Ladies take the Country Cups loot

The rich Country Cups circuit kicks off for 2021 this Saturday with the Bendigo Pacing Cup being hosted at Lord’s Raceway, followed by Cobram, Shepparton, Hamilton and leading into the Summer of Glory carnival, Ballarat. Plenty of mares have laid claim to the silverware over time, and using the terrific Honour Roll selector on The Trots site, we’ve taken a look at those Cup-winning ladies whose bloodlines can still be seen in the modern day, starting with the races to take place this month.

Bendigo Pacing Cup

Saturday 9 January 2021

First up is the Bendigo Pacing Cup on Saturday 9 January – after a good run in the early 1970s, there was a long drought for mares in this feature, with 27 years spanning between Unique Hanover in 1973 and the next fair winner, Tailamade Lombo in 2000. That record could be broken though, with no mares in the winners’ stall to date since Mother Courage claimed the feature in 2002, and the emergency, Gupta’s Cullen (Gotta Go Cullen x Itsa Trick x Live or Die, $98,000), the only mare potentially in contention in 2021.

It’s no wonder the two 21^st century mares were sent to the barn as two superstars of their day and have since added much to our breeding stock. Mother Courage (pictured, Stoneridge Scooter, $462,000) was a daughter of Talk To me, a Windshield Wiper mare who produced eight winners from ten runners which in addition to the Cup winning mare included her full sister, Tandia’s Courage ($305,000), Watchawaitingfor (Santana Blue Chip, $117,000) and Crusader’s Castle (Christian Cullen, $105,000). It is a strong broodmare family – Tandia’s Courage has five winners, with three over $100,000 while Articulate Castle (Art Major) has a winner of over $80,000.

The offspring of Mother Courage saw success – six winners including Ruby Slippers (Life Sign, $48,000), the dam of Polly Peachum (Four Starzzz Shark) who has secured two wins in the 2020 season, and most recently a 2019 Rock N Roll Heaven colt who goes through the Melbourne APG sales as Lot #247; Kattrin (Life Sign, $43,000), Rustler Boy (Rustler Hanover, $32,000) and Ourbeachsomewhere (Somebeachsomewhere) who continues to race, having secured a 1:55.8 best mile rate.

Tailamade Lombo’s feats saw her awarded the 2010 Winona Award for Australian Broodmare of the Year, the record that season of four winners with 23 wins, 25 placings and $438,000 in earnings (Aussie Made Lombo, Lombo Cruisader, Tsunami Lombo & Yakuza). She has produced 15 foals aged 3YO and older, 13 of which have raced for 10 winners including those mentioned above. Aussie Made Lombo (Bettor’s Delight, $578,000) has already produced outstanding filly Soho Interceptor (Art Major, $177,000) and has a 2019 Sweet Lou colt as Lot #218 at the 2021 Nutrien Yearling Sale.

Cobram Pacing & Trotting Cups

Sunday 10 January 2021

After Bendigo, we head to the Murray regions with Cobram due to host Cups for both gaits on Sunday 10 January. Mares had a great run in the Cobram Pacing Cup throughout the 1980-90s but only one continues to breed on. We showcased Tarport Bill mare, Shy Skipper’s breeding and daughters on our recent Flashback Friday Facebook post, with the most recent to hit the ground from the line a 2018 filly by Art Major from Venie McDee (Soky’s Atom x Shyface Skipper, a daughter of Shy Skipper) – you can see it here.

Mares from the ranks of Cobram Trotting Cup winners are a different story! Good numbers across the 21^st century, and of them, several still breeding on.

Sundon mare Classic Comment retired to the barn with $80,000 in the bank and threw Political Report, a Federal Flex mare who now has a 2019 Yankee Spider filly on the ground and was last served by him in 2020.

Group 1-winning Skye Rocket was a sensation on the track, the daughter of Wagon Apollo taking the 2003 Trotters Oaks, and the Vicbred 4YO Mares Final to earn over $118,000. She continued to produce results in the breeding barn, throwing Angus Hall gelding, Skyeski, who is still adding to his $54,000 earnings, and Donski (Sundon). This mare claimed $40,000 from racing but has now had eight live foals – the latest a 2019 What The Hill filly and a 2018 Pegasus Spur filly – six named and raced, with four to win. Skye Rocket has most recently had a 2018 Love You colt.

2007 Cobram Trotting Cup winner Jauriol (Wagon Apollo) had seen plenty of success, with multiple Group 1 wins – the Vicbred 2YO Trotting Fillies Final and the 2005 Victorian Trotters Oaks. As well as the Cobram Trotting Cup, she claimed the Ballarat John Slack Memorial Trotting Cup and retired with earnings over $248,000. Her daughter Endsino (Angus Hall, $185,000) replicated her success to a degree, also claiming the Group 1 Vicbred 2YO Trotting Fillies Final of her year, and also the Vicbred 4YO Mares Final. She has since been sent to stud and now has a 2018 Father Patrick filly and 2019 Aldebaran Eagle colt at foot. A son of Jauriol, Skyflyer (Skyvalley), was no slouch with $85,000 in earnings, and an unraced daughter, Jaurdon (Sundon), has similarly been sent to stud with very different bloodlines to her sister – she has produced a 2019 Sebastian K colt and most recently, a colt by Volstead.

