Vive La France!  Sires dominant at Wagga

French bred stallions captured three of the four trotting finals of the Nutrien Classic Sales Race Series at the $1 million race night at Wagga last Saturday. 

The trio – Orlando Vici, Brillantissime and Love You – along with the North American import On A Streak are all members of the past or present sire roster at Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms, Ballarat, Victoria. 

Orlando Vici, a millionaire son of Quadrophenio, figures as the sire of Verbici, the runaway winner of the $75,000 decider for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings. The gelding, who is undefeated in three starts, was bred by Louise Toulmin, the stallion sales and administration manager at Yabby Dam. 

A $75,000 buy at last year’s Melbourne sale, Verbici is the second foal of the race-winning Verbier, a Dream Vacation mare from the imported American mare Let’s Be Happy. 

Brillantissime, an 11-time Group winning son of the great Ready Cash, was represented by Aldebaran Ada, who overpowered her rivals on the passing lane to win the $125,000 final for three-year-old trotting fillies. 

The second foal of the Muscle Hill mare Aldebaran Aliza and from the family of Allegro Agitato and Skyvalley, Aldebaran Ada was bred by Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson, western districts horseman Caleb Lewis, Wagga enthusiast Stephen Hunt, Mick Fryar, from Ballarat, and the late Colin Hair, the former chairman of the NZ Standardbred Breeders Association. 

The filly was knocked down for $25,000 at the 2024 Melbourne Yearling Sale. 

Love You, the champion sire in Europe over the past decade, led in the commanding winner of the $125,000 final for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in the quaintly named Munny The Munster. 

Bred and raced by Dean and Blanche Poole, of Rhiannon Park, Congupna, the gelding ranks as a half-brother to the Group 1 victors and Australian 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year award winners Banglez (2020) and Just A Bit Touchy (2021). 

The Cantab Hall horse On A Streak, a Breeders Crown champion and Canadian 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year, was represented by the convincing winner of the $75,000 two-year-old trotting fillies’ decider, Bumper Crop. 

Unbeaten in three attempts to date, Bumper Crop, who is out of the dual Vicbred champion Kinvara Sue, was bred by Pat Driscoll’s sister Mary and knocked down for $30,000 at the 2025 Melbourne sale.  

On the pacing side, the Woodlands Stud duo Bettor’s Delight and Sweet Lou sired the winners of the $200,000 two-year-old fillies’ final and the $100,000 three-year-old boy’s decider in Kahula and Hollywood Strip respectively. 

Kahula, who was bred and is raced by Bruce and Vicki Edward, of Durham Park Standardbreds, is out of the dual Vicbred Super Series winner Kualoa (by Art Major), while Hollywood Strip was bred by Wagga couple Denis and Jo Howe and is from the Sportswriter mare Bang Bang Molly, the dam of two Group winners from three to race. 

Hollywood Strip, an $80,000 buy at the Sydney sale in 2024, has won 12 of his 13 starts and $354,812 in stakes. 

Smack Bang Bart, the brilliant end-to-end winner of the $200,000 male final, is the product of Rock N Roll Heaven and Art Start, the dam of nine winners from 10 foals including the millionaire pacer Expensive Ego. 

Bred by Benstud Standardbreds, the colt was sold for $50,000 at last year’s Melbourne auction. 

Meanwhile, Eye Wish, who took out the $100,000 final for three-year-old pacing fillies, is from the first crop of the well credentialled Cobbitty Equine Farms’ stallion Bettor’s Wish out of the Somebeachsomewhere mare Yes Eye See. Bred by Jackie Gibson, of Success Stud, Young (NSW), the filly was knocked down for $80,000 at the Nutrien Sydney sale in 2024. 

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink