Breeding Authority Peter Wharton brings all the breeding harness racing news from Australia, New Zealand and North America every Friday, brought to you by Garrard’s horse and dog.
Tintin’s son wins the Arbrisseau
The $50,000 NSW Sapling Stakes, the first group race for open two-year-olds in NSW, and run at Menangle, was narrowly won by Rippin Rupert, a gelding from Tintin in America of smart racing mare Rupeeno Cullen (by Christian Cullen), who took a mile record of 1:52.9.
Rippin Rupert was a 2021 Australian Pacing Gold purchase from Sydney, and was bred and gifted by Yirribee Pacing Stud, Wagga, who holds his sire, the former NZ 4YO of the Year and Breeders Crown champion Tintin In America.
Rippin Rupert is Rupeeno Cullen’s latest colt. The winner of 13 races and $145,990, she was by Christian Cullen of lightweight race Rippon Holme, by Holmes Hanover of Rupeeno, by Lopez Hanover of Pageantry, by Bachelor Hanover of mare Morano Ceremonial.
This family has produced useful stimulators over the years. It includes Victoria Ladyship Cup winners Spellbound and Our Stretto, Royal Cee Cee 1:49.6 ($1.1m), top Kiwi stayer Henry Hubert, Major Occasion (1:48.2), Honkin Del (NSW Pink Bonnet), two-time Queensland Christmas Cup winner The Emcee and Ouch (Vic. Casey Classic).
Rippin Rupert, who is raced by Wayne Loader and trained by Bernie Hewitt, looks like a top youngster.
Gold Bracelet Winner by Huntsville
The horse Somebeachsomewhere Huntsvillewho spent a season at Victoria Stud, before returning to North America, leaves clever two-year-old horses from his Australian crop alone.
Flametree, who won Group 3 Gold Bracelet at Gloucester Park, is a filly by Huntsville of mare Panorama Party Date 1:56 ($256,003).
Huntsville, a former American 2-year-old colt of the year, established himself as one of America’s premier speed bulls last season when one of his two-year-olds at Caviart Camden equaled the mile record of two-year-old 1:48.6 and a filly in Early Action (1:49.8) won the $386,000 Governor’s Cup.
Flametree’s mother, Party Date, winner of the Victoria Ladyship Cup, comes from a renowned family. She was by Panorama from Boom Or Bust, by Kawartha Robust from Boom Boom Baby, by Pure Steel from Morris Queen, by New Morris from the Aachen mare Gay Lark.
Gay Lark created a very successful branch of the Ruby Pearl family. It included winners such as Fremantle Cup winner Golden Gears, Golden Goddess (WA Empress Stakes), brilliant but unhealthy pacer General Dodge, Social Aspect (WA Champagne Classic), Dial A Honey (WA Sires Produce), Rockin The Boys (1:50.2) and Main Morris.
Flametree is a half-sister to Bettor Party Cup winner 1:53.5 ($351,417) and WA 2YO Sales Classic winner Rocknroll Whitby 1:55.6 ($235,641) and Pierre Whitby 1:56 .1 ($151,644).
590 on the millionaires boost list
There are 590 pacers worldwide who have won $1 million or more, according to www.classicfamilies.net
The leading father of millions of dollars is The pleasure of bettors with 44 years, the first broodmare sire is arts square with 53 and the No. 1 family is Miss Duvall at 45.
Foiled Again, by Dragon Again out of an Artsplace mare, topped the charts with ($7,635,588). It is followed by McWicked ($4,930,967), Australasian-bred couple Blacks A Fake ($4,575,438) and Im Themightyquinn ($4,567,456), Gallo Blue Chip ($4,260,959) and lead son Bettor’s Delight Lazarus ($4,026,140).
Rounding out the top 10 are Mister Big ($4,008,257), Wiggle It Jiggleit ($3,945,839), Won The West ($3,939,836), and Eternal Camnation ($3,748,574).
The list includes 35 Australian breed stimulators and 61 New Zealand breeds.
Siblings win in Geelong
It was no small feat for the Celestial Trekker half-brothers (per Safari) and Celestial Gossip (by says it all) to win back-to-back races at Geelong recently.
Both were bred and raced by Steven and Michael Byrne, from South Australia.
