ID champions belong to top maternal families

The newly crowned Inter Dominion champions Captain’s Mistress and Gus both belong to long established harness racing families and both hail from New Zealand’s Southland district.

Captain’s Mistress, who was bred by Winton couple Todd and Fleur Anderson, trading as Taffy Limited, traces back to the taproot Nora, a mare by the thoroughbred Glencoe foaled in California in the 1860’s.

Nora left only two foals – both by Alexander (by George M Patchen Jnr) – in Henrietta and Elizabeth.

Captain’s Mistress is a descendant of Henrietta, being 13 times removed.

This family was established to some purpose in NZ through the Childe Harold mare Moonbeam, a granddaughter of Henrietta.

To Moonbeam horses the calibre of the Miracle Mile winners Have Faith In Me and Christen Me, the A. G. Hunter Cup winner Bondy, the mighty mare Adore Me (NZ Cup), the dual Derby winner Merlin, Magnificent Storm (WA Pacing Cup), Dream About Me (Auckland Cup), Ima Spicey Lombo (Aust. Pacing Ch’ship), Persistency (Kilmore Cup) and the Fremantle Cup victor Whitby’s Miss Penny also trace.

Captain’s Mistress is by the champion sire Captaintreacherous (Empire Stallions) and one of the fifth crop of the Somebeachsomewhere horse.

Bettor’s Delight, the sire of Captain’s Mistress’ dam Imaginary Bet, picked up his second ID as a damsire. He also sired the dam of the 2024 ID champ Don Hugo.

The Brisbane ID winner is bred on the identical cross as the USA millionaire pacers Catch The Fire, I Did It My Way and Rodeo Drive Deo, the six-time Group 1 NZ winner Millwood Nike,   Path To Greatness (Queensland Sun), Message Bank (Bathurst Gold Crown), the Breeders Crown champion School Captain, the dual ID heat winner Sure Thing Captain, Hot And Treacherous and Venturesome Arden.

She carries no less than seven strains of Albatross blood, three of Abercrombie and two of Cam Fella.

Gus, who was bred by Branxholme horseman Nathan Williamson, traces back to Ashby’s Mambrino King mare who was foaled in NZ in the first decade of the 1900’s.

She is also the ancestress of William Dee, who won the Inter Dominion Championship at Moonee Valley in 1992.

This is the family that produced the Group winning trotters Don King, Highly Likely, Phoebe Onyx, El Conqueror, Springfield Lachie, Harbour Light and Kylie Ree (dam of Gus) and pacers in the same class such as the WA Pacing Cup hero Lord Mina and Master Findlay.

Gus is the second ID Trotting winner sired by Alabar Bloodstock’s champion sire Majestic Son, joining Winterfell who won at Alexandra Park in 2019. Incredibly, Majestic Son produced the quinella pair with Gotfeelingsyouknow finishing runner-up.

Gus was bred on the same Majestic Son-Monarchy cross as the seven-time Group 1 winner and 2022 Trotter of the Year Majestuoso, Majestic Harry (QLD Trotters Sprint), Romeo Foxtrot ($241,000), Springfield Lachie (NZ 2YO Trotting Stakes), Your Majesty and Pyramid Rose.

The new ID Trotting champion can boast five strains of the blood of Speedy Crown, three of Nevele Pride and a single doses of Angus Hall and Balanced Image.

 

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink