2024 Humbletonian Day wrap
My Atlantis (Four Starzzz Shark) with trainer-driver Annalise Scott
The 2024 edition of the all-maiden, all-Vicbred Humbletonian was another success, with HBV partnership for the 12th year to sponsor the meeting at Maryborough Harness Racing Club. With a nine-race program and big fields, the day – as always – delivered plenty of excitement, highlights and great stories.
Saluting on debut were two-year-old filly Parisian Art (Art Major – Keayang Sevannah – Rocknroll Hanover) and trotter Watts Up Raptor (Majestic Son – Watts Up Rainbow – Bacardi Lindy).
Bred by members Helen Friend, Aaron Dunn and J Blacker, Parisian Art is her dam’s first foal, with the next a Poster Boy (Llowalong Farms) yearling. While recording no results from four starts, the mare herself is a sister to the $116,000-earning Keayang Ebonyrose (Village Jolt).
Watts Up Rainbow is now deceased, having left three foals including Watts Up Raptor (bred by Brad Watts) who is now a winner alongside his only other sibling to make the races, Watts Up Partytime (Majestic Son, $135,000). The win provided a Maryborough double for Alabar Farm’s champion trotting sire Majestic Son after Melbreh took a win later on the card. Bred by Mark McKenna from Wind Cries Maori mare Monas Encore, the gelding was having his ninth start making for her only progeny to make the track as yet. While she only ever had the one start, there is quality in the family – her sister Shadows is the dam of track and stud performer, Im Stately (Majestic Son, $248,000).
The remaining trotting race on the program was for two-year-olds and was taken out by Iberian, a Southwind Frank gelding from the fine Sundon mare, Solar Flash. Maree Caldow, along with the Halls and the Spaldings, have been breeding the mare for some time, producing six foals from her with four winners including Group 1 Breeders Crown champion Sangreal (Father Patrick, $141,000) and Andover Sun (Andover Hall, $145,000). Iberian is also a brother to Lunitas (Andover Hall) who has just had her first foal, by Haras Des Trotteurs’ EL Titan.
Juvenile pacers taking victory were both fillies – New Zealand-bred Rakarompa (American Ideal – Rakarata – Art Major) and three-year-old Sportsbou (Sportswriter – Bou Chard – Live Or Die). Rakarompa was having her fourth start, her second in Australia and is the sixth foal bred by Brendan Fahy from Rakarata to be named, and now have all recorded wins. Despite being the first foal from Bou Chard, a $66,000 earning Listed Classic winner, Sportsbou was the only of four named not to have recorded a win up until December 23. Bred by R Connelly and R Carberry, the filly was having her seventh start and has since recorded another win at Charlton.
Of the older horses to take wins, the biggest relief perhaps came for Midnight Music, the run being the Vincent mare’s 27th start. While her Elsu dam Somnio Denario recorded sixty across her career, which eventually included a Listed Classic, Greg Eeles’ first foal – Midnight Music – was almost half way to that mark without recording a victory. With any luck, now she’s found her rhythm. Fellow four-year-old Balladoro (Sweet Lou – Here Comes Mony – Mach Three) was on his twelfth run at Maryborough before the Frank McGrath-bred entire broke his maiden. He is the last of three foals from his dam, the oldest of which is the $112,000 earning Mustang Milly (Heston Blue Chip). The first race on the card produced the oldest winner of the day in My Atlantis (Four Starzzz Shark – Shenfields Lane – Safely Kept), bred by the O’Connors. They have produced five foals from Shenfields Lane with four making the races and now three winners. The family is very solid with My Atlantis’ granddam a sister to 100% producer Kellyarmbro (Mindarie Priddy, Artistic Fella, $284,000 + Mister Bling, Grinfromeartoear, $176,000) and to Maywyns Best (Blissfull Hall, $233,000) and Village Driller (Village Jasper, $188,000).
Take a look at the full Facebook album from the day HERE.