Celestial Diamond, the dam of Celestial Trekker and Celestial Gossip, was out of an intelligent mare by Celestial Gift, whose four successes included the Southern Cross 3YO final. Besides Celestial Diamond, she was also the dam of Celestial Presence (1:59.3) and Celestial Daybreak (1:57.3), who won at Broken Hill on the same night Celestial Trekker and Celestial Gossip won.
Celestial Gift was sired by a cut class pacer in Ritual from Celestial Glow, by Tarport Low from Stella, by Bon Adios from Astrella, by Italian import Floridoro (father of the great Dusty Miller) from the Raider mare Gipsy’s Moon.
Other members of this family were SA Golden Nursery winner Bon Jara, Aachoo (SA ANA Cup) and Globe Derby Park free-for-all winner Celestial Knight.
Gawler Cup record
A new Gawler track record for the 2550 meters standing start was set by the Art major Stratofortress NZ gelding of 3:07.5 (a mile rate of 1:58.4) – bettering the previous record of 3:09.7 held by Gray Maverick by 2.2 seconds – when he won the Gawler Pacing Cup.
Stratofortress, who has now won 11 races – including 10 in Australia – is a member of the same family as top Victorian mare Techy’s Angel.
Stratofortress ranks as a half-brother to Globe Derby Park winner Better Go Hurry (1:59.5) and Altimeter (1:55.9), being by Art Major to mare Bettor’s Delight Better Hurry whose dam Hurry Doon was by Admiral Halsey (son of Meadow Skipper) of Hurry Donna, by Berry Hanover of Donna Charles, by Young Charles.
Better Hurry was a half-sister to Geelong Cup and NZ 3YO Flying Stakes Country Ways 1:59 ($211,220) winner Hurry Sir (1:54.2), winner of Harold Park Enter Hurry Zone, Knapdale Guy (1:57.1) and Clancy Girl (mother of Dependlebury 1:50.6).
Their mother, Hurry Doon, won four races and left eight winners.
At the back of Stratopfortress’ pedigree are leaders of the caliber of two-time Oaks winner Barynya, Lombo Navigator (WA Governor’s Cup), Blue Water (Nevele R 3YO Fillies Series), prolific Perth winner Mynameskenny, Crimson Lake and Queensland Derby winner Oneinamillion (1:49.6).
A well-related three-year-old child
Repelling, an impressive winner at Melton last Saturday, showed his talent as a two-year-old last season when he won a Vicbred Super Series semi-final.
He maintained his solid form as a three-year-old and will be well in line for the big juvenile classics later in the season.
It’s a foal by the horse Mach Three Somewhere out of top racing mare Repelem, whose top offspring was Bathurst Gold winner Tiara Joanna 1:53.8 ($306,003).
Repelem, who won 41 races and $266,346 in bets, was out of Lombo Limelight, by Classic Garry out of Windshield Wiper mare Lombo Boucheron, a sister to former 2-year-old of the year Mazzini Magic and a half-sister from the winner of the final APG 2 year old Smooth Sensation.
Strider in the making
the majestic son Majestical Belle, a two-time Melton trotting winner this season and the newest addition to the $100,000 Club, was bred by the late Leo Newbound and is a member of one of Australia’s most successful families.
Majestical Belle might well have distinguished himself as a pacer since his dam, Avid, a good trotting winner, was sired by Modern Art, one of the leading pacer sires in Victoria for a few years.
Africorn, the unpublished dam of Avid, was a half-sister to NSW Breeders Plate winner Sure To Impress, being by The Unicorn (by Vance Hanover of the Black Watch tribe) from Africano, by Windshield Wiper from famed breeder Mozambique, by Gay Party Guy.
Mozambique was the dam of Metropolitan winners Jilliby Rise and Lourenco Marques and final setter Vicbred Chinde and grandmother of Australian Oaks winner Newbold Penny, champion Vicbred 3yo Jilliby Melody, of Forest Glory (AUSSCO 2yo Classic ) and the prolific Gloucester Park Winner Clear The Rain.
Mozambique was also the third dam of mighty Lennytheshark 1:49.2 ($3 million), Led Suitcase Breeders Crown Champion, Nolarama (Vic. Ladyship Cup), Burling Game (APG 2YO Final), winner of the Inter Dominion heat Penny Veejay, Portofino (1:51.6) and Blissfull Boy (WA 2YO Sales Classic).
By Peter Wharton for Harnesslink