Group 1 racemare now top broodmare

The Western Terror mare Vertigal (Western Terror) was one of New South Wales’ best racemares of her day.

She won 11 of her 37 starts including the Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge at two and three and the Group 2 Linden Huntley Little Memorial and was crowned NSW 2YO of the Year in  2010.

Boasting a stake tally of $317,380, Vertigal was the third richest Australian bred daughter of leading sire Western Terror, behind only Doug’s Babe ($709,352) and Western Secret ($343,766).

She is now making a significant impact in the breeding barn.

Owned by Doug and Janet Moore’s Brooklyn Lodge, Ben Astill and Adrian Molloy, Vertigal has produced nine foals for seven winners with six inside 2:00 and they have amassed a hefty $865,630 in stakes between them.

Incredibly, four of her offspring emerged successful during October.

Van Basten (by Sunshine Beach) took out the NSW Rising Stars at Menangle in 1:51.4, Where’s Wood Wood (by Mach Three) won at Kilmore and Shepparton, Major Bye (by Art Major) scored in 1:55.9 at Newcastle and the three-year-old filly Major Issues (by Art Major) won at Canberra.

The richest and fastest of Vertigal’s progeny is the Art Major gelding Star Major, who has won 29 races and $423,455 and has a mile mark of 1:50.2. Numbered among his successes is the 2025 Tasmanian Metropolitan Cup, the 2025 Tasmanian Patrons Marathon and a Free-for-all at Menangle.

Van Basten (1:51.1), a winner of 18 races in NSW, Victoria and Queensland and $203,927, is second highest stake earner out of Vertigal.

Next is Where’s Wood Wood (1:56.7), a winner of 17 races in Victoria and $81,550, followed by A Victor (1:53.9), 10 wins and $55,485, All The Fours (1:57.1), a winner of seven and $36,917, Major Bye (1:54.9), six wins and $36,564, and Major Issues (2:00.2), three wins and $24,524.

A Victor (by Somebeachsomewhere), Vertigal’s first foal, has left two winners to the cover of Always B Miki from two to race. They are Just Pedro (1:57.1), a winner of six races including one at Melton, and Wait And See (1:56.8), who has won twice at the NSW provincials this year.

Out of the Stature mare Height Of Wisdom, Vertigal was a sibling to the good metropolitan winners Heavenly Wisdom ($187,943), Comigal ($114,782) and Brookessmartdancer ($95,406) and to the prolific Riverina winner Hilly ($143,629).

 

by Peter Wharton for Harnesslijnk