Vicbred Pure primed for liftoff this Thursday

This Thursday (11 January) night, the first two-year-olds of the season will step out on the track at Lords Raceway in Bendigo.

The Simonds Homes Bendigo 2YO Maiden Pace will open the ten-race card at 6:08pm and will see seven Vicbred-eligible runners contest over 1650m. The race will be the first time that the boosted $12,000 Vicbred First Win Bonus is up for grabs with Viva Storm, Bolt of Cobargo (The Storm Inside, pictured right) and Turnnburn (Vincent) all eligible for the turbo-charged bonus money on offer. As a race restricted to two-year-olds, the breeder of the winner will also be paid $700 on top of the advertised stakes.

Vicbred Pure horses are those by Australian or New Zealand-bred sires, who were then inseminated, foaled and notified in Victoria and had their sustaining fee for 2024 paid up. Other runners are Vicbred Platinum or Vicbred Basic, which also benefit from boosted bonus values in 2024, Platinum First Win Bonuses now worth $9,000 and the Basic at $8,000, up from $7,000*. The Vicbred 10% Breeder Bonus remains in place for all age-restricted races in Victoria for Vicbred sustained horses.

Two runners are bred by long-time HBV members. Secretary Brett Coffey with Cam Brown has bred Turnnburn from Rock N Roll Heaven mare Allfiredup, her record looking good so far with her eldest a three-year-old Ignite The Fire (Vincent) who won over $52,000 in his opening season, including a placing in the Nutrien Equine Classic (Listed Classic). From the leviathan barn of Soho Standardbreds comes Thinkfast Runfast. The second foal out of unraced Mach Three mare Soho Amazing Grace, the colt is by Alabar’s Art Major, a cross shared by star Mirragon ($330,000; 1:50.2). His maternal family is well-known - granddam is the multiple-group one winner Aussie Made Lombo.

Also up for Vicbred Pure riches are Bolt of Cobargo and Viva Storm. One of The Storm Inside’s debut crop, Bolt of Cobargo is bred upon classic lines, his dam the What’s Next mare Cobargo Magic ($82,000) who has already produced three winners. Viva La Nina (Falcon Seelster), dam of Viva Storm, was unraced and only has one other foal on the ground (also unraced). Also by Alabar’s Australian-bred sire is Stormy Woods whose dam Amberlue Hanover (Mach Three) is from American mare Huntress Hanover, making her a sister to the dams of Franco Hampton ($167,000) and Forty Thieves ($147,000). The first Victorian starter for Llowalong Farm’s Soho Tribeca also lines up in Alighieri, a colt who is the first foal from Gotta Go Cullect mare, Gottagosweetheart. A very lightly bred family, it will be interesting to see what he can produce on Thursday. The field is rounded out by filly Grimshaw Bay, by Woodlands Stud sire Downbytheseaside. The first foal from Live or Die mare Locks of Gold from the mighty Sheffield family, her dam a sister to the likes of Maywyns Best ($233,000) and Village Driller ($188,000). View the full form guide for the race HERE.

HBV sends best wishes to all runners in the first race for the babies in 2024, especially the member-bred horses. If you’d like to support HBV’s work in advocating for, supporting and educating Victorian breeders, you can join online HERE.

* The increased bonus applies to the 2021 crop onward; the $7,000 and $3,500 bonus still applies for 3YO and older runners