It was a case of beginner’s luck for Melton breeders Ian and Angelica Attard, whose first ever broodmare Elita ranks as the dam of the star two-year-old filly Pre Eminant, an impressive winner of an APG Yearling Sales Vicbred Super Series heat at Bendigo.
The couple purchased Elita for $37,000 at the Australian Pacing Gold Melbourne yearling sale in 2018.
“She wasn’t very big but she had good bloodlines,” Ian said.
By Bettor’s Delight, Elita was out of the Artsplace mare Sapphire Lil NZ, who left five winners from five foals to race including the Breeders Crown Silver and dual Southern Cross winner Saphirique.
During her career Elita totted up eight successes in Victoria and Tasmania and was a finalist in the 2019 Vicbred 2YO Series.
“She was a bit of a lazy type and we didn’t really get the best out of her,” Attard stated.
Pre Eminant (by Captaintreacherous) is Elita’s first offspring.
“From the time we broke her in I was always quietly confident with her. We never pushed her too much,” Ian said.
“But we didn’t have anything to work her with at home. I thought I am not getting the best out of her so I took her over to Emma (Stewart) and Clayton (Tonkin).”
The decision proved a masterstroke as Pre Eminant has won at her last three attempts and will be one of the leading fancies for the $100,000 Vicbred Final at Melton on November 22.
Since producing Pre Eminant in 2022, Elita has left a yearling colt by Stay Hungry and a colt foal by Captaintreacherous. She is being mated with Sweet Lou this season.
“The yearling is going to the Nutrien Equine Melbourne sale in April. He’s a beautiful colt, a real muscular type,” he said.
Ian is a third generation member of a well known trotting family dating back to the 1960’s, following his father Mario and grandfather Charlie into the sport. Mario is best known as the owner-trainer-driver of the Vicbred and Breeders Crown champion Dont Hold Back.
Besides their harness racing interests, Ian and Angelica conduct the historic Warrawong Estate, a wedding and special events venue on a sprawling 185 acre property at Eynesbury.
- Former HRV Board member Geoff Senior and his son John bred and race the two-year-old filly Star To Fall, who won a heat of the Vicbred Super Series at Bendigo
- Link In Bio, who took out the St Arnaud Trotters Cup, was bred and is part-owned by bookmaker and well known harness identity Craig Nott
- Garden Gate Tina, a mare imported from North America by Bruce and Vicki Edward, was credited with her eighth individual winner when the two-year-old Black Opal Jack emerged successful at Ararat
