Victoria’s reputation as the hub of the Australian standardbred breeding industry was further amplified with the results of the huge Victoria Cup meeting at Melton Entertainment Park.

Three of the six Group 1 winners were bred in Victoria….Best Deal, winner of the $200,000 Woodlands Stud Victoria Derby, Just Believe, who took out the $75,000 Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint, and Keayang Zahara, the runaway winner of the $75,000 Catanach’s Jewellers Victoria Trotters Oaks.

In fact, the first four placegetters in the Derby – Best Deal, Some American, Miki To Success and Bay Of Biscay – and 10 of the 12 runners in the Trotters Oaks were bred in the Premier State.

Of the Group 1 winners only Coastal Babe, who captured the $150,000 Pryde’s Easifeed Victoria Oaks, was sired by a non-Victorian-based stallion, that being Woodlands Stud’s Downbytheseaside.

Alabar Bloodstock’s Rock N Roll Heaven took the siring honours on the night with a double via Swayzee, who won the $300,000 Sportsbet Victoria Cup, and Rakero Rebel, winner of the $150,000 Benstud Queen of the Pacific.

Haras Des Trotteurs’ stallions Orlando Vici and Volstead sired Just Believe and Keayang Zahara respectively, while Best Deal is a product of the deceased champion sire American Ideal, who stood at Llowalong Farms for two seasons after launching his stud career at Woodlands.

Best Deal was bred by Peter Gleeson and Bruce and Craig Cameron and is a member of the same maternal family as that which produced the winner of the 2023 Victoria Derby, Petracca.

Just Believe, who won his second Bill Collins Sprint, was bred by Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms out of a mare from a prominent North American trotting tribe.

Keayang Zahara, who was bred by Marg and Paddy Lee, traces back to the prized matron Maori Miss, whose descendants have won the Trotters Oaks on no less than five occasions – Pink Galahs (2020), Pretty Majestic (2018), Skye Rocket (2003), Maori’s Dream (1994) and now Keayang Zahara.

The former Victorian mare Snow Cone left the winner of the $96,000 Maine Sire Stakes Final for three-year-old colts and geldings at Bangor Raceway, Maine on Saturday in Two Fold Cold

Ian Kitchin, the 2005 Victorian Breeder of the Year, bred the impressive Kilmore three-year-old winner Writteninthesky with Jess Tubbs, who part-owns and trains her. She’s a half-sister to the Group winner Tee Cee Bee Macray

Boutika, a trotting mare bred by veterinarian Dr Greg Hargreaves, won her third race in the space of 12 days at Charlton. The five-year-old is a daughter of the Derby winner Danny Bouchea