The latest season saw a continuation of excellence in the trotting broodmare ranks which were acknowledged at the annual NZB Standardbred Harness Racing Awards evening held at Spectators Bar and Bistro, Addington Raceway on Monday 14 September 2020.
Una Bromac was named Trotting Broodmare of the Year as a result of the efforts of her Majestic Son gelded son Winterfell, the reigning Interdominion trotting champion. Una Bromac is pacing bred but she herself an open class trotter with a distinct leaning to leaving foals of the trotting persuasion, albeit from trotting sires.
UNA BROMAC (1999f Live or Die/Universal Kim; member of NZ and Australasia’s leading family, Pride of Lincoln, CF N1) : T2:05.2, $85,222, NZ Challenge (now Lyell Creek) Stakes; eight foals/one died, six raced, four winners, all sub two minutes. Bred by Glomach Holdings; all progeny bred by Trevor Casey with exception of Caligula (Norwegian Wood Ltd) and Galway Girl (Stephen Bell, Donna Williamson, now owners of Una Bromac).
| DOB | FOAL/WINS BY LOCATION | NZ | AU | G/T | MR | $ |
| 2007 | Harley (g Sundon) | 0 | – | 0 | T2:11.2q | 4,001 |
| 2008 | Escapee (f Sundon) | 9 | 2 | 11 | T1:57.4 | 263,115 |
| 2011 | Sansa Stark (f Angus Hall) | 0 | – | 0 | T2:12.4q | 86 |
| 2013 | Needle (f Muscle Mass) | 3 | 13 | 16 | T1:57.4 | 122,481 |
| 2014 | Winterfell (g Majestic Son) | 13 | – | 7 | T1:58.1 | 426,384 |
| 2015 | Caligula (g Majestic Son) | – | 11 | 4 | T1:54.4 | 86,093 |
| Total foals : | 25 | 26 | 51 | $900k+ |
** Conversion: $A1=$NZ1
Una Bromac an eight win open class trotter also placed on fifteen occasions in her seventy starts spread over four seasons (three to six years old). Beginning her career with Bruce Negus of Courage Under Fire fame (in partnership with Craig Parsons and Todd Woodward), Una Bromac won her very first 3yo start by a half head at the Wairio Trotting Club’s meeting on 21 December 2002 (Central Southland Raceway, Winton). Placings at three included a third in NZ Trotting Oaks and fourth in NZ Trotting Derby driven by Mark Purdon. Ownership at this stage Trevor Casey, Bruce Negus, BS and Dr MR Marlow.
Trevor Casey, the Lone Star restaurant operator and well known owner/part owner of many fine pacing (Lazarus, One Change, Funatthebeach, Waikiki Beach) and trotting horses (Stent, Missandei, Luby Lou, Daenerys Targaryen) among more recent winners. His first major success came nearly three decades ago with one win pacing filly Michelle Soky, winner of the National Bloodstock International Classic Series Fillies Final at her first start on opening night of the 1991 Auckland Interdominions.
April 2004 Una Bromac scored her second win at Forbury Park for the Negus/Parsons team and again at Forbury in early June. Her two four year old victories came in a busy season of twenty four starts. At five, following her transfer to the Takanini (now Morrisville) stable of Leanne Edwards** and into the ownership of Trevor Casey alone, she placed second in the Great Northern Breeders Stakes prior to recording two victories at Alexandra Park, the first in June 2005 producing her best mile rate of T2:05.2 (2700m stand).
Two of Una Bromac’s final three victories came early in her six year old career again at Alexandra Park (August /September 2005). Following these wins and a solid spell of northern form, Una Bromac raced in intermediate trotting grade without success at the 2005 NZ Cup meeting in Christchurch. Back to Alexandra Park just prior to Christmas, again in the hands of Nicole Thorn (now Molander) her driver in all five Auckland wins, she had her eighth and final victory in the Gp 2 Challenge Stakes (now Lyell Creek Stakes). Sixth in the National Trot, fifth in City of Sails FFA and unplaced efforts in the Rowe Cup, GN Breeders Stakes and Greenlane Cup (final start) rounded out her career; T2:05.2, $85,222 (70 : 8 – 10 – 5).
** trainer Leanne Edwards recorded five of her one hundred and eight training successes over the past thirty seven seasons with Una Bromac. Other notable training feats include her first winner Grattan Royal (pacer, won six, her first six training victories); Kylie Lee (six win trotter) and her daughter Yasmin Lee (four win NZ trotter; T1:56.2US, $106,951); Mountain Women (five of six trotting wins for Edwards, $84,288, second Green Lane Cup) and very good trotter Frugal Echo. He was the winner of fourteen in NZ including an ID heat at Auckland (T2:03.3, three Alexandra Park, two Addington), ten of which for Edwards after winning first four for trainers Peter Cowan [3] and Peter Jones [1], two wins in six Australian starts (T2:04.8; Cranbourne Trotters Cup) and qualifying time in North America of T2:01.3US, $199,501. Frugal Echo was a perennial second place getter in major races such as City of Sails FFA, Rowe Cup, Ashburton Trotters Mile, NZ Trotting FFA, NZ Cup Day Trot (Christchurch Casino Trot), Dominion Hcp in NZ and Bill Collins Mile, Australian Grand Prix and Dullard Cup in Australia.
