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.

Won Withers Classic

Winner of the Tatlow Stakes and Vicbred Home Grown Classic as a two-year-old last season, Act Now downed the top three-year-olds in the Reg Withers Classic on Kilmore Cup night, including a top ranking three-year-old in American Dealer, who finished third.

Act Now has been a model of consistency throughout his 19-start career and has proved himself a young pacer of great ability.

By Somebeachsomewhere, and one of the second last commercial crop of the American horse to race in Australia, Act Now is out of Molly’s Ideal, by American Ideal from the American-bred mare Molly’s Lucky Star (1:54.4), who left the WA Diamond Classic winner Askmeilltellya 1:54.8 ($140,006), Pin Stripes (1:53.7), Our Jaguar Star (1:57.4), War Dan Star and others.

Wainui Creek in top form

Wainui Creek, a five-year-old NZ bred daughter of the American sire Bettor’s Delight, has been one the stars of the spring racing in WA.

She has won at her last three appearances – under free-for-all conditions over a middle distance – including two at Gloucester Park beating the best WA mares in commission.

Wainui Creek is closely related to an earlier top NZ pacer in Harnett’s Creek, who won 12 races including the Kaikoura Cup and Ashburton Flying Stakes and $291,623 in stakes. He also raced in Australia.

Wainui Creek is by Bettor’s Delight from Christian Creek, by the champion Christian Cullen, an In The Pocket horse and a half-brother to the outstanding racemare Kate’s First, winner of the Auckland Cup.

Christian Creek, a lightly raced placegetter, was out of Kahu Del, winner of five races and by Armbro Del from Tee Kahu, by the leading trotting sire Tuft.

Kahu Del was also the dam of the Group winner Harnett’s Creek, the Hannon Memorial winner Cullen’s Creek 1:56.9 ($141,761), now at the stud in Queensland, the Geraldine Cup winner Swan Creek, Kahlum (dam of champion trotter Lyell Creek), Donegal Flat (dam of Kincaslough), Falcon Del (dam of Extradite) and Kahola (dam of Kahdon and Matatoki).

Star four-year-old by Hes Watching

A bright future is being predicted for the Hes Watching four-year-old Watchmylips, whose success in the $50,000 Raider Stakes at Devonport was his 10th from 18 starts.

He has a good deal in his favour on the score of blood. Apart from being by Hes Watching, and one of his first crop, Watchmylips is out of the smart Sutter Hanover mare Belliciouslips (1:55.9), a half-sister to a fine racemare in Ima Miss Molly (Evicus Stakes), being out of Ima Blue Bell, by Golden Greek from the Perfect Blue Chip mare Ima Blue Chip, who founded one of the strongest branches of the Sincerity family.

It includes the Tasmanian classic winners in Lambretta (Blue Bonnet), Step Up And Play (Golden Slipper and Mother of Pearl), Nitro Blue (Breeders Plate) and others such as Streitkid 1:53.5 ($123,719), Black Quartz (1:58.7) and Lillani (12 wins).

Group 3 winner from good broodmare

Rockaball NZ, a Rock N Roll Heaven six-year-old and a winner of the Group 3 The Warwick at Gloucester Park, is out of Shezaball, a capable racemare with a record of 1:56.2 who is proving a successful broodmare.

Shezaball is also the dam of this year’s Group 3 Leonard Memorial winner Play Philly (1:57.8) and Ronnie Pickering (1:58.9). Shezaball was a Presidential Ball mare from Averil’s Atom (1:57.1), by Soky’s Atom from Quest For Glory, by Clever Innocence from the Lumber Dream mare Averil’s Dream, a half-sister to the NZ Cup winner True Averil.

Shezaball was a half-sister to Averil’s Quest 1:57.1 ($113,374), Fizzi Lizzi (1:58.1, who won eight races), Southern Delight (1:59.9) and the dual Breeders Criwn finalist Shezacullen (1:58.9), who became the dam of the WA Western Crown winner Ideal Tyson 1:52.8 ($279,993), now racing successfully in America, Form Analyst 1:55.3 ($110,273) an dthe Melton winner Heaven In Locksley (1:55.8).

Their dam, Averil’s Atom, won two races and left six winners. She was a half-sister to a top flighter pacer in New Age Man 1:56.1 ($155,599), the Gloucester Park winner Victory Ball and All Time Glory (dam of the exported Rock N Shard 1:50.8).

Other members of this family, which was founded in NZ by the thoroughbred mare Topsy, were Carla’s Pixel (1:49.5), Soho Tribeca ($1.1million), Villagem, Innocent Eyes, Restrepo, Jasmarilla, Two Eye See and others.

Partyatthebeach top SA two-year-old

When he won the Allwood Stud Maturity at Globe Derby Park, Partyatthebeach scored his second success, and he is entitled to be rated as this season’s top two-year-old in South Australia.

Earlier in the season, he was placed in both The Allwood and Kindergarten Series. From five starts, he has won twice and been three times placed for $31,566 in stakes.

Partyatthebeach ranks as a half-brother to a capable pacer in Crowning Glory (1:54.5), being a colt by the Somebeachsomewhere horse Sunshine Beach from Crown Of Thorns, by Falcon Seelster.

Crown Of Thorns, who won three races, was out of the fine racemare Thorninmyside 1:58.9 ($160,666), a Troublemaker mare whose 22 successes included the SA Oaks and Southern Cross finals at two, three and four years. At the stud Thorninmyside left eight winners including the Dan O’Grady Memorial winner Jax Navaro (1:56.6), Pebble Sands (1:56.4) and Glenthorne (1:57.2).

