Kevin Clark, a dealer with the Jayco Group caravans in suburban Melbourne, has also bred standardbreds for the past 20 years with considerable success.
However, he is a many of many talents, having in the 1960s and 1970s pursued the breeding and racing of pigeons.
Being a Melbourne based boy he often raced them on a Saturday afternoon against Bill Lawry’s inconic feathered friends.
Lawry was also a famous pigeon racing devotee in those days following a highly successful cricket career, which saw him captain Australia in 25 Test matches. Of course, he became even more legendary as a cricket commentator on Channel 9 after retiring his Baggy Green.
Clark has adopted some of his pigeon breeding theories when it come to selecting stallions for his broodmares.
His foray into harness racing came when he purchased a Holmes Hanover filly at the 2002 Yearling Sales in Melbourne.
She was named Little Miss Voodoo and, although didn’t earn enough to allow Clark to retire, she did win three races at Bendigo, Maryborough and Warragul. Clarke then bred five winners from her who collectively won about $350,000.
This filly allowed Clarke to form a close friendship with the late Gary Hobin, while he also enjoyed racing horses with John Tormey and Ian Paterson in Victoria and Cran Dalgety in New Zealand.
In September 2009, Clarke attended the Annual Blue Ribbon Sale at Alabar’s Echuca property where he purchased the first foal from the champion Village Jasper mare Nemeeshar ($331,230).
Named Kateeshar, she has been a gem of a broodmare for Clarke, producing nine foals of racing age for nine winners including the curiously named Arggghhh (1:53, $190,055).
On Sunday, Clarke will offer two yearlings at the APG Melbourne Sale at the Inglis Complex at Oaklands Junction.
The first of these is in fact a half brother to the nine winners from Kateeshar. This colt, LOT 157, is by the richest entire son of Captaintreacherous in Captain Crunch (1:47.4). Captain Crunch has commenced his siring career in North America in fine fashion, siring the winner of the 2023 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Colt winner Gem Quality (1:50, $438,940).
Lot 157 is a tall, strongly built impressive type and with three strains of Artsplace blood (3X4X4) in his pedigree he could easily be the most successful of Kateeshar’s progeny.
The second of Kevin’s draft is LOT 221 – a colt by McWicked from the Bettors Delight mare TPS Girl. He is well grown, especially for a December foal, and is a half brother to four winners from four foals of racing age including the smart Victorian and WA pacer Beat City (1:54.2, $265,790).
This colt is a descendant of one of the best families of the famous Tuapeka Stud in the south of New Zealand. It is a prolific breed producing horses such as Bonnie Joan (1:52.8), Machtu (1:50.8, $491,790) and Ocean Diva (1:51.1, $253,380), while the third dam of this colt is a half sister to the dam of champion Kiwi brothers Ultimate Sniper (1:52.6) and Ultimate Machete (1:51.9).
These two colts were born, have been raised and are now being prepped by Blanche and Dean Poole at Rhiannon Park, Congupna, in northern Victoria. They are guaranteed to look a treat on sales weekend.
Intending purchasers at this year’s sale are in for an unexpected windfall. The catalogue is offering only 53 fillies and 52 colts eligible for the APG Race Series for two-year olds with separate $150,000 Finals to be held at Melton in 2025.
For full details and catalogued yearlings in the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales visit Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer now.
