Weekly spotlight on breeding

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

World record to Encipher

A fresh world record mile rate for a mare over 2400 metres from the mobile barrier was established by the Captaintreacherous mare Encipher of 1:51.8 – bettering the previous record held by Frith by 5.9 seconds – when she won the $1.97million TAB Eureka at Menangle.

Encipher, who has now won 17 of her 27 starts including six Group One’s and $1,584,479 in stakes, is a member of the same family as the dual Derby winner Krug and the NZ 2YO Filly and 3YO Filly of the Year Millwood Nike.

Bred and raced by Kadina enthusiast Tyson Linke, Encipher is the first foal of the Falcon Seelster mare Our Cavort, who won 15 races and $46,080 and took a mile record of 1:57.9.

ENCIPHER REPLAY

Our Cavort was sister to the dual Menangle winner My Mei (1:53.6) and a half-sister to the NSW Pink Bonnet winner Eliza Dushku 1:51.2 ($234,949), Comeon Howzat (1:57.8) and Bizzie Lou (1:58.8), being out of Bizzie Girl, by In The Pocket from True Lies (2:01.6), by Holmes Hanover from Laudit, a Lordship mare from the 1975 NZ Oaks winner In Or Out.

Bizzie Girl, who won twice, was a half-sister to the good Gloucester Park winner Percy The Punter 1:56.4 ($332,067), All The Way 1:57.9 ($118,675) and to the Bettor’s Delight mare Run To Vegas, dam of the Menangle winners Viva Las Vegas 1:52.4 ($125,145) and Shanlou (1:50.7).

This family was founded by the American mare Estella Amos, who left the pacing standout and thrice NZ Cup winner Indianapolis, the NZ Derby victor Imperial Jade and the prized matron Tondeleyo.

Breeding feat to NSW studmaster

Rather a notable breeding feat was credited to the Maitland studmaster Paul Carmody at Menangle when he qualified five runners and won two $100,000 NSW Breeders Challenge Blue winners on the one night.

Better Be The Best (Shoobee’s Place), a grand type of colt, and Lady Kingsclair won the Group 2 classics for three-year-old colts and geldings and two-year-old fillies respectively, while Modern Sheen (4th), Limbo Lily (4th) and Doug’s Rules (7th) were unplaced.

A $17,500 Bathurst yearling sale purchase, Better Be The Best has banked $325,553 from 13 wins and two placings in 18 starts. By the Artsplace horse Shoobee’s Place (now at the stud in WA), Better Be The Best is from the race-winning Bettor’s Delight mare Patch Maguire (1:57.9) and is her first produce to race.

Patch Maguire, who won four at Albion Park, ranks as a sister to the exported Lachie Maguire 1:50.4 ($631,581) and a half-sister to the cups winner Mikey Maguire 1:56 ($158,802), being by Bettor’s Delight from Miss Jubilee, by In The Pocket from Mystic Gold, by Butler B G from the Knowing Bret mare Vita Gold and tracing to the noted foundation mare Dolly (by Young Irvington).

Bought for $19,000 at Bathurst and now the winner of $75,476, Lady Kingsclair is a product of Lochend Stud resident sire Modern Art and the Albion Park winner Valtona (1:56.2), a Rock N Roll Heaven mare from a fine racemare and Oaks placegetter in Winmara Lass (1:59.1), by Panorama from the Victoria Breeders Plate winner Strathisla.

A good looking Village Jolt half-brother to Lady Kingsclair has been nominated for the Bathurst Gold Crown Yearling Sale next March.

Inter Dominion prospect

One of the stronger Inter Dominion candidates, particularly among the younger brigade will be Rock N Roll Doo (Rock N Roll Heaven), who has proved himself in the top flight and has returned to top form following a spell.

His latest winning run in the Group 1 $150,000 Len Smith Mile at Menangle when he sat parked throughout on the outside of Sprit Of St Louis was a terrific performance. He clocked 1:51.1.

A tough customer, Rock N Roll Doo is a five-year-old gelding by Rock N Roll Heaven from Long Live Lana, dam also of useful winners in Iolanta 1:53.1 ($171,775) and Delightful Lana 1:54.5 ($148,269), who, turn, left Let It Linga, an impressive winner at Gloucester Park one night before Rock N Roll Doo won.

Long Live Lana was gotten by In The Pocket (son of Direct Scooter) from the unraced Infante Elana, a Soky’s Atom mare who produced the Albion Park winners Nonno Stride 1:54.3 ($138,554) and Ruato Bay 1:53.8 ($128,688).

This is the family which produced the NZ Derby winner Captain Peacock, Cantfindabettorman (Qld 4YO Championship), the sub 1:50 winners Shoobee Doo and Extender, Lilac Flash, Moscow (Bunbury Cup), Palestine (Inter Dominion Cons.) and others.

