The Nutrien Equine sales round will make its final stop at the Melbourne Yearling Sale on April 1, 2 and 3 at Oaklands Junction, where most of the heavyweights of Victorian breeding will showcase their best offerings.

The Melbourne Yearling Sale is one of the primary sources for purchasing future stars of pacing and trotting, and one of its biggest vendors again this year is the northern Victorian nursery Benstud Standardbreds.

Benstud, which has bred the winners of more than $9 million at an average of $87,000 per starter, is presenting 19 yearlings at this year’s auction and, judging by recent results, prospective purchasers can buy with confidence.

“We sell all our colts and race the fillies that we want to breed with,” Benstud’s Tracey Commadeur said.

Of 167 foals bred by Benstud Standardbreds since 2011, 119 have raced and 96 emerged successful – an amazing 81 per cent winners-to-starters ratio.

Furthermore, of the 69 colts bred and sold by Benstud, 62 have raced with 55 winners – an 85 per cent strike rate with $126,000 average earnings per starter.

Since 2010 Benstud and clients have produced more than 65 horses to win $100,000 or more.

Interestingly, the two highest stakes earning progeny of boom sire Captaintreacherous in Australia, Catch A Wave ($1,123,120) and Tough Tilly ($593,883), were both bred by Benstud Standardbreds.

The cavalcade of stars bred and raised at Benstud’s Katunga and Crookwell (NSW) nurseries reads like a classics datebook. It includes Bling It On, Catch A Wave, Captain Ravishing, Tough Tilly, Heza Son Of Agun, Philadelphia Man, Heaven Rocks, Centenario, Niki No No, Tay Tay and Soho Valencia and up-and-coming stars in Naturally Gifted, Petracca, Dangerous, Treasure Stride and Ludacrous.

And Benstud believes the class of 2023 is one of the biggest and best drafts it has ever presented.

Some of the highlights include:

  • A Captaintreacherous colt from the NSW Breeders Challenge winner Bamako Mali, a Bettor’s Delight brother to the Group 3 winner Ilikemebettor (1:49)
  • A Captaintreacherous filly out of a half-sister to the dual Inter Dominion Final placegetter Flaming Flutter
  • A brother to the Tontine and Bunbury Cup winner Major Times
  • An Art Major colt from the multiple Group winner Starburst Girl
  • A Bettor’s Delight colt from a $100,000 winning half-sister to Rockstar Angel and Beach Shack
  • A Bettor’s Delight colt from a sister to Group winners Benicio and Lets Go To Brazil
  • A The Storm Inside colt from a half-sister to the Group 1 WA 4YO Classic winner Pinny Tiger
  • A Bettor’s Delight colt out of a half-sister to the Victoria Oaks placegetter Petillante
  • An Art Major half-brother to the SA Kindergarten winner Eye See Double
  • A Sweet Lou filly from a sister to 2YO Colt of the Year Lumineer
  • A Volstead half-brother to the Inter Dominion Trotting heat winner Ofortuna
  • And a Tactical Landing half-brother to the 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year Eljaykay Phoenix.

Photos and videos of the entire Benstud draft will be available at www.benstudstandardbreds.com.au around March 20.

The Melbourne sale will be livestreamed at www.nutrienequine.com.au. For a catalogue or further information phone Mark Barton 0419 488 256.

Benstud will also be present at this Sunday's Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale in Queensland with two lots, including a colt by Always B Miki out of mare Champagne Dreams, who is a half-sister to the brilliant Lazarus.

Lot 333, it is one of six Victorian lots at the sale, with Harshall Investments having two lots, Wayne Ronan one and Katunga's Sutherland family the other. The catalogue can be viewed here.

The top price of $200,000 was paid for the stunning Captaintreacherous colt out of the Bettor’s Delight mare Return To Me at the Nutrien Equine Sydney Yearling Sale on Sunday.

The colt was consigned by Wagga breeders Scott and Kathy Robertson and bought by Nutrien Bendigo on behalf of a Victorian client.

Five yearlings fetched $100,000 or more at the sale.

The Captaintreacherous-Senora Rapido colt and the Bettor’s Delight-To The Machx both realised $160,000, while the Bettor’s Delight colt from Riccarton Lass sold for $130,000.

The top priced filly at $150,000 was the Captain Crunch-Kept In Play miss, consigned by Elite Bloodstock and prepared by Benstud Standardbreds. She was secured by Bacchus Marsh owner Joel Watson.

The leading trotting yearling was the What The Hill-Our Dainty Lady colt, who sold for $75,000. She was offered by Louise and Gary Toulmin, of Oakbank Estate, prepared by their daughter Alana and purchased by the McDowell family’s Allied Express Pacing and Trotting.

The average price was $36,550.

Young Portland breeder Heath Bourke landed a rather notable two-state double last Saturday night.

The promising two-year-old filly Remi Lou provided Bourke with his most important success as a breeder so far when she led from end-to-end in the $24,000 Hygain Premiere Stakes at Melton.

One hour later Bondi Lockdown, who is out of Without Guile, a mare now being bred from by Bourke, beat a top field in the Group 2 $100,000 Ainsworth Australian Light Horse FFA at Menangle.

He has nominated three nicely bred colts for the Nutrien Equine Melbourne Yearling Sale.

Ballarat breeder Bruce Edward, the principal of Durham Park, bred a pair of winners at Melton in Steel Screens and talented three-year-old filly Sea Silk.

Edward will offer a 17-strong consignment at Oaklands Junction, including a half-sister to Sea Silk.

Victorian bred performers won three of the five Group races contested on the final night of the Carnival of Miracles at Menangle.

Catch A Wave, winner of the $1 million Garrard’s Miracle Mile, was co-bred by Benstud Standardbreds with Sydney couple Peter and Zilla O’Shea, Bondi Lockdown ($100,000 FFA) was bred by Carl and Penny Reinehr and Aldebaran Zeus ($100,000 Trotters Mile) was bred and is co-owned by Duncan McPherson’s Aldebaran Park.

Aldebaran Zeus led home a Victorian trifecta in the Group with Just Believe (2nd) and Im Ready Jet (3rd) both bred by Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms, the sponsors of the Group 1 event.

The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.