Loddon region breeder-owner Graham Maxted was provided with his first ever Group 1 success when Modern Bliss roared home to annex the prestigious $150,000 Hobart Cup at Elwick on Saturday night.

Maxted, who owns a sheep and cereal crop farm in the small hamlet of Jarklin, followed in the footsteps of his father, Harvey, in breeding and racing pacers.

The Woodlands Stud horse Sweet Lou, who topped three-year-old sires’ list in Australia and North America last year, was the busiest stallion in Australasia in the closing season.

The first-season sires’ table always makes for interesting discussion, and 2024 sees a host of well-bred stallions that were well-performed on the track have their maiden crop of runners hit the track as two-year-olds.

These include the crack American imports Captain Crunch, McWicked, Stay Hungry and Lather Up and the colonial stallions Soho Tribeca, Poster Boy, The Storm Inside and Soho Lanikai.

An unwavering faith in European bloodlines has reaped rewards for prominent Ballarat breeder-studmaster Pat Driscoll in the case of Callmethebreeze, the track record-equalling winner of the $300,000 Yabby Dam Farms Great Southern Star at Melton.

Trained by globetrotting horseman Anton Golino and expertly driven by Nathan Jack, the handsome Trixton entire has pocketed $195,600 from three starts since being imported from France by Driscoll last year.

The Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sale, to be held at Oaklands Junction on Sunday, offers buyers the chance to own some of Australasia's best-bred yearlings available with 33 yearlings either out of or siblings to Group/Listed winning mares.

The youngsters represent the cream of the crop from many of the leading breeders in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania.

First season sires are poised to make a strong impact at the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction with eight new stallions testing the water.

Several Victorian sires lead the way in terms of representation with solid drafts by Tall Dark Stranger (3 lots), Ride High (4), Bettor’s Wish (2) and the trotter Elite Stride (2).

Colonial bred stallions are making their present felt whenever they are given reasonable stud chances. The results of the first two-year-old races in Victoria and WA emphasised this.

Three of the first four placegetters at Bendigo were by locally bred sires, the winner Viva Storm and runner-up Stormy Woods both being by The Storm Inside and the fourth placegettter Alighieri by Soho Tribeca.

For the 12^th consecutive season, Bettor’s Delight was once again the leading sire in Australia.

The Woodlands Stud stallion was again in a class of his own in 2023 as his offspring won $13,733,364 and 963 races.

For more than half a century New Zealand bred and raised pacers and trotters have been plundering the riches of Australian racing.

And, despite increased transport and registration fees, the trend of NZ horses crossing the Tasman is showing little sign of slowing down. In 2022 alone more than 450 Kiwi breds were cleared to Australia - the majority for racing purposes.

Better Eclipse and Just Believe will spearhead the five-strong Victorian entry for the Inter Dominion Grand Finals at Albion Park on Saturday night. They will joined by Turn It Up and the trotters Van Sank and Thebestbourbon.

Will Wicked Liquor’s longest 21^st Century losing streak at 41 go the board?  Who will win at their first start to join a select list? Who will be the next cup or classic winner?

The answers to these questions may be revealed at the 13^th annual Humbletonian Day meeting to be held at Maryborough on Friday, December 22.

Benstud Standardbreds, one of Australia’s leading nurseries and agistment farms, has joined forces with equine supplement specialists BetaVet in the preparation of their yearlings for the 2024 sales.

Benstud will use Prepare, Gastri-Tec and Buildagut, which are part of  BetaVet’s extensive preparation and racing range, on 49 yearlings – the highest number of any stud or preparer in the country – for sales in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane conducted by Nutrien Equine.

The Woodlands Stud flagship stallion Bettor’s Delight maintained his position at the top of the Breeders Crown sires’ premiership following the successes of champion three-year-old filly Major Delight and top four-year-old mare Fiamma in their respective Finals.

Maryborough identity Peter Gleeson is on the verge of achieving yet another milestone in a decorated career as a breeder.

The 2017 Victorian Breeder of the Year will be represented by the two-year-old filly Very Pretty and the three-year-old colt Perfect Class in their respective Finals of the Breeders Crown at Melton Entertainment Park on Saturday night.

The fact that Victoria is the premier State for breeding was emphasized as four of the six major pacing Derby classics and three of the six major Oaks as well as all four trotting Derbies and Oaks run across the country in 2023 were won by Vicbred horses.

It's the time of year when it all comes down to the Breeders Crown.

Some 25 years ago, a concept to create a championship series in harness racing showcasing the best young pacing and trotting talent was initiated by Alabar Bloodstock principal Alan Galloway and other farms with the support of Harness Racing Victoria and the Victorian Standardbred Breeders Association.

The results of the Victoria Cup meeting at Melton Entertainment Park further underlined Victoria’s status as the hub of the breeding industry in Australia.

Of the five Group One events run, four were won by horses bred and foaled in Victoria. They are Act Now, the winner of the Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Cup, Petracca (Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby), Sweet Bella (Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Oaks) and Shes Ruby Roo (Catanach’s Jewellers Victoria Trotters Oaks).

The results of the Victoria Cup meeting at Melton Entertainment Park further underlined Victoria’s status as the hub of the breeding industry in Australia.

Of the five Group One events run, four were won by horses bred and foaled in Victoria. They are Act Now, the winner of the Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Cup, Petracca (Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby), Sweet Bella (Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Oaks) and Shes Ruby Roo (Catanach’s Jewellers Victoria Trotters Oaks).