By Peter Wharton
Latrobe horsewoman Melissa Maine, of Faithful Park stud, is hoping to capitalise on the euphoria of the first crop of former USA 3YO of the Year Downbytheseaside at the Tasmanian Harness Yearling Sale to be held on Saturday at Carrick Park.
Melissa is preparing two fillies for the sale and they are the only progeny of the 1:48 world champion son of the great Somebeachsomewhere being offered on the day.
Both belong to Australasia’s leading maternal families.
Lot 9 is a lovely, athletic brown filly out of the good Bettor’s Delight mare Itz Gemmas Delight, a winner of 10 races and a placegetter in the Blue Bonnet, Bandbox and Fillies Championship.
Itz Gemmas Delight is a daughter of the 12-time winner and Evicus placegetter Guenevereslancelot, the dam of six winners including Fowsands ($83,950), Kivik and the Belmont winner Gueneveres Madonna.
Draw Card, the third dam, has been one of the gems of the Australian studbook. She is the dam of nine individual winners including the outstanding racemare Queen Carey ($165,227), Bettor Draw ($241,448), King Carey ($179,671) and Diva’s Delight ($184,979) and the grand-dam of the dual Inter Dominion heat winner Devendra and the Hobart Cup winner Benediction.
Lot 12, being offered by Melissa’s father Tim Maine, is a big, strong bay filly from the Menangle and Albion Park winner Shelbyville NZ 1:54.5 ($108,852) and is her second foal.
Her third dam, Deborah Maree, figures as a three-quarter sister to Advance Debra, dam of none other than the five-time Derby winner Courage Under Fire and Advance Attack, both successful sires in Australia.
This is the family that produced the outstanding NZ juvenile Jesse Duke ($584,285), Adios Dream (NZ Welcome Stakes), the Breeders Crown champion Cyclone Kate and many others.
Both fillies are eligible for Vicbred.
For a catalogue or further information contact Angela Barrett on phone 6212 9307 or email a.barrett@tasracing.com.au