A powerful contingent of superbly bred trotters is the backbone of the Nutrien Equine Melbourne Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction next Sunday.
Of the 160 lots listed, 78 are trotting bred yearlings representing 21 individual sires and 28 individual vendors.
There are a wide variety of established sires represented, among them Majestic Son, Volstead, Father Patrick, Orlando Vici, Tactical Landing, Trixton and Skyvalley as well as exciting, young sires in Face Time Bourbon, Elite Stride, Classic Connection, Dancinginthedark M, On A Streak, Pastor Stephen and Always Ready.
Stallions with first crop yearlings set to go through the sale ring are headed up by Walner, the leading sire in North America in 2023 and runner-up the last two seasons, and Calgary Games, who enjoyed spectacular success with his first crop as two-year-olds in Sweden last year with progeny earnings of $840,000 including the Group 1 winner and Swedish record holder Cruiser.
In America, Calgary Games left 19 starters from 24 foals with nine in 2:00 including the brilliant two-year-old filly Busy Miss Lissy 1:53 ($201,000).
The USA 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year King Of The North, E L Titan, runner-up on the two-year-old sire’s average earnings list in America in 2025, and the dual USA Breeders Crown champion Ecurie D will also be represented by their first crop at the Nutrien auction.
The sale features siblings to the Group 1 winners Jilliby Ballerini, Tracy The Jet, Derek The Jet, Eljaykay Phoenix, Cruisin Around, Notanotha Naughty, Valtino, I Am Wilma, Keayang Ignite, Cover Of Darkness, Ofortuna, Aldebaran Misty and Keayang Kurki.
Among the offering are yearlings from crack racemares such as Dance Craze, Glenferrie Burn, Miss Warbucks, Shezoneoftheboyz, Sassy Pinevale, Betty Hall, Fear The Yankee, Mizzuri, Pantzup, Imamaorijet, Regal Pepperell, Arboe, Charming Lavra and Jaxnme.
“The catalogue boasts arguably the strongest lineup of trotting yearlings ever assembled at an Australian auction. Some of the genetics on offer have attracted interest from North America, Europe and, of course, New Zealand,” Nutrien Equine Standardbred manager Mark Barton said.
“As well as the strong trotting offering, the sale will also showcase a fantastic lineup of pacing yearlings that represent some of best colonial and international sires on offer.”
All yearlings sold at the sale are eligible to be sustained for the rich Nutrien Classic race series for two-year-old pacers and trotters at Wagga in 2027 and the three-year-old series in 2028.
They are also eligible for the NSW Breeders Challenge, Bathurst Gold Crown and Coronet, Need For Speed Trotting Series, Llowalong Farms $100,000 Bonus, QBred, SA Southern Cross, Tasbred and NZ Sires Stakes.
The Woodlands Stud yearling parade will be held on Saturday from 12 noon. Hygain and BetaVet are sponsoring the best presented colt and filly at the parade.
The sale and parade will be livestreamed on the home page of www.nutrienstandardbred.com.au
Photo: Broodmare Dance Craze – Stu McCormick Photography
