The North American trotting import Dancinginthedark M USA, who stood the last three seasons at Aldebaran Park in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, will be returning to the northern hemisphere this season to stand at the prestige Menhammar Stud AB in Sweden.

He will stand alongside his own sire Readly Express, the dual Swedish Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer, the Elitloppet winner Nuncio, the four-time leading Swedish sire Maharajah and the 2021 Swedish Horse of the Year Calgary Games.

The first few mares bred to him this year in Sweden via frozen semen have all tested in foal.

Dancinginthedark M USA was a multiple Stakes winner as a two and three-year-old in America and was the fastest two-year-old trotter ever to stand in this country. He took his lifetime mark of 1:49.6 at three and was the fastest of his age and gait in America in that season and the fourth fastest trotting stallion of all-time.

In a brief racing career Dancinginthedark M USA earned $364,208 from wins in important Stakes races including the $250,000 Kentucky Sires Stake Championship, $135,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial, Bluegrass Stakes, Reynolds Memorial and the Arden Downs.

His first crop sold at the recent Nutrien Equine Melbourne yearling sales with the filly Aldebaran Angela fetching $32,500.

Dancinginthedark M USA covered more than 170 mares in three seasons in Australia and New Zealand.

Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson OAM said: “It has been an extraordinary opportunity to have stood Dancinginthedark M USA here at Aldebaran Park. The bloodlines and genetics will no doubt have a profound impact on future generations of racing and breeding stock here in Australia and New Zealand.

“We wish to thank his owners Bro Byggnads AB, Stockholm and Menhammar Stuteri, AB Sweden for their support of southern hemisphere racing and we will no doubt, as they will be, keeping an eye on the stallion’s progeny in both hemispheres for years to come.”

Miss Ari, who won the fastest heat of the NSW Oaks, is an Art Major filly from a family which was bred from successfully by the late Gordon and June Turner over three generations. It includes the top racemare Heavens Showgirl and Knights Templar

Ashante Queen, a Sweet Lou mare who won at Launceston on Friday, was bred and is part-owned by well known Goulburn Valley horseman Tony Peacock

Pinnie, a very impressive trotting winner at Melton, was bred and is owned by Jeroen Nieuwenburg, the father of Harness Racing Victoria media personality Bronte Nieuwenburg