Una Bromac’s dam Universal Kim, was a one race pacing winner at Blenheim in a 2:01.0MR. The dam of fourteen foals, four to race for four winners with Una Bromac being her first foal. Other winners included Ulrica Bromac, fourteen wins (one NZ, four AUS and nine in North America – 1:49.3US at Meadowlands on 11 May 2007, $250,339); Violet Bromac, one win, 2:01.6NZ and final live foal Kylie Bromac, five QLD (one Albion Park), 1:55.6AUS. Ula Bromac was unraced but time trialled in 1:58.5. Apart from Una Bromac the only other filly foal produced by Universal Kim (nine in total) to be bred from has been second foal Ursula Bromac who was unraced. She left nine foals, four to race, all winners including Ushaka Bromac T1:59.3, $144,985, leading trotter in Western Australia and Put Your Lights On, Mount Gambier Derby.
Unraced Grand dam Kim Bromac left Universal Kim as above while her third dam was Kenton Hanover, the winner of the first of three pacing starts for Gary Hillier. Una Bromac’s female tail line continues back to Pride Of Lincoln through Bachelors Advice (descendants include Menin Gate, Allwoods Chief), Petulus (extensive family including Golden Oriole, Beefy T and latterly Havtime), NZ Oaks winner Perpetua (family of AK Cup winner Bolton Byrd), Wracks Advice, NZ Cup heat winner Free Advice (family of NZ Cup winner Invicta, successful siring brothers Horsepower – GN Derby and Pacing Power – NZ Derby, Thelma Globe AK Cup, dual Derby winner Rip Van Winkle), Intaglio, Cameos and classic producing mare Thelma. Una Bromac is twelve removes from foundation mare Pride Of Lincoln.
Una Bromac’s male progeny include :
Harley, first foal of Una Bromac, non-winner, placed on three occasions from twenty five starts over four seasons for Philippa Wakelin and Stephen Noble
Winterfell, current star trotter for breeder/owner Trevor Casey, Winterfell is the winner of thirteen nine from thirty starts, five of them in the latest season (13 : 5 – 2 – 2, $188,005, second highest stake earning trotter of 2019/20 (Habibi Inta $199,938). Last seasons victories included Auckland Interdominion Trotters Grand Final (two Gp 3 heats) and National Trot, both at Group One level plus a handicap trot at Addington. He was placed second in the 4/5yo Trotting Championship and third in the Cambridge Flying Stakes.
Winterfell was previously the winner of eight at three and three at four for trainers Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen. Of his thirteen victories, six each have been at Addington and Alexandra Park. Earlier season’s major victories include GN Trotting Derby, Jewels Ruby – 3T and NZSS – 3T (prelude and final) with seconds in NZ Trotting Derby, Summer Trotting FFA, Jewels Ruby – 4T and third in 4/5yo Trotting Championship.
Winterfell attained his best mile time of T1:58.1 when winning his opening Interdominion heat at Alexandra Park over 2200mM in late November 2019. In his third round heat win at the Auckland ID’s, Winterfell established a NZ record for 2700mM ofvT3:20.5/T1:59.5MR. Already named NZ three year old colt and gelding Trotter of Year as well as 3yo stake earning trotter of year two seasons ago, Winterfell recently added 2020 Trotter of the Year to his awards collection.
Caligula, eleven win trotter in Australia that was purchased as a yearling at the 2017 NZ Premier Yearling Sales by David White ($17,500) before export to Australia. In his thirty two starts, ten of eleven NSW victories at Menangle, best of T1:54.4 an Australian trotters gelding mile record (one of four times of T1:56.0 or better; T1:56.0 at three), winner of Foundation Series – 3T while his other win was at Bathurst in the 2019 3yo Gold Coronet. He placed fourth in NSW Trotters Derby. Four of his victories have been achieved in the latest Australian season from thirteen starts (14 : 4 – 1 – 3, $31,480, T1:54.4)
Una Bromac’s fillies include :
Escapee (My Escapee in Australia), nine NZ wins (winner at two; eight at three; four at Addington, two Alexandra Park) and ten placings from thirty five starts, T1:59.5 (placed T1:54.6), two NZ Group Ones GN/NZ Trotting Derbies, two Group Threes NZ Trotting Oaks and Hambletonian. Seconds in Jewels Ruby – 2T/4T, NZ Trotting FFA, Lyell Creek Stakes and Cambridge Trotters Flying Mile.
Escapee established NZ records over distances of 2200m stand at Forbury Park (2yo T2:56.9, 2011) and 2700m mobile at Alexandra Park (3yo T3:26.5, 2013 remains NZ trotting fillies/mares record).
2700m 3yo trotters record; drew twelve in twelve horse field i.e. outside second line)
Awarded NZ two/three Trotting Filly of Year and four year old Trotting Mare of Year titles. Her two Australian wins from four starts included Bendigo Maori Mile (Gp2) and Melton Trotters Cup (Gp3), T1:57.4. Escapee retired with combined Australasian earnings of $263,115. To date, she has left four foals for breeder Trevor Casey, winner La Reina Del Sur (T2:08.8), placed non-winner Alcatraz and fillies by Muscle Hill (Exit, being bred from) and Father Patrick (yearling)
Sansa Stark, a solitary unplaced start as a three year old from Colin and Julie De Filippi’s stable. To date has left one foal, a Windsong Espoir filly for owner Richard Woolford
Needle, three wins in NZ (T2:05.6) when trained by Colin and Julie De Filippi (one at Addington) for breeder/owner Trevor Casey with significant third placings in Ashburton 3yo Hambletonian and NZSS 3yo Trot prelude. Thirteen QLD wins with twelve at Albion Park (nine in first ten Australian starts), Jim McNeill Memorial Trot (Gp3), QLD February Trotters Cup and placed third in DJA Memorial (Gp2). Best time of T1:57.4 (1660m) at Albion Park with earnings of $122,481
Galway Girl, unraced Majestic Son three year old filly
and Una Bromac was served by What The Hill in January 2020.
Peter Craig
21 October 2020
** originally published in Spring edition of Breeding Matters (NZSBA publication) – updated stats.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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