Southern Bred Southern Reared numbers may be down for next month’s NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Christchurch, but there’s still plenty of quality spread across the forty one lots.

Shard Farm, regular vendors for the SBSR brand have exited the yearling sales market. Price Bloodstock who normally prepare five to six yearlings have no entries this year while Macca Lodge numbers are down after they sold some of their foals at the National Weanling Sale in June.

“I think we’ll see an uplift next year. Diamond Creek (Farm) will be coming on with John, (Stiven) and the Prices have some Australian and American mares. It’s a bit of a blip this season,” said SBSR spokesperson Dave Kennedy.

Lot 231 is leading the SBSR charge this year. This is a full-brother to star two year old Jumal and is being prepared by Kennedy.

Trained by Steven Reid, Jumal won six of his seven starts including the $100,000 Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic and the $200,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million.

“He’s very similar to Jumal, just a fraction bigger. He’s very correct and he’s got a wee bit of spirit but once you’ve got your hands on him he’s as good as gold. He’s definitely a two year old type. We could have taken him to the Sales a month ago because he looked so good. He’s quite a mature athletic horse,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy is also offering Lot 271 – a brother by Downbytheseaside to Treacherous Gall. She won nine races including the G2 Southern Oaks, the G3 Caduceus Club of Southland Two Year Old Classic and the G3 NZ Sires’ Stakes Northern Mares Classic.

This colt is also a full-brother to the promising Seaside Brucie who ran third behind Allamericanplayer and Fugitive in the New Zealand Sapling Stakes.

“He’s a lovely colt. I really like him. He’s athletic and has a beautiful nature and has got a tremendous length to him. He’ll wear a hell of a hopple. He’s an aristocratic type of horse who will sell himself.”

Beaudiene Breeding is also presenting a Volstead – Ugly Betty filly, Lot 198.

Ugly Betty has already left Southern Diamond, the winner of four including the NZB Standardbred Harness Million Two Year Old Trot. He also ran second in the G1 Ace Of Clubs.

“I think it’s her best foal. She’s got that real quick twitch. She can go from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye and she trots everywhere. She’s got a wee bit of bone to her which I like and is very well put together. Across the paddock she just trots unreal.”

Another good winner out of Ugly Betty, Bennie And The Jets, is the winner of eleven and recently ran third in the G3 Bendigo Trotters Cup won by Jilliby Ballerini.

Her latest foal of racing age is Hillbilly Betty which recently qualified for Jeremy Douglas.

Tim White and Julie Baynes of White Stables in Winton are SBSR’s biggest vendor this year with twelve yearlings set to enter the sales ring.

On their to ‘check out’ list is Lot 209 Yadreaminjonesey, a Captain Crunch colt out of the Christian Cullen mare Zingara. Zingara won five races including two Nevele R Fillies Series heats.

She’s done a good job at stud with five of her foals of racing age, winning. Laredo Torpedo (Bettor’s Delight) won 18 races across New Zealand, Australia and American while Zinny Mach won three here before winning a further ten in America.

Zingara is also the dam of the very promising Elton J (Always B Miki) who’s won four of his six starts.

“He’s a nice colt – quite a strong fella. He’s got a lovely head on him and he’s thrown to Captain Crunch,” Tim said.

Strange Dreams, Lot 272, is a Tall Dark Stranger filly out of the Christian Cullen mare Follow Your Dream.

Her second dam Western Dream won thirteen races and was both two and three year old filly of her year.

“She’s quite a strong filly, being by a son of Bettor’s Delight in Tall Dark Stranger. She’s got a good attitude with a few brains. I think she’ll go as a two year old. Stonewall (Stud) came and had a look at her on the day after the parade. They’ve had one out of the breed.”  

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink