts this season, continues to prove herself in the top bracket among the NSW mares.

The holder of a mile record of 1:50.7, she is a member of one of NZ’s premier families, being a five-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare from a fine racemare and Breeders Crown winner in Cowgirls N Indians 1:56 ($323,735), a Real Desire mare who has produced others in Cowboys N Indians (1:52.2), Cowboys N Aliens (1:53.7) and Cowboys N Bandits (1:57.5).

Cowgirls N Indians was out of Barn Dance Betty (1:59.4), by In The Pocket from the dual Group 1 winner Party Party 1:53.2 ($251,236), the best of the produce of the Tyler B horse Mister Hanover II.

Party Party, a former NZ 2YO Filly of the Year, left two smart pacers in Hoss Cartwright (1:51.8, a winner of 30 races and $352,878 in stakes) and Strike Up The Band 1:52 ($206,548). Others from Party Party were the Menangle winner Christian Party (1:58.9) and Our Super Party.

But the second generation of Party Party’s family has bred on with the same distinction as she did. She figures as the grand-dam of the Group 3 Victorian winner Keayang Jackie (1:52.7), Marcotti (WA Western Crown), the Albion Park winner Having The Faith (1:55.1), Black Onyx (1:56.3) and Hot Embers (1:57.4), a winner at Launceston last Sunday.

Championship winner by The Gold Ace

Three Rivers, who won his third race from five starts on Australian soil in the $25,000 Central Victorian Pacing Championship at Maryborough, is a four-year-old expected to graduate far beyond his present rating.

Bred by Derek Moore, Three Rivers, one of the second crop sired by The Gold Ace, is out of the Mach Three mare Trevi Bromac, a half-sister to the prolific Gloucester Park winner Trojan Bromac 1:55.5 ($171,808), being out of Toni Hanover, by Live Or Die from the smart racemare Tina Hanover, by Holmes Hanover from the Lopez Hanover mare Tina Lopez and tracing eventually to the noted foundation mare Black Angel.

This is the family which produced such winners as Montini Lopez 1:55.2 (NZ Otaki Cup), Kimmorley (1:51.6), the NZ country cups winner Muscle Machine (1:53.2) and Total Motivation (WA Central Wheatbelt Cup).

Three Rivers ranks as a half-brother to the good Victorian provincial winner Steam Punk (1:53.6).

Northam Cup winner from good broodmare

Captured Delight, a Bettor’s Delight seven-year-old and the winner of the recent $30,000 Northam Pacing Cup, is out of Capture A Million, a handy racemare who was placed at Group level and is now proving a successful broodmare.

Capture A Million is also the dam of the exported Polak (1:50.2), a Listed winner in WA and the winner of $909,745 and his full brother Schinzig Buller 1:56.1 ($293,497), winner of the WA Golden Nugget and Sales Classic.

Capture A Million was a Million To One mare from Captured, a NZ bred mare by Payson’s Brother from Tania Caballo, by Boyden Hanover from the Lumber Dream mare Our Miss Andrea.

Lombo Rhapsody, a half-sister to Capture A Million, figures as the dam of the WA Sires Stakes 2YO Final winner Batavia Touchngo 1:58.4 ($117,878).

This is the family that produced such winners as the outstanding racemare Lombo Rapida (Chariots of Fire and Ballarat Cup), Wipe The World (Paleface Adios Sprint), Lombo Bella Petite (NSW Pink Bonnet), the NSW Sires Stakes champion Madame Lily, Lynsey Lombo (Vic. Sapling), Ballas Arockstar, Rich Virgin and many others.

Up-and-coming trotter

One of the most promising trotters racing in Victoria is Peakz Luck, trained by Andy Gath, and the winner of the $25,000 Central Victorian Trotting Championship from a 30 metre handicap at Maryborough.

A six-year-old, Peakz Luck is in her second full season of racing, but from 34 starts she has won eight and been 10 times placed. She has won five of her last six attempts.

Peakz Luck has a background of trotting blood second-to-none. Her sire, Peak, a winner at Group 1 level in Europe and NZ, has left the top NZ trotter Invictus, and other smart trotters in Doff Your Cap, Gimondi, Aorangi, Allaboutthemoment and Queen Of Strathfield. Her dam, Howz Lucky, is by Sundon, the leading sire of trotters for many years.

Peakz Luck ranks as a half-sister to the NZ 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year Di’z Luck, the exported Tuiz Luck (1:58.4), Lucky Fortune (8 wins) and Rosemaryz Luck, dam of a brilliant Victorian square-gaiter in Majestuoso.

Howz Lucky, a useful trotter herself, was out of Great Memories, by Great Heights (son of Great Evander) from Mighty Mir, by the double gaited Gerry Mir from Miss Bev, by Great Evander from the Light Brigade mare Beverley Light.

The family, which traces to the Sungod mare Evening Sun, produced a champion trotter in Easton Light, who won 36 races including the Dominion Handicap twice, the NZ Trotting Free-for-all twice and the Rowe Cup, and other good trotters in Miss Debra (Rowe Cup), Prime Power (NZ Harness Jewels 3YO), Flip Flop and Misscshells.

By Peter Wharton for Harnesslink