Champion European trotting sire Love You, whose frozen semen is available ‘down under’ via Haras Des Trotteurs, sired five winners in the space of six days in New Zealand and Australia.
The haul was highlighted by a winning double at Addington with the two-year-old Summer Lovin, who beat the older horses by 10 lengths at his second start, and Matua Tana, who overcame a 20 metre handicap to post his sixth lifetime success.
Brilliant three-year-old Ultimate Stride, the reigning Breeders Crown and Redwood champion, made it seven wins from 11 starts and took his bankroll to $154,225 in easily accounting for older rivals at Invercargill.
Love You was credited with a second ‘new’ winner in the NZ bred Kyvalley Surfrider, who ended a frustrating run of minor placings at Bendigo, while promising youngster Maestro outfinished his opposition to notch his second win from five attempts at Kilmore.
Yabby Dam Farms, owned by Haras Des Trotters principal Pat Driscoll, bred three winners for the week.
Heading the lineup was Majestic Player, who won in 1:53 at Hoosier Park, Indiana and has now won seven of his eight starts on American soil. The five-year-old gelding holds a mark of 1:52.6 and a $US171,855 bankroll.
Other recent Yabby Dam Farm-bred winners were Cash Lover, a four-year-old by Ready Cash and one of the second crop of the dual Prix d’Amerique winner, and Dream Over. Cash Lover won by 12 metres at Melton and has won three of his eight starts so far, while Dream Over notched win No. 3 at Stawell.
by Peter Wharton