Most decisions at the sales begin with how a yearling looks and moves.

You want a horse that walks forward with purpose – not stilted or rushed, but balanced, swinging loosely through the shoulder and hip.

Well, Lot 174, a Bettor’s Delight colt from Durham Park Standardbreds’ draft at the Australian Pacing Gold Melbourne Yearling Sale on February 15 ticks all the boxes. 

He’s by a champion sire, out of a great North American family and is built like an absolute athlete.

“He’s a really nice horse. He’s probably the best walking horse we’ve ever had – thoroughbreds included,” Durham Park principal Bruce Edward said. 

The colt is the second foal of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Farady Hanover USA, who was bought by Edward for a hefty $450,000 at the Harrisburg Black Book yearling sale in America in 2019.

“My passion is breeding top horses, with a belief that pedigree plays a major part,” Edward said.

“We have access to the world’s best stallions, and although Australia has a good and improving pool of broodmares, I thought we could make a positive step forward by accessing one of the best maternal bloodlines available in North America.”

The mare’s pedigree indicates that three generations have won an amazing 336 races and almost A$15 million in stakes including two Breeders Crown Championships and a Little Brown Jug!

Farady Hanover is a sister to two sub 1:50 performers including the Jug winner Filibuster Hanover 1:48.2 ($1.8 million), while her grand-dam is the legendary Galleria 1:49.2 ($1.8 million), a Breeders Crown winner and the USA 3YO Filly of the Year and USA and Canadian Aged Pacing Mare of the Year.

At stud Galleria left nine winners from nine to race headed up by the Breeders Crown champion and Jug heat winner Sandbetweenmytoes 1:48.6 ($863,882) and Gallie By The Beach 1:49 ($749,898), who, in turn, is the dam of Galleria Hanover (1:49.2).

Farady Hanover began her racetrack career as a two-year-old in America.

“I decided to leave her over there with a trainer but she really didn’t get a great opportunity, so I bought her back to Australia,” Edward said.

Farady Hanover won six races in Victoria before being retired to stud.

Her first foal, a filly by Bettor’s Delight, was passed in for $60,000 at last year’s Sydney yearling sales.

“Being a filly with huge retained value as a broodmare, we thought she was worth more than that,” Bruce said.

By Peter Wharton for Harnesslink