NZ TROTTING BROODMARE GEM – ROB THE NEST

This is another in an occasional series looking at some of New Zealand’s trotting broodmare gems.

Rob The Nest completed her broodmare career on the cusp of being accorded Broodmare centurion status, alas she will forever remain stranded on ninety nine victories produced by her progeny.

ROB THE NEST (1989f Chiola Hanover/Tabella Robyn, family of Pottery Mountain, CF N82) : winner of six races, T2:08.1, $35,380; eleven live foals, nine raced, seven winners, three in two minutes, two in T1:56.0. Bred by National Bloodstock Corporation; all progeny bred by Neil Munro and/or Gary Allen.

** Conversion: $US1=$AUS =$NZ1

Rob The Nest was the winner of six races (raced five to seven years of age; three at Addington) and placed on twelve occasions from fifty one starts, T2:08.1, $35,380. She was trained throughout her career by co-owner Neil Munro (past Chairman of HRNZ Gary Allen was her other co-owner). Rob The Nest was the dam of eleven live foals, seven being race winners of ninety nine races.

Rob The Nest’s dam Tabella Robyn was a non-winning trotter, $485 whose success followed after retirement to the broodmare paddock. Having thirteen live foals, she produced five winners from seven to race plus a qualifier while her fillies bred on to great effect. Rob The Nest was her first foal and only winner in NZ while her four Australian winners included two year old winners Galleons Son (seven wins, T2:0372, $32,748), Son Of Galleon (seven wins, T2:03.9, $32,766, second SA Trotters Derby) and winner producing mare Pinevale Ellason, eight wins, T2:02.9, $72,300, second ID Trot heat; dam of five winners including Duchess Ella (twenty three wins, T1:57.2, $126,934, NSW Country Trotters Oaks, fourth Maori Mile).

Fillies to breed on included Make No Mistake (pacer; $2,177), dam of Springfield Alonzo, T1:58.6; unraced Robyn Galleon, grand dam of Ventimiglia, T1:58.3 and Smokey Robyn, dam of three winners including Hinault, T1:59.8, Mildura Trotters Cup and grand dam of Orlando Storm, Maryborough Trotters Oaks.

Grand dam Robyn Evander was a high class trotting performer in her own right, winning on eight occasions (five Alexandra Park), T2:09.9, $23,310, Rowe Cup; thirds in ID heat, Rhodes Memorial Mile, NZ 2700m stand mares record holder at Alexandra Park, T3:38.0 (1974). The dam of seven foals including Tabella Robyn and two winners in Earl Evander (seven wins) and Inter Dominion champion Diamond Field (T1:59.3, $536,607), twenty four NZ wins (eight Addington, seven Alexandra Park) – Rowe Cup, NZ Trotting FFA, Challenge Stakes, Cambridge Flying Mile, NZ Trotters Championship, ID heat, City Of Sails FFA; seconds Waikato Flying Mile, Dominion Hcp, Rowe Cup, NZ Trotting Championship; thirds National Trot/NZ Trotting FFA (twice), ID Trot Final, Challenge Stakes, CPTC Trotting Cup; trotting stake earner of year 1994; NZ records : 2200m stand T2:48.8, 2700m stand T3:26.6, 2000mM T2:29.3; nine AUS wins (four Globe Derby/Moonee Valley, one Harold Park) – ID Trot final/two heats, second Cochran Trotters Cup, third Dullard Cup; trotting stake earner of year 1994.

Third dam Mount Dora was the unraced dam of eleven foals, Robyn Evander and

• Mountain Pride, thirteen NZ wins, 2:01.3US, $202,648, Rowe Cup
• Mountain Globe, unraced third dam of Globes Mistake, T2:03.2, $67,450
• Mountain of Mourne, non-winning trotter, $30; dam of twelve foals eight winners

1. Mount Cargill, T1:58.1, $69,299
2. Mountain High, seven wins, T2:04.1, $42,602; dam of seven winners

• Mountain Heights, one Addington win, NZYSS – 3T
• Mountain Spring, ten NZ wins, 1:57.1US, $188,401, Challenge Stakes, Green Lane Cup
• Rocky Mountaineer, two NZ wins, T1:58.1US, $27,792
• Mountain Track, two wins; dam of Jarvsofaks, T2:02.8, $96,806, VIC Tontine series; grand dam of NZ 2yo filly trotter of year, Aoraki

3. Rocky Mountain Girl, qualified, unraced dam of

• Mountain Gold, seventeen NZ/three AUS/seven NA wins (twelve Alexandra Park, two Addington, one Albion Park/Moonee Valley), T1:54.3US, $390,592, Rowe Cup, City Of Sails FFA, NZ Trotting FFA (third also), two ID heats, Ashburton Trotters Mile (T1:56.5; also third)

• Rocky Mountain, six NZ wins (three Alexandra Park), T1:58.2US, $138,673
• Mountain Of Love, qualified, unraced dam of three winners including Mountain Woman, six Alexandra Park wins, T2:06.4, $84,228, dam of Fiery Mountain Girl, two NZ/nine AUS wins, T1:57.4, $109.356, NSW Trotters Derby, third NZ/NSW Trotters Oaks and third dam of Foray, ten NZ/two AUS wins, T1:57.6, $98,032, Cranbourne Trotters Cup

Fourth dam is foundation mare Pottery Mountain, unraced dam of Mount Dora and two winners; Convoy, Taranaki Cup and Red Slipper, GN Stakes – 2, Manawatu Futurity.