The 2017 Cobram Trotting Cup (below) added to the $262,000 in total winnings for imported Like A Prayer mare, Cold Sister, before she retired. She now has a 2018 Love You colt at foot.

Shepparton Gold Cup

Saturday 16 January 2021

The action then moves to Shepparton, and perhaps surprisingly, the bloodlines of 1966 winner Tail Light (Floodlight) continue to be seen in the current day, with HBV member Ken Griffey the breeder of a 2020 Betterthancheddar colt and 2019 Rock N Roll Heaven colt, Tail Light being their great-great-great granddam. They are both from unraced Shadow Play mare, The Blushing Bride, a sister to Princess Dilinger (DM Dilinger, $65,000) who has produced five foals old enough to race with all saluting, including Youaremy Sunshine (Hurrikane Kingcole, $139,000), Top The Ace (Aces N Sevens, $105,000) and most recently a 2019 filly (her first!) by Rock N Roll Heaven. Another of Tail Light’s daughters, Smart Light, also bred on – her great granddaughter Courlivina (Art Major, unraced) is the dam of Major Roll (Roll With Joe, $154,000) and lately, a 2019 Rock N Roll Heaven filly.

Butlers Love amassed over $226,000 in earnings and the Butler’s BG mare’s daughters proved themselves in the barn – Andrel’s Love (Andrel) was bred to DM Dilinger by HBV members, Alabar, to produce The Gunstar ($262,000) while Flyaway Whitby found herself in Perth and is now the granddam of a 2020 Foreclosure filly from Cherry Pink (Shadow Play). The winner of the 1997 edition, Strezlecki Lady, is also a modern day granddam, her Rustler Hanover daughter Strezlecki Wildone producing a filly in 2019 by Yankee Rockstar.

Hamilton Pacing & Trotting Cups

Sunday 17 January 2021

Hamilton is another happy hunting ground for mares, with seven taking honours over time and three of their lines still be found. Most recent winner Lucky Elsie (Christian Cullen) was most recently the dam of two fillies – in 2020 by Sweet Lou and 2019 by Betting Line; her first foal, Maudieinfullybloom (Somebeachsomewhere) had a colt last season by Vincent.

Blurrmidge’s (Jef’s Blurrr) unraced Classic Garry daughter Patieda was dam to Pipemajor (To Ri Daon) who won $91,000, but also breeding daughters. Sokoto (Soky’s Atom) has a 2019 He’s Watching colt on the ground, while Gusau (DM Dilinger) threw Katsina (Safely Kept, $17,000) who was served in 2019 by Rock N Roll Heaven. The 1973 winner Gyrante (Gyration) can be seen in the current generation with 2019 Auckland Reactor colt, bred by HBV members Brackenhurst, from Freefall, an unraced Gotta Go Cullect great granddaughter of Gyrante (through What’s Next mare Mary Susanna from Group 1 winning Encore Lobell mare, Once More), and in a 2020 Always Be Miki colt (also bred by Brackenhurst) from Rocknroll Hanover mare, Rockin Millie (through Grinfromeartoear mare Predict, from Classic Garry mare Erase, from Wipe Clean, another daughter of Once More, by Windshield Wiper). Gyrante, through Once More, was granddam to Mode of Action (Armbro Operative, $155,000) and Collect Again (Victory Sarnel, $99,000).

The Pepperell name is well recognised in trotting circles, but Regal Pepperell (by Majestic Son and also the winner of the Wedderburn Cup in that same season) has not to date been bred to. Her dam Special Code (Safely Kept) threw ten live foals but as one of only two fillies, the line now depends on her unraced Skyvalley sister, the interestingly named Thatthingofyours who is now the dam of a 2019 Majestic Son filly.

Ballarat Pacing Cup

Saturday 23 January 2021

The Ballarat Pacing Cup is quite light on for mare representation with just the two winners, and only one of them tracing to modern generations. Lombo Rapida was a star of her time, the Oaks-winning Northern Lights mare collecting over $780,000 in her career and naturally being tried at stud. Of her incredible eight fillies (separated by two geldings!), many followed their dam’s hoofprints with a successful track career, and six have new descendants on the ground. Gloria Lombo (Jet Lag, $104,000) is the granddam of a 2020 Downbytheseaside colt (from Sportswriter mare, Feelinkindasporty); Lady Merril Lombo (Bettor’s Delight) has had five fillies – including Tourbillion Dargent (Lombo Pocket Watch) the dam of a 2020 Alta Christiano colt, Madison Blues (Rock N Roll Heaven) the dam of a 2019 Follow The Stars colt, and Jovial Jurno Lombo (Sportswriter) dam of a 2020 Mr Feelgood colt – and was last served in 2020 by Killer Carson; and Lombo Socialite (Presidential Ball), dam of a 2019 Guaranteed colt and of Social Fireball (Courage Under Fire, $32,000), bred by HBV members Dennis and Brenda Bice and given her unlikely trotting ability, now the dam of fillies by Majestic Son (2020) and Father Patrick (2018).

