The fast North American trotting import Dancinginthedark M was represented by his first winner from his first starter when the two-year-old Dance Dance Dance was an effortless end-to-end victor at Charlton on Monday afternoon.
Dance Dance Dance, who was bred and raised at Duncan McPherson’s Aldebaran Park, is one of the initial crop of the Readly Express horse who took a lifetime mark of 1:49.6 as a three-year-old and is ranked as the equal eighth fastest trotting stallion of all-time.
Bred in America by Swedish breeding giant Menhammer Stud, Dancinginthedark M boasts a truly international pedigree and one which is replete with ‘black type’ performers. He is by the dual Swedish Horse of the Year and Grand Prix d’Amerique winner Readly Express (a son of the French champion Ready Cash) out of the American-bred mare Leila.
Only a young stallion – he was foaled in 2018 – Dancinginthedark M shuttled between Europe and Australia for his first three seasons at the stud before returning to Sweden in 2025.
He is again available via frozen semen in Australia and New Zealand this season.
Dancinginthedark M is part of an imposing stallion roster assembled at Aldebaran Park for the coming season.
He joins the highly credentialled frozen semen sires Maharajah, the leading sire in Sweden for the last seven seasons, and Calgary Games, the second leading first crop sire in Sweden in 2025 and second only to Maharajah on this year’s all aged list.
Aldebaran Zeus, the 2021 Australian and Victorian 3YO Trotting Colt of the Year and five-time Group 1 winner, is lining up for his second season at the Nagambie nursery, while Skyvalley, the leading colonial bred trotting stallion for the past 12 seasons, is again available for stud duties.
The deceased Aldebaran Eagle, who is riding high on the various siring lists, will again be available via frozen semen exclusively to NZ breeders.
Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson OAM said: “We are delighted to again be able to provide world class genetics for southern hemispherical breeders. Given the outstanding siring statistics of Calgary Games and Maharajah in particular in the last 12 months in the northern hemisphere, this represents an outstanding opportunity for discerning breeders.”
For further details visit the website www.aldebaranpark.com
Cardigan Sniper, the winner of the Benstud Standardbreds Victoria Youthful Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings at Melton, was bred by Western districts breeder Lyndon Turner. Meanwhile, the winner of the fillies’ division, La Cantatrice, was bred by Helen Plumb, the partner of trainer Geoff Webster.
Wichita Kansas, a winner at the Melton midweek meeting, was bred by Melbourne enthusiast Fred Crews from the grand producer Golden Flyin, dam of five sub 2:00 winners including Keep On Rocking (1:48.4).
Peak, one of Australasia’s leading trotting sires, died in South Australia recently. His progeny included the cup class square-gaiters Doff Your Cap, Jungle Eyes, Funny Face and Invictus.
