By Peter Wharton
Well-known Melbourne breeder-owner Marc Panton has been racing horses successfully in Tasmania for more than 40 years.
He is now breeding mainly in Tasmania with four of his broodmare band based at the Faithful Park stud, of Melissa Maine and Gareth Rattray at Latrobe in northern Tasmania.
“Until a few years ago I did most of my breeding in Victoria but because of the improvements made by Tasracing with the breeding bonuses, a ramped-up Sires Stakes program and additional features, I am now breeding mainly in Tasmania,” Panton said.
Panton, under the banner of Equine Reproduction Services, will offer two well-bred yearling fillies at the Tasmanian Harness Yearling Sale to be conducted at Carrick on Sunday, March 12.
Lot 4, a strongly built chestnut filly, is by the Australian 3YO Colt of the Year Poster, and one of the first crop of the brilliant Somebeachsomewhere horse.
Out of the Roll With Joe mare Carmel Tojo, the filly ranks as a half-sister to promising four-year-old Big Boy Mal, whose four successes to date include the Tasmanian Country Championship and Harry Holgate Memorial.
Carmel Jo, who was unraced, was a half-sister to the Bandbox and Granny Smith winner Nola Mayhem, the Golden Slipper victor Run Wick and the Sales Classic winner Paris Of Pisa and belongs to the family of top juveniles such as Quisquillas, Raeburn Lass, For The Future and Not John.
The second filly, Lot 11, a tall, brown youngster by the fast USA import Sutter Hanover, is the last living descendant of the outstanding racemare and Tasmanian Hall of Fame member Napoleon Stone.
Owned by Panton, Napoleon Stone totted up 32 wins and $149,610 in stakes including the Tasmanian Pacing Championship, Tasmanian Oaks, Globe Derby Stakes, Raider Stakes and the 4YO Championship.
The sale filly is out of Carmen Atcha (by Art Colony), who is three times removed from Napoleon Stone.
Both fillies are eligible for Tasbred and Vicbred.
The Tasbred scheme provides $10,000 in prizemoney for a horse’s first success with $6,000 to the owner and $4,000 to the breeder. An additional $5,000 bonus will be paid to the owner if that first win occurs as a two-year-old.
