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.
Bettor’s Delight has left 17 Breeders Crown champions, six more than his nearest rivals Art Major, Mach Three and Somebeachsomewhere on 11. Captaintreacherous vaulted to equal fifth with Christian Cullen on seven winners after the three-year-old colt Perfect Class and the four-year-old Catch A Wave emerged successful in their divisions.
Bettor’s Delight continues to lead the two and three-year-old fillies and four-year-old entires and geldings’ lists and is the joint leader with Art Major, Mach Three and Somebeachsomewhere on the three-year-old males’ table.
Mach Three is the leading sire of two-year-old colts and geldings, while Christian Cullen, Rock N Roll Heaven and Somebeachsomewhere share the honours in the four-year-old mares’ division.
On the trotting side, the Alabar Bloodstock colossus Majestic Son sits atop the Breeders Crown sire list with 12 winners, followed by Muscles Yankee (9) and Sundon (8).
Majestic Son continues to head the three-year-old colts and geldings’ section and is the joint leader on the two-year-old colts and geldings and four-year-old lists.
The American import Volstead sired the winners of both $100,000 Breeders Crown two-year-old Finals in Val Thorens and Nordic Reign and looks certain to make an impact on the Victorian square-gaiting scene in the future.
The all-time leading Breeders Crown sires are:
PACERS
Sire No. of Winners
Bettor’s Delight 17
Art Major 11
Mach Three 11
Somebeachsomewhere 11
Captaintreacherous 7
Christian Cullen 7
American Ideal 5
Safely Kept 4
Village Jasper 4
Walton Hanover 4
Armbro Operative 3
Dream Away 3
Rock N Roll Heaven 3
TROTTERS
Majestic Son 12
Muscles Yankee 9
Sundon 8
Father Patrick 6
Pegasus Spur 5
Love You 4
Muscle Hill 4
Angus Hall 3
Monarchy 3
Quaker Jet 3
The wins of close relatives Perfect Class and Very Pretty have elevated Maryborough breeder Peter Gleeson to outright second position on the Breeders Crown pacing honour roll with six wins, one behind Lauriston Bloodstock’s Bill and Anne Anderson.
Yabby Dam Farms’ principal Pat Driscoll produced a brace of Breeders Crown trotting champions in Keayang Chucky and Val Thorens to lead all breeders with eight.
Three Victorian bred pacers and seven trotters will compete in the Inter Dominion Championships at Albion Park. The pacers are Better Eclipse, Turn It Up and Uptown Beachgirl and the trotters are Just Believe, Maori Law, Bullion Harry, Hatchback, Constantinople, Van Sank and Thebestbourbon.
Victorian breeders were to the forefront on the first night of the Southern Cross series at Globe Derby Park. Bendigo breeders Gary and Melva Graham produced the winner of the opening heat of the two-year-old fillies’ section in Miss Idaho, while the Goulburn Valley’s Gary Hawthorn and Jenny Gallagher were represented by the winner of a three-year-old colts and geldings’ heat in Lethal Louie.
Prominent Cobram breeders Brian and Marilyn Gourley brought out a smart winner at the recent Horsham meeting in the five-year-old Blue Cannon. He is a grandson of the Gourley’s outstanding matron Soky’s Number, dam of the Group One winners Saab, Talladega and Saabella.
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.