For the majority of the 20th century horses favouring the diagonal gait in Australia were sired almost exclusively by stallions either imported from North America or colonial bred stallions.
There were a few exceptions though, most notably the Italian-bred quartet of Medoro, Pilade, Floridoro and Good Report. Pilade actually topped the Australian trotting sires’ stakemoney list in 1967/68, while the others all made a contribution to the breeding industry.
The giant Danish stallion Kander F was imported by noted Mooroopna studmaster Chris Howe in the 1970s but had only limited success, while a trio of French sires in Buvetier A’Aunou, his son Ganymede and Ad Arifant achieved varying degrees of success as sires and broodmare sires in the early 2000’s.
Ganymede, a leading sire in France and Italy, figures as the sire of the Vicbred champion Vincennes, the cup winners Lightning Calder and Itsgettingcalder and Peak, a Group winner in both hemispheres who is now standing at Mountain View Stud, Ballarat, after being first at the stud in NZ.
Another son of Buvetier D’Aunou in Up And Quick, a winner of five Group 1s in Europe including the 2015 Grand Prix d’Amerique and $3.4 million in stakes, is available via frozen semen from Trump Bloodstock.
However, the establishment of Haras Des Trotteurs, a model breeding and training outfit at Cardigan, on the outskirts of Ballarat, in 2013 has added a new dimension to the breeding of straightout trotters down under.
Owned by prominent breeder Pat Driscoll, Haras Des Trotteurs boasts the most powerful lineup of trotting sires ever to become available to breeders in the southern hemisphere at the one time.
The 15-strong roster comprises 12 frozen semen sires and three fresh – Used To Me and Always Ready standing at Haras Des Trotteurs and En Solitaire at Macca Lodge in NZ’s Southland district.
Of the 15 stallions, 13 were bred in France headed up by the incomparable Love You, the leading sire in Europe for more than a decade and now making a huge impact in both Australia and NZ.
Three of Love You’s sons are part of the Haras Des Trotteurs’ roster in Quaker Jet, Dreamcatcher and Classic Connection. Quaker Jet’s progeny include the triple Breeders Crown champion Im Ready Jet and the Crown Silver victor Revelstoke, Dreamcatcher has left the Group 1 placegetter Ed’s Dream, and Classic Connection, a multiple European Group winner, is standing his first season.
There are six sons of the dual Prix d’Amerique winner and five-time premier French sire Ready Cash on the Haras Des Trotteurs’ sire roster. Leading the vanguard is the mighty Bold Eagle, Europe’s first sub 1:50 trotter, French triple crown champion and winner of five million euros.
The double millionaire and world record holder over two miles in Bird Parker, the thrice Group 1 Italian winner Brillantissime, Eridan, a winner of seven Group races in France, the dual Vicbred champion Always Ready and En Solitaire are other sons of Ready Cash.
Another newcomer to the Haras Des Trotteurs’ lineup is Timoko, the richest French-bred trotter of all-time and the winner of the Elitloppet in 2014 and 2017. He is the sire of more than 500 winners and progeny earnings of 13 million euros.
The Best Madrik, a Group 1 winning son of Love You’s sire Coktail Jet, the American bred Volstead and the leading percentage sire Orlando Vici complete the starstudded lineup.
Interestingly, stallions on the Haras Des Trotteurs roster have already produced three Derby winners, three Breeders Crown champions, two Prix d’Amerique winners, two Harness Jewels winners, two Oaks winners, two NZ Sires Stakes champions and the winners of the Elitloppet, Rowe Cup, Dominion Handicap and The Redwood.
Who will be the next Group 1 winner in Australia by a French stallion?