The charmed run of progeny of Muscle Hill continues unabated across Australasian racetracks with the stallion continuing to flex his siring power with victories coming in bunches over the last fortnight and potential riches on the horizon for those he’s sired at upcoming harness racing features.
Recent New Zealand based winners by Muscle Hill have included the royally-bred John and Joshua Dickie trained Daisy Hill who scored by 4 1/2 lengths at Alexandra Park on the 24th of January, Bolt For Brilliance (Harness Jewels winner last season) who extended his record to two wins from just six starts with a win on the 17th of January, and two runners from the Nigel Mcgrath stable who won at different tracks last week with Chloe Rose being too strong at Banks Peninsula on Sunday while One Over Da Son outstayed a nice field to take victory a couple of days prior at Addington Raceway. One Over Da Son will look to continue putting palings on his growing picket-fence form-line (he’s won his last two) at Addington on Friday night.
Recent Australian victories by progeny of Muscle Hill have been spearheaded by arguably the sires Australasian headline-act in Dance Craze. The 6yr old Anton Golino-trained mare accounted for both Tornado Valley and Wobelee in the E B Cochran Trotters Cup at Group 2 level on the 18th of January at Ballarat.
To watch Dance Craze win the 2020 E B Cochran Trotters Cup click on this link.
To watch Dance Craze win the 2019 "What The Hill" Great Southern Star click on this link.
Dance Craze will attempt to defend her Great Southern Star title, a title she won last year by beating out Temporale, on Saturday night at Melton where the mare has drawn the inside of the second row and will follow out Red Hot Tooth. A repeat been-there-done-that performance of last years victory would be some feat indeed with this years field being one of both outstanding depth and quality.
All things said and done this latest spate of victories continues to outline just what a magnificent addition Muscle Hill has been to breeding stocks and operations around the world from the time of his racetrack retirement right up until the current day. His progeny winning in excess of $65 million (including ten millionaires) in North America alone so far! Average earnings per starter is just over $140,000.
Muscle Hill will once again be strongly represented at this years 2020 National Standardbred Yearling Sale with the sire still attracting top-line mares despite only having limited lots in the sale. The three Muscle Hill lots to be offered at Karaka are all offered by Breckon Farms and include-
Lot 115, a bay filly ,“My Fear Lady” who is out of former 2yr trotting filly of the year Fear Factor. The yearling looks likely to produce a bit of fear factor herself if her illustrious lineage plays any part in affairs.
Lot 115 – My Fear Lady
This well known trotting family has shown a genuine knack for early success on the race track with both Prince Fearless (8 wins including the 2yr old NZ Yearling Sales Series at listed level) and Group 1 Victorian Trotters Derby winner Stress Factor showing that the breed is a genuine threat to all when first hitting the track.
That go-early-win-early trend has been marvelously carried on by the Tony Herlihy trained Cheeky Babe (again by Muscle Hill) who went 100% through her first four race day appearances before running a 3rd (first filly home) in the NZ Yearling Sales Open Trot Final behind the Nathan Williamson driven Ultimate Stride. Cheeky Babe is out of a 1/2 sister to My Fear Lady.
Lot 64 – Hill Of Grace
Another potential star square gaiter by Muscle Hill is found in lot 64 “Hill Of Grace” The filly is out of (Im) Whitney who managed to win 8 times during her career including a win in the Group 3 Northern Trotting Breeders Stakes (when beating out Pretty Sunday) (Im) Whitney also placed in two Group 2 races behind Queen Kenny and All Royal Gal (14 wins, $172’000) Hill Of Grace is the first foal out of Whitney and is sure to carry interest with those interested in an entry into proven trotting bloodlines.
Ben McMillan