The burgeoning ranks of trotting stallions in Australia were given another significant boost with the acquisition of the Muscle Hill horse E L Titan (1:51.4), winner of $702,473, by prominent western Victorian breeder Pat Driscoll, the principal of the Haras des Trotteurs stud, Ballarat.

As a racehorse E L Titan competed with success for three seasons and included among his victories the $86,500 International Stallion Stake as a two-year-old in 1:53.4 defeating Trixton and the $92,300 Galt Memorial and $230,000 Carl Erskine Memorial (beating Father Patrick) as a three-year-old at which age he also finished runner-up in the $500,000 Breeders Crown – clocked in 1:51.4 after sitting parked – and the $613,800 Canadian Trotting Classic.

After serving a season at stud, E L Titan returned to the fray at four years and took his record of 1:51.4 winning the $100,000 Sebastian K Invitational at Pocono Downs’ five furlong track defeating the world champion Resolve.

An upstanding bay of 16 hands, E L Titan carries an impeccable pedigree made up of champion sires, champion racehorses and champion broodmares. His sire Muscle Hill (1:50.6) was the best trotter of his era with stake earnings of $3,273,342 and has been one of America’s top trotting sires for some time. Muscle Hill figures as the sire of standout trotters in Marion Marauder, Manchego, Resolve, Ariana G and Southwind Frank.

On his dam’s side E L Titan belongs to a family which has made a real impact on the American breeding scene. His Stakes-winning dam Courtney Hall 3, 1:55.4 ($118,986) ranks as a full sister to the dam of Cantab Hall 3, 1:54 ($1,442,303) and is from the immediate maternal family of Andover Hall 3, 1:51.3 ($870,510), Conway Hall 3, 1:53.4 ($818,884) and Angus Hall 3, 1:54.3 ($830,654), all champion racehorses and sires.

Courtney Hall has left seven 1:55 winners from nine foals which have amassed almost $2.9million, while her dam, Canne Angus, produced nine winners from 11 foals including the USA 2YO and 3YO Trotting Filly of the Year Cameron Hall 1:53.8 ($1,816,236).

E L Titan’s oldest stock are only seven-year-olds and from 224 foals of racing age he has sired 175 starters, 128 winners with 83 in 2:00, 25 in 1:55 and 33 $100,000 earners. His progeny has banked $10.3million to date.

Driscoll said: “He’s an outstanding addition to the trotting stallion ranks and he is here to stay.”

E L Titan should prove an ideal cross to mares boasting the blood of the ‘Hall’ sires, Majestic Son, Love You, Monkey Bones, The Pres, Imperial Count, Monarchy, Earl and others.

E L Titan is to stand at Cobbity Equine Farm in NSW alongside the Breeders Crown champion and Canadian 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year On A Streak (2, 1:52.4), a $803,745 winning son of Cantab Hall who is standing his second season at stud.

Both E L Titan and On A Streak will stand for a fee of $3,500 plus GST in Australia and New Zealand.

The $2million Vicbred Super Series will get under way next Tuesday night at Kilmore with $10,000 heats for the two-year-old pacing colts and fillies.

The finals will be held at Melton on Saturday, September 16.

The siblings High Above (by Captaintreacherous) and High Profile (by Always B Miki) won consecutive races at Ballarat last Friday.

High Above, who claimed the Colin and Heather Holloway 3YO Classic, has won three of his four starts to date, while High Profile has scored in four of seven.

Both are from the broodmare gem All The Magic (by Live Or Die) and were and are part-owned by Maryborough identity Peter Gleeson.

The Chancer, an impressive winner at Yarra Valley, is proving a handy money-spinner for former motor car driving ace and hobby breeder Garry Rogers. The gelding has won 10 races and more than $70,000 in stakes

Have Victorian breeding news for The Forum? Email whartonp@bigpond.net.au

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.