First Group winner by Lazarus

The Bettor’s Delight horse Lazarus, a former NZ and Australian Horse of the Year and now standing at Nevele R Stud, was represented by his first Group winner when the two-year-old Sir Knight captured the $100,000 NSW Breeders Challenge Blue in 1:55.8 at Menangle.

Sir Knight had been placed twice from his previous five attempts.

Bred and owned by Reg Walsh, Sir Knight is out of the Jenna’s Beach Boy mare Shalom (1:58.1) whose dam, Anvil Lynn was by In The Pocket from the Gaines Minbar mare Remote (TT1:59.3), who left several useful winners including the Wellington Cup victor Remote’s Dream.

Sir Knight ranks as a half-brother to the Melton winner Heavenly Shades (1:54.9) and Shades Of Heaven (1:53.3).

You’re So Fine is WA Cup material

You’re So Fine (Always B Miki), who won the $50,000 The Binshaw at Gloucester Park and is regarded as WA Pacing Cup material of the highest order, is a four-year-old entire by Always B Miki from the good producer Syriana.

YOU’RE SO FINE REPLAY

Bred in NZ by Melbournian enthusiast Harvey Kaplan, he is a member of an old time family which was represented by a winner at Albion Park in Shez Notorious the day after You’re So Fine won. 

Syriana was a Falcon Seelster mare from Corbie, by Vance Hanover from the Hall of Fame broodmare Black Watch, by Scottish Command from Rosehaven, a mare by Black Globe and tracing eventually to the taproot Regina.

Syriana, who was unraced, produced others in Meticulous 1:55.6 ($109,067), the Menangle winner Skreemr (1:53.9) and Samantha Chloe, dam of the exported Pocket Watch (1:52). She was a sister to the Wellington Cup winner Agios Nikolaos (1:52.2) and Black Maire, dam of the NZ Oaks winner Laurella 1:55.9 ($649,946) and a half-sister to the Moonee Valley winner Vingt Coeur, Zingara (1:57.6) and to the dams of the Group 1 Queensland winner Town Echo 1:51.9 ($192,350), Cover Girl 1:54.2 (NZ Ladyship), Macy Supreme (1:53), I’mallaboutthebase ($123,973) and Aqua Sancta 1:51.2 (NSW Golden Guitar).

The Black Watch family has earned a place all of its own in producing racemares such as Megaera, Katy Perry, Pacific Flight and Laurella – all Group 1 winners – and colts in the same class such as Arden Rooney, Cash N Flow, The Unicorn, Sovereign Hill, Keayang Cullen, and others.

Sure Thing Captain is well bred

Sure Thing Captain (Captaintreacherous), who changed hands for $100,000 at the inaugural Nutrien Equine Yearling Sale in 2021 in Melbourne, won the Group 2 $100,000 The Stockade at Menangle.

Bred by Bill and Anne Anderson’s Lauriston Bloodstock, Sure Thing Captain is a three-year-old Captaintreacherous gelding who has a wealth of breeding on his dam’s side, being out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Musical Delight 1:53.1 ($248,910), a member of the prolific Miss Kate family.

Musical Delight, a Group 1 winner herself, produced the multiple Group winner Ripp 1:51.8 ($261,456), Beach Music 1:54.5 ($153,120) and Young Rooster 1:58 ($202,967). She was a half-sister to the thrice Group 1 winner Speak No Evil 1:50.9 ($354,300), Countdown 1:53.1 ($135,410), That’s How Weroll 1:52.9 ($128,669) and the Australian Pacing Gold winner Queen Of Pop 1:55.6 ($204,527), dam of the NSW Oaks winner Just Hope 1:52.5 ($343,127) and this year’s Bathurst Gold Crown winner Chart Topper (1:56.5).

Their dam, the Group 2 winner Top Tempo 1:56.5 ($225,513), was sired by In The Pocket from a cup class mare in Kliklite 1:56.7 ($156,213), by Holmes Hanover from Jessica MacFaber, by El Patron.

NSW Breeders Challenge 3YO winner

Tin Tin Jo (Tintin In America), the convincing winner of the Group 2 $100,000 NSW Breeders Challenge Blue at Menangle, is proving herself a smart three-year-old filly – she has won 10 races and $165,638 to date – and could develop into one of the best her age this season.

TIN TIN JO REPLAY

By the McArdle horse Tintin In America, a top flight pacer himself, Tin Tin Jo is from the unraced Promise Me Robin, by Robin Hood (a son of Fake Left) from the grand producer Promise, by the Meadow Skipper horse Land Grant from Blythbank Del, by Armbro Del from the Good Chase mare Loch Buie.

Tin Tin Jo has strong strains of colonial blood but she is none the worse for it.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink