The Vicbred Super Series grand final night at Tabcorp Park Melton on New Year’s Eve 2020 saw 12 harness racing Group 1 races run and won.

A look at the origins of each of the winners using the historical records of Classic Families and Harness Racing Australia shows that the dozen winners came from a dozen different standardbred families.

Seven were from families that originated in New Zealand, three from long established North American families and the remaining two were from Australian families.

One of the historic American families, A10 Jane Hunt, can be traced back to 1796, while the Australian A63 family of Lady Venture is first officially recorded as being founded in 1934 from an unnamed Directway mare.

The sires of the 12 winners represent three sire lines, each of them North American in origin. Seven trace back to super-sire Volomite, one to his contemporary Scotland, while the remaining three trace to the Indiana pacing sire Hal Dale. Interestingly, none of the most prolific Classic Race winner-producing families U1 Medio, N1 Pride of Lincoln or A1 Verity were represented.

 

Race
Winner
Breeding
Family
Founding Mare Foaled
Generations From Founding Mare
Distinct Classic Race Winners of Family
4YO Trotting Entires & Geldings
Always Ready
Ready Cash (FR) out of Class Of Her Own by Yankee Paco (US) - 2nd foal of dam
N235 Dora Parish by Guy Parish (US)
1933
8
20
Stars of the N235 family include: Landoras Pride NZ, Sundons Gift NZ, Landoras Gift NZ, Let Me Thru NZ
3YO Trotting Fillies
Majestical Belle
Majestic Son (CA) out of Avid by Modern Art (USA) - 2nd foal of dam
A4 Lady Ostic by Ostia (AU)
1909
10
149
Stars of the A4 family include: Dusty Miller, Classic Garry, Frith, Lenny The Shark
3YO Trotting Colts & Geldings
Is That A Bid
Andover Hall (US) out of Elusive Charm by CR Commando (US) - 4th foal of dam
U10 Jane Hunt by Paragon (TB) (US)
1796
18
795
Stars of the U10 family include:  Adios Harry US, Good Time US, Johnny Gee NZ, Big Towner US
3YO Pacing Colts & Geldings
Pacifico Dream
Mach Three (CA) out of Mint Julep by Presidential Ball (US) - 2nd foal of dam
U11 Esther by Express (TB) (US)
1877
14
634
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stars of the U11 family include: Volomite US, Speedy Scot US, Goalie Jeff US, Vivid Photo US
3YO Pacing Fillies
Maajida
Somebeachsomewhere (US) out of Arterial Way by Art Major (US) - 4th foal of dam
N21 Peri by Imperious (US)
1894
11
105
Stars of the N21 family include: Scruffy Murphy, Morgan James, Governor Frost, Tornado Valley NZ
2YO Pacing Colts & Geldings
Kimble
Western Terror (US) from Im Wrongly Accused (NZ) by Bettors Delight (US) - 1st foal of dam
N52 Entice by Bribery (NZ)
1919
10
87
Stars of the N52 family include: Vedette NZ, Christine Maree, Courage Under Fire NZ, Sundons Way NZ
2YO Trotting Colts & Geldings
Dont Care
Used To Me (FR) from My Dream Weaver (NZ) by Lindy Lane (US) - 6th foal of dam
U37 Kit by Pioneer (TB) (US)
Pre-1870
14
197
Stars of the U37 family include: Rodney US, Muscles Yankee US, Yankee Paco US, Plesac US
2YO Pacing Fillies
Tough Tilly
Captaintreacherous (US) from Beninjured by Art Major (US) - 6th foal of dam
N61 The Brat by Young Diomedes (TB) NZ
1883
10
58
Stars of family N61 include: Young Quinn NZ, Sole Command NZ, PhIladelphia Man, Cenenario
4YO Pacing Entires & Geldings
Lochinvar Art
Modern Art (US) from Ponder In Paris by Ponder (US) - 2nd foal of dam
N2 Bessie B by Young Irvington (NZ)
1897
11
391
Stars of the N2 family include: Parisienne NZ, Scottish Command NZ, Preux Chevalier NZ, Lombo Pocket Watch
4YO Trotting Mares
Our Princess Tiffany
Art Major (US) from Dancing Diamonds (NZ) by Bettors Delight (US) - 2nd foal of dam
N30 Rothschild mare (McDonald’s)
by Rothschild (AU)
1910
9
112
Stars of the N30 family include: Sprayman NZ, Vanadium NZ, Under Cove Lover NZ, Bettor Cover Lover NZ
2YO Trotting Fillies
Banglez
Majestic Son (CA) from Gypsy Flair by Skyvalley (NZ) - 1st foal of dam
A63 Lady Venture by Vin Direct (AU)
1934
8
21
Stars of the A63 family include: Lynmont, Oscar Le Vant, Fionas Flair, A Touch Of Flair
4YO Trotting Mares
Keayang Livana
Imperial Count (US) from Poignant by Sundon (US) - 5th foal of dam
N24 Mavis Wood by Rodgewood (NZ)
1922
7
170
Stars of the N24 family include: Barbara Del NZ, Palestine NZ, Dependable NZ, Lombo Rapida

 

Sires

The Volomite sire line accounted for seven ot the winners; three pacing and four trotting. Volomite

Mach Three, his son, Somebeachsomewhere, and grandson Captaintreacherous.

Mach Three - Matts Scooter - Direct Scooter - Sampson Direct - Sampson Hanover - Volomite

 

Ready Cash Indy Du Vivre - Vikings Way - Mickey Viking - Bonefish - Nevele Pride - Stars Pride - Worthy Boy - Volomite

Andover Hall and sons of his full brother, Angus Hall - Majestic Son and Imperial Count.

Garland Lobell - ABC Freight - Noble Victory - Victory Song - Volomite

 

The Scotland sire line sired one trotting winner.

Used To Me

Nuage de Lait - Defi d’Aunou - Armbro Goal - Speedy Crown - Speedy Scot - Speedster - Rodney - Spencer Scott - Scotland

 

The Hal Dale line produced three pacing winners.

Art Major and Modern Art are both sons of Artsplace.

Artsplace - Abercrombie - Silent Majority - Henry T Adios - Adios-Hal Dale

Western Terror

Western Hanover - No Nukes - Oil Burner - Most Happy Fella - Meadow Skipper - Dale Frost - Hal Dale