Younger daughters of Lombo Rapida have young stock of their own on the ground, including Lombo Nadezhda (Astreos) who produced a He’s Watching filly in 2020 – a year after her sister Quick Draw Lombo (Modern Art) produced the same.

Wedderburn Pacing & Trotting Cup

Sunday 31 January 2021

Three of the five mares who have claimed victory in the Wedderburn Pacing Cup have bred on, and all with some degree of success and still visible in the current day. Inaugrual winner Gyressa (Gyro) was the dam of the successful colt who went on to a sire career, Its Motor Power (New York Motoring, $402,000). He was the sire of 104 starters for 56 winners, including Sammy Power ($218,000) and Motor Parade ($112,000). As a broodmare sire, has so far been the damsire for 13 winners from 23 starters.

His sister, Windshield Wiper mare Tabella Topsie only had one named foal, Norwood Topsie (New York Motoring) who did a stellar job in the barn with 12 live foals and eight winners from ten starters including Dash of Class (Albert Albert, $175,000) and broodmares Trebla Trebla (Albert Albert, $84,000) dam of nine live foals with six to race. All six are winners and include Ideal Lifestyle (Western Ideal, $298,000) and Bettor Downunder (Bettor’s Delight, $134,000) who now has a 2019 Sweet Lou filly on the ground. Another of Norwood Topsie’s daughters, Clean The Scene (Artiscape) has just the two foals – December 27 winner, Scene Of Terror (Western Terror), winning at just her second start, and Humbletonian Day runner, Yes Maate (Daroobalgie).

Clare’s Way, who won the Cup in 1984, was a Hilarious Way mare whose produce was small in number but can still be seen today in the Jilliby lines. First she threw Windshield Wiper champion, the Group 1 winning Kyema Kid ($274,000) and then a full sister, Pro Magic. Pro Magic had seven life foals, all of whom raced with six saluting in their careers, including the star GR1 Vicbred 4YO Mares winner, Jilliby Magic (Safely Kept, $211,000). Sent to the barn herself, Jilliby Magic produced eight live foals – all of which raced, with six taking a win including Jilliby Madonna (Art Major, $67,000) who is still racing. Jilliby Gigi (Grinfromeartoear) has most recently added to the line with a 2019 Sutter Hanover colt.

The 2007 Wedderburn Cup was just one of the many trophies Totally Ruthless mare Jadah Rose claimed in a career which saw her bank over $465,000 in earnings. Her talent passed to the next generation, the mare producing seven live foals for five winners, including the champion colt now at stud, Guaranteed (Artsplace, $856,000) and Jadahson (Falcon Seelster, $277,000). Hinting at her brother’s possible success, it is the unraced Presidential Ball daughter of Jadah Rose that has made a standout career at stud – Mint Julep is now the dam of five live foals, and in addition to the 2018 Art Major colt and 2020 Always B Miki filly, she has had three starters and all have won – in fine style. Recent Group 1 Vicbred Super Series 3YO Pacing Colts & Geldings Final winner Pacifico Dream (Mach Three) has now secured $232,000 in earnings and continues to race, as does Momentslikethese (Art Major, $30,000) who is having a stellar season in 2020. Sharing The Love (Mach Three), a full sister to Pacifico Dream has just had her first foal, a filly by Bettor’s Delight.

As fairly recent winners, four of these five Trotting Cup winning mares are now producers. The eldest, Waikare Gold (Golden Greek, one of his rare square-gaited winners), produced successfully – Waikare Aviator (Armbro Variable) won $55,000, Waikare Aristocrat (Safely Kept) collected $124,000) and Waikare Patricia (Last Sunset) banked $149,000 before going to stud. She has most recently produced a 2020 filly by Majestic Son and a 2018 colt by Sebastian K.

Miss Tiny Tot (Keystone Salute) produced a filly by Kvintet Avenger in 2019; Eringa Belle (Safely Kept, $116,000 and a sister to top class performers Viva La Fever and Our First Jewel) has a Used To Me colt on the ground from 2019; and Prettylilangeleyes (Classic Adam) most recently produced a 2020 colt by Volstead while her 2019 Sebastian K filly appears as Lot #121 in the 2021 Australasian Premier Trotting Sale, bred by HBV members Russ and Pauleen Thomson at Raider Park.