With the Summer of Glory in the rearview, the February focus turns to pacing and trotting country cups, with two trips out west to Ararat on Friday and then Terang on February 20 before heading north for the time-honoured Boort Cups on February 28.
Again we take a look at the winning mares from these races, taken from the records on HRV’s brilliant Honour Roll feature, and see if their bloodlines can still be seen on modern tracks – and what we’ve got to look forward to…
Ararat Pacing & Trotting Cups
1980 |
Margaret Shannon |
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1981 |
Misswood |
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1982 |
Sonya Malai |
2002 |
Living Angel |
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2004 |
Gipsys Return |
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2017 |
Bettor Downunder |
The most recent mare to collect an Ararat Pacing Cup of the six on record is Bettor Downunder, a Group 3-winning Bettor’s Delight mare ($134,000) whose Albert Albert dam, Trebla Trebla, also threw $298,000-earning Western Ideal son, Ideal Lifestyle, and herself banked over $84,000. Bettor Downunder has yet to have a foal race, with a 2019 Sweet Lou filly and 2020 Bling It On filly now on the ground.
While 2004 winner Gipsys Return (Golden Greek) won a Group 2 and more than $111,000 in her race career, she has gone on to secure the coveted 100% producer title as a broodmare. Her Art Major daughter, Bohemian Art ($73,000) has made Gipsys Return a granddam with a 2019 Huntsville colt and a 2020 Roll With Joe colt on the ground. Another daughter, Kura Harlyn (Christian Cullen), has followed in her dam’s footsteps in becoming a 100% producer as a broodmare.
Forty years back, Group 1 winning Tarport Coulter mare Misswood claimed the Ararat Cup, and went on to produce seven foals – four of which raced and all won. They include Classywood (Land Grant), through whom we can trace two unraced 2017 Antigua Bay colts – both from unraced granddaughters of Classywood – Bossy Girl (Coloured Fella) and her half-sister, Fairway Wood (Armbro Operative).
A grey filly born in 2020 by Sutter Hanover is the modern representative of 1982 winner, Sonya Malai (Bon Adios) – her dam is La Ebony Kita (Artistic Fella, $46,000), a daughter of the 100% producing Iraklis mare La Nikita ($67,000). who is a granddaughter of Sonya Malai.
1999 |
Dainty Dolly |
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2004 |
Justabitlooney |
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2009 |
My Missindependent |
2016 |
Aldebaran Deebee |
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Justabitlooney by Riegle Lobell earnt $62,000 in her racing career, including a Listed Classic along with the Ararat Trotting Cup in 2004, and has since gone on to be a 100% producer as a broodmare. All three of her progeny have been successful – Justabitnoisy (Lawman) earnt $178,000, Justabitlikemum (Great Success) banked $83,000, and Bacardi Lindy mare, Justabitcoco, earnt $116,000 and has just this season delivered a Majestic Son colt to keep the line going.
Classic Adam mare My Missindependent tallied more than $266,000 in her race career, which included both Group 1 Victoria and NSW Trotting Oaks races. Her most recent progeny include a 2020 Centurion ATM colt bred by HBV member Graeme Rayner, a 2019 Pegasus Spur filly and a Creatine filly in 2019. Her unraced Angus Hall daughter Gracie Marae has most recently had a 2018 Great Success colt.
Terang Pacing & Trotting Cups
1983 |
Nancy’s Luck |
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1994 |
Exceptionally Smooth |
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2004 |
Lagoon Lady |
2009 |
Broadway Play |
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The outstanding Group 1-winning mare Exceptionally Smooth (Double Century, $369,000) claimed the Terang feature in 1994, one of four mares to salute in the race since records were published. Her daughter Truly Smooth (Armbro Operative) has been an outstanding producer, with eight winners from her nine foals to race, including Ultimate Luck (Ultimate Falcon, $19,000) who is the dam of a 2018 gelding by Tintin In America, and Pretty In Red (Flashing Red, $46,000), the dam of a 2018 Shadow Play filly.
No mares recorded for the Terang Trotting Cup
Boort Pacing & Trotting Cups
1983 |
Loddon Rainbow |
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1991 |
Flying Ayesha |
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1994 |
Fuming |
2009 |
Sophie Pass |
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Flying Ayesha (New York Motoring) added the Boort Pacing Cup to her trophy cabinet in 1991 and we are about to see a fourth generation of her bloodlines through granddaughter Missurquhart (Our Sir Vancelot, $21,000), who now has as-yet unraced progeny by Goodtime Sammy, Four Starzzz Shark, Pet Rock and For A Reason. Most recent winner, Sophie Pass (David’s Pass), has delivered a Lincoln Royal filly in 2018.
2014 |
Paparazzi Snapshot |
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2016 |
Forestspider |
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Only two mares in recent times are recorded online for the trotting cup at Boort, but both are now in the breeding barn. Grinfromeartoear mare Paparazzi Snapshot ($55,000) has delivered a Bacardi Lindy gelding, and Forestspider (Yankee Spider, $114,000) has been sent to stud but with no success from her first season.