Rob The Nest’s male progeny include :

Sonofthedon, first foal of Rob The Nest who won seven races (three Addington, two Alexandra Park) and placed second on four other occasions from only eleven starts, racing at age four and six for trainer Tim Butt and driver Antony Butt. Sonofthedon won on both NZ Cup and Show Days, seconds in Challenge Stakes and Ordeal Trotting Cups. Sonofthedon was named NZ 4yo horse or gelding trotter of year. His career was interrupted for twenty one months and finally halted by injuries

Thedonsson, Rob the Nest’s second foal, also by Sundon was the winner of nine races in NZ (T1:58.7; two Addington, one Auckland), NZ/GN Trotters Derbies, Hambletonian – 3T; third NZSS – 3T, NZ 3yo trotting stake earner of year and 3yo colt or gelding trotter of year

Exported to USA in September 2006 where he raced from age six (2006) through to ten (2010) years of age. Thedonsson recorded fourteen wins in North America with a fastest time of T1:54.4 (aged eight) on the five eighths mile track at Pocano Downs (placed T1:54.3 at Harrahs Chester); placed in T1:55.0 at Meadowlands and a winner on the half mile track at Freehold in T2:00.2. His combined NZ/NA earnings are listed as $252,126 ($127,333US and NZ earnings of $124,793)

Galleons Assassin, the first of two foals by Canadian stallion Earl, raced in the ownership of Aucklander Fred Tong and his trainer Mark Purdon after being purchased from the NZ Premier Yearling Sales for $35,000. He was the winner of thirteen races in Australasia from age two to five; ten in NZ (six Addington) and three in Australia (one Moonee Valley). In NZ, winner of NZ Trotting Stakes- 2T, NZYSS – 3T, NZ Trotters Derby, 4yo Trotters Championship, Central Otago Trotters FFA, Southern Lights Trot and NZ 2yo colt or gelding trotter of year. Placed second in NZSS – 2T, NZYSS – 2T, GN Trotters Derby, NZ Trotting Championship and third in Hambletonain – 3T.

In Australia, winner of AUS Breeders Crown – 2T (heat/final) and Breeders Crown – 3T (heat/second in final); Australian 2yo trotting stake earner of year and 2yo colt or gelding trotter of year.

Exported to North America where Galleons Assassin raced from 2008 (six) to 2013 (eleven, two starts, only season not a winner). His twenty wins and twenty four placings from ninety six starts included best miles of T1:55.2 at Indiana Downs (mile track, aged six), T1:56.3 at Harrahs, Chester (five eighths, aged eight; placed T1:55.1) and T1:56.2 at Yonkers (half mile, aged seven). Combined NZ, Australian and North American earnings of $495,411

King of Strathfield, winner of six races in NZ (two Addington), won on NZ Cup Day and fifteen victories in Australia (nine Menangle; six QLD, three Albion Park) where he set his best mile time of T1:56.8 at Menangle; NSW Trotters Championship, Franco/Australian series and Darren Alexander Memorial, earnings of $227,934

Rob The Nests’s fillies include :

Charlotte Galleon, Rob The Nest’s first filly foal was a winner and dam of nine foals, four raced, all winners including Royal Charlotte, four wins (one Melton/Menangle), T1:59.5, $100,755, VIC/NSW Trotters Oaks; third VICBred – 3T, fourth Holmfield and Star Commando, four wins (one Addington), T1:58.4TT (Ashburton), $34,210

Whosinthenest, seven wins (one Addington), dam of nine foals, five to race, all winners including Miracle Rising, five NZ (one Alexandra Park/Addington)/seven QLD, four Albion Park), T1:59.9AUS, $129,755; seconds Darren Alexander Memorial (also fourth), QLD Trotters Cup, Trotters Marathon and trainer Tony Herlihy’s Rowe Cup winner Temporale (sixteen NZ wins/eleven Alexandra Park, win/nine AUS placings, T1:57.0, $565,129), National Trot, Lyell Creek, Cambridge Trotters Mile, Green Lane Cup, Cambridge Flying Stakes twice, Dullard Cup, two ID heats, NZ 4yo Horse or Gelding Trotter of Year; seconds GN Trotters Derby, twice Great Southern Star; thirds NZSS – 3T, VIC Trotters Derby/Breeders Crown, Rowe Cup, Knight Pistol, AUS Grand Prix; second/third Dullard Cup; NZR 3yo colts or geldings 1700mM, T2:07.5

Mybrotherwasastar, non-winning trotter, $219, dam of seven foals, two raced, both winners; first foal was Wilmas Mate, trained by master trotting trainer Paul Nairn (eleven NZ [five Addington]/three VIC wins [two Melton], T1:55.5NZ, $343,527), NZ Trotters Oaks, VIC Trotters Derby, Breeders Crown – 3T, Jewels – 4T (NZR 4yo Mares T1:55.5 at Ashburton), NZ 4yo Mare Trotter of Year; seconds NZ Trotting Stakes – 2T, Jewels Ruby – 3T, NZ Trotting Championship; third Jewels Ruby – 2T; fifth ID Trot Final while her third foal is Amour De Frere, qualified in NZ before winning nine races in VIC (five Melton), T1:56.5, $99,040, Need For Speed – 3T (T1:56.5), second Matriarch Trot, third Breeders Crown – 2fT

Galleons Assault, unraced dam of seven foals, five raced for three winners including Galleons Victory, five wins (three Alexandra Park), T2:04.2, $70,823

Rob the Nest was accorded the NZ Broodmare of the Year Award in 2006. This highly successful mare died on 5 June 2016. It is worth noting that Rob the Nest and family descendants have been owned/trained/driven by Butts, Purdon, Herlihy and Nairn which gives some indication as to how several of New Zealand’s leading trainers respected the horseflesh produced.

Peter Craig

12 August 2020

Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com

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