Families In Australasia

With 20 Lots from our most successful two families in Australasia appearing in the up and coming Sydney sale on March 3,  I thought it was worth revisiting some of the great work of Dr Ron Groves, below was taken from his site and was published back in 2014 at http://classicfamilies.net/eBooks.aspx:

(Please Note: the U30 – DAIRY MAID is a North American family and the N1- PRIDE OF LINCOLN a New Zealand family).

U30 – DAIRY MAID

Now boasting more winners than any other maternal family in Australasia, the Dairy Maid family made its way into New Zealand through the importation of the mare Norice in 1904. She began racing at age six, winning five of her first seven races before running second in the inaugural New Zealand Cup. She was the highest stake earner of that year. Norice also campaigned in Australia, lowering the Australian mile record for mares, before retiring to stud in New Zealand and producing eleven Classic Progeny. Her pacing son Nelson Derby won the New Zealand Derby and Auckland Cup before becoming a successful sire while his trotting full brother, Native King, won the Rowe Cup and Dominion Handicap. Four of her daughters established branches of what has become the second most prolific producing family of Classic Winners in Australasia.

The family still continues to breed successfully in America where it can boast four millionaires and nineteen on the 1:50 list. In Australasia the family has five millionaire pacers; Holmes DG, Sokyola, Monkey King, Karloo Mick and Iraklis. This is more than any other family. The fastest is dual Derby winner Lavros Star (1:50.0US). Of those racing only in Australasia, the geldings Monkey King (1:50.8), Been in Trouble (1:53.9), Iraklis (1:54.2) and dual Harness Horse of the Year, Sokyola (1:54.6), lead the way. The greatest performers of the last fifty years include 1962 Hunter Cup winner, Adios Court, and world record holder of the seventies, Mount Eden (1:56.6TT). Five pacers have amassed an enormous number of Classic Race wins. Sokyola leads the way with thirty three, followed by Monkey King on thirty, and Holmes DG and Karloo Mick with twenty five. MONKEY KING HAS THIRTY CLASSIC RACE WINS Recent juvenile stars include dual Oaks winner Ashlees Babe and triple Oaks and Derby winner Elect to Live.

Monkey King (U30 – DAIRY MAID ) winner of $3,332,513.

N1- PRIDE OF LINCOLN

Pride of Lincoln comes from an Australian foundation mare of unknown breeding that was exported to New Zealand. The greater part of her family descends from her daughter Thelma from a grandson of the Mambrino Chief line sire Berlin, who was imported into New Zealand in 1882. The family boasts three of the greatest modern Era trotters in Tussle, True Roman and Take A Moment, all Inter Dominion Champions. The early pacing champions include Author Dillon who won three New Zealand Free For Alls and a New Zealand Cup, while later champion pacers include Inter Dominion Champion Welcome Advice and star juvenile and Australian Pacing Champion Rip Van Winkle, who collected twenty four Classic Races. The most recent is New Zealand Cup and Miracle Mile winner Christian Cullen who has gone on to become possibly Australasia’s best ever locally bred sire. The family has two on the 1:50 list in Franco Catapult (1:49.2US) and the mare Ulrica Bromac (1:49.3US) while one of the fastest in Australasia is millionaire Christian Cullen (1:54.1). He joins Take A Moment as one of the two millionaires of the family.

Christian Cullen (N1- PRIDE OF LINCOLN) winner of $1,249,150

Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com

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