Victorian-based stallions ruled the roost in the feature events on the final night of the Summer of Glory carnival at Melton last Saturday.
Rock N Roll Heaven, who stands at Alabar Bloodstock, sired the back-to-back winner of the Group 1 $250,000 Sportsbet A. G. Hunter Cup in Swayzee, who is out of a mare by Art Major, who also stands at the famed Echuca nursery.
Volstead, who stood at Alabar last season after being first at the stud at Yabby Dam Farms, ranks as the sire of superstar trotter Keayang Zahara, the convincing winner of the Group 1 $250,000 Great Southern Star.
The Great Southern Star placegetters Jilliby Ballerini (second) and Jilliby Dreamlover (third) are products of the Victorian stallions Majestic Son (Alabar) and Love You (Yabby Dam Farms) respectively.
Captaintreacherous, whose frozen semen is available from Empire Stallions, landed a rather notable double with Captain’s Mistress in the Group 1 $150,000 Benstud Standardbreds Queen of the Pacific and Chase A Dream in the Garrard’s Horse & Hound Pure Steel.
Another of the Alabar roster, Captain Crunch, sired the winner of the Listed $30,000 VHRC Caduceus 3YO Classic in Brooklyn Dan, while Hi Manameisjeff (by Art Major) took out the Listed $30,000 Hyland Racing Colours Mercury80.
To round out a great night for Victorian stallions, the former Alabar import Sportswriter left the brilliant last-to-first winner of the Group 3 $50,000 Hip Pocket Workwear Castlemaine 4YO Bonanza in Hesitate.
Keayang Zahara and Jilliby Dreamlover, who captured the heats of the Great Southern Star, and the 4YO Bonanza winner Hesitate were the only Victorian-bred winners on the 10-race card. Swayzee and Brooklyn Dan were both foaled in NSW, while Captain’s Mistress, Timbimboo, Brooklyn Dan, Chase A Dream and Hi Manameisjeff were all bred in New Zealand.
- Bettor’s Delight figured as the damsire of three of the night’s feature race winners in Captain’s Mistress, Brooklyn Dan and Hi Manameisjeff
- The three-year-old filly Pricilla, who won on debut at the Kilmore midweek meeting, was bred and is raced by well known Romsey horseman and veterinarian Geoff Dodd
- The Nutrien Equine Tasmanian Yearling Sale grossed $401,000 for 19 lots sold at an average of $21,000. The top price paid was $52,500 for a Sweet Lou half-brother to the NZ Derby winner We Walk By Faith