Thorninmyside was a half-sister to a smart juvenile in King Of Grin 1:56.7 ($132,436), winner of the SA Golden Nursery and Southern Cross, the exported Pete’s Elect 1:51.6 ($118,055), the Mount Gambier Gold Cup winner Paris To Berlin (1:56.3), Catch A Bouquet and to the Beach Towel mare Surfing Queen, dam of the Southern Cross winner Forty Seven Flash 1:56.5 ($166,664), the Gloucester Park and Albion Park victor Flaming Hero 1:54.2 ($161,441), Three Queens (1:57.2) and others.

Their dam, Roses In Paris (TT1:58.9), an Oceania El Dorado semi-final winner, was a Kentucky mare from Scarlet Sunrise, by Garry Rowan from the Scottish Hanover mare Machree and tracing eventually to the Inter Dominion champion Parisienne.

Partyatthebeach was bred by Peter and Leslie Medhurst, of Glencoe, in South Australia’s south-east.

Blue blooded filly

Rich Beauty, an effortless winner on debut at Cranbourne last weekend, is a two-year-old filly who can claim some worthwhile blood.

By the world champion Always B Miki (1:46), by Always A Virgin from Artstopper, by Artsplace, she is out of the Armbro Operative mare Beauty Secret (1:52.4), won 24 races and $425,921 including the Victoria and Southern Cross two and three-year-old series.

Beauty Secret, a half-sister to the NSW Derby winner Major Secret 1:55.1 ($464 ,872), produced others in Striking Beauty 1:54.7 ($103,907), Seaside Beauty (1:55.7) and Best Of Beauty (1:56.3).

This is the family which produced such winners as Ride High (1:49), Safe And Sound, Rocknroll Magic, Out To Play, Perfect Major and Treachery.

Trotters Cup winner by Danny Bouchea

The Penny Drops, who won the Kilmore Trotters Cup – Robbie Royale, Kyvalley Chief and McLovin – filled the placings behind him – is a five-year-old trotter of some potential.

He is a grand stayer and one of the best progeny left by the Sundon horse Danny Bouchea, a Derby winner who sired smart trotters of the calibre of Nephew Of Sonoko, Whizzbang Dan and Lucinda Mac. Danny Bouchea stands at the Wedderburn property of Nick and Debbie Youngson, who bred and raced him.

The Penny Drops is out of Chilly Pepperell, by the American horse Classic Adam (grandson of Speedy Crown) from First Frozen, by Anders Crown from the Nandina Mite mare Always Alone, who established a great winning line for Victorian breeders Paul Graydon and John Peck.

Always Alone left the Globe Derby Park winner Tennessee Dee Jay and the Bathurst Gold Coronet winner Midnight Till Dawn, dam of cup class trotters in Action After Dark (17 wins and $161,038) and Stoned At Midnight, who, in turn, left the multiple Listed winner Stoned I Am 1:57.9 ($227,761) and Stoned Again (1:59.4).

A daughter of Midnight Till Dawn in Box Brownie (by S J’s Photo) produced five winners including the dual Vicbred champion Brunelleschi 1:57.7 ($225,814) and the recent Melton three-year-old winner Irene Rose.

Little Brown Jug winning line

Lou’s Pearlman, the winner of the prestigious Little Brown Jug in straight heats at Delaware, Ohio and now the winner of $709,326 in stakes, has close breeding links with Australasia.

One of the third crop sired by the world champion Sweet Lou, who stands at Woodlands Stud, he is out of the Stakes-winning mare Lucy’s Pearl 1:50.2 ($341,213), by the Western Hanover mare Well Said, a Jug winner himself and who formerly stood at Empire Stallions in Victoria. Lou’s Pearlman is the first foal of his dam.

Lucy’s Pearl was a half-sister to the Breeders Crown champion Reflect With Me 1:48.4 ($782,268), being out of a fine racemare in Remember When 1:50.6 ($917,523), a half-sister by Camluck to the Little Brown Jug and Inter Dominion winner Mr Feelgood 1:49 ($3.3 million), a leading sire in Queensland.

Western Ideal, Hes Watching, Dr Drew, Rob Roy Mattgregor and Make A Deal are a lineup of successful sires from the family of Lou’s Pearlman.

14th winner from broodmare

When the Roll With Joe two-year-old Eucan Roll won at Wagga recently, he credited his dam Macrandra with her 14th individual winner. Barrington Lass is the most successful broodmare in Australian history with 15 winners.

Eucan Roll, who was bred by Denis and Jo Howe, had shown good placed form in the Riverina area. Others from Macrandra to win have been the Bathurst Gold Crown winner and Vicbred champion Distant Memory 1:55.1 ($173,155), Sahara Miss (1:54.4), The Reverend Black (1:57.2), Necropolis (1:57.9), Joannie Pony (1:57.5), Senor Banderas (1:58.6), The Mach Army (1:59.6), Next To Reign, Bigjohnwalton, Cinnamon Carter, Tru Blu Classic, Koby’s Delight, Fuller Vee Em and now Eucan Roll.

Macrandra is also the grand-dam of the Group 2 winners Hows The Memory 1:50.1 ($154,424), Sahara Sirocco 1:53.8 ($117,720) and Starofsahara (1:56.2), the Traralgon Cup winner Sahara Tiger (1:56.3), Our Money Rocks (1:50.2) and the promising Beach Memories 1:56.2 (3 wins from 5 starts).

An APG heat winner, Macrandra was a Classic Garry mare from the Listed winner Melanie NZ (2:00.5), by Nero’s B B from Port Melody, by Tarport Coulter and tracing to the taproot Bessie B, who founded one of New Zealand’s leading maternal families.

By Peter Wharton for Harnesslink