Kahula, the convincing winner of the Group 1 $150,000 APG Vicbred Super Series final for two-year-old fillies at Melton last Saturday, is a daughter of the Art Major mare Kualoa, who won two Vicbred finals herself, including the two-year-old division in 2018.
It was Kahula’s third success on end and her fourth from seven starts.
Kahula was bred and is raced by Ballarat identities Bruce and Vicki Edward, of Durham Park Standardbreds, who also brought out Bettor Beach, the runaway winner of the three-year-old fillies’ decider.
Both are products of Woodlands Stud’s siring colossus Bettor’s Delight.
The night was highlighted by a number of important doubles from a breeding standpoint.
Maryborough breeder Peter Gleeson bred and part-owns a pair of Vicbred champions in the two-year-old colt Some High and the three-year-old colt Enjoy Life, while Sydney breeders Emilio and Mary Rosati bred the winner of the two-year-old trotting fillies’ division, Kyvalley Dixon, and Elite Stride, who sired the winner of the three-year-old trotting males’ decider in Howdy Mate.
Interestingly, Gleeson, the Victorian Breeder of the Year in 2017, also bred Ride High, the sire of Some High.
Somebeachsomewhere figured as the damsire of Bettor Beach and Some High, and Muscle Hill is the damsire of Queen Of Sees and Kyvalley Dixon and the grandsire of Howdy Mate.
Four of the new Vicbred champions were by stallions on the Alabar Bloodstock roster in Always B Miki (Enjoy Life), Ride High (Some High), Elite Stride (Howdy Mate) and Majestic Son (Kyvalley Dixon).
While Queen Of Sees (3YO trotting filly) and the unbeaten two-year-old gelding Verbici were sired by the Yabby Dams Farms’ frozen semen sires Bold Eagle and Orlando Vici, respectively.
Three of the Vicbred winners were sold at the Nutrien Equine Melbourne yearling sales. Verbici, who was bred by Yabby Dam Farms’ administration and sales manager Louise Toulmin, and Kyvalley Dixon were knocked down at last year’s auction for $75,000 and $30,000, respectively, while Howdy Mate, who was bred by Alabar, sold for $25,000 in 2024.
- The dual Vicbred champion Poster Boy sired a heat winner of the four-year-old males’ division in The Last Trip, who was bred by Heathcote enthusiast David Sheppard.
- My Mate Ace, who won the Vicbred Voucher race at Kilmore, was bred and is part-owned by Albert and Ellen Davis, who conduct Teela Park stud, Numurkah.
- Blue Miki, who led from end-to-end at the Melton midweek meeting, was bred and is raced by long-time participant Alan Faux.
