The eighth in a series of articles reviewing the leading Australasian maternal families. Family numbers are as shown on the Classic Families (CF) database. Due to the extensive size of these families, only brief mention can be made of some of the more prominent family members and/or items likely to be of interest to Australasian readers.
N7 TOPSY
Topsy is yet another foundation mare from the Willowbank Stud, Wendon near Riversdale, Southland, the Standardbred nursery of Stevenson and McMath (Harolds Rest, Red Diamond other foundation mares).
TOPSY (thor) (1895 Macilleathean (thor)/unknown mare), unraced; eight foals, three winners. Foals bred by J King, Balfour (Too Soon), all others by Jas Stevenson, Winton
Topsy, a short bred mare by a thoroughbred sire from an unnamed thoroughbred mare, produced a NZ Cup winner (Win Soon) by a sire who did not leave another winner (King Child, son of Rothschild). Unraced herself, Topsy produced four fillies that each began branches of her family :
Win Soon (King Child), raced in colours of Stevenson and McMath, set a record in 1914 New Zealand Cup of 4:31.0 for two miles having two seasons earlier won a Gore Cup. She was leading stake earner in 1915 with winnings of £1,530. Win Soon was sold at a Stevenson and McMath dispersal sale at Invercargill in 1928 for seventeen guineas. Among her progeny were :
- Lynwood, Winton Hcp
- Shine Soon, Ashburton Cup
- All Sunshine, foaled in Australia in 1929, winner of Invercargill Cup and dam of Sundale who is grand dam of Annual Report (Dominion Hcp), third dam of Als Holiday (Kilmore Cup)
- Winning Point, unraced, ancestress of Rollon Bigred, Elixir (Aust Oaks), Glenns Thunder (NSW Breeders Plate)
- Winning Wave, unraced, dam of :
- Loyal Winner, Invercargill Cup; grand dam of Lunar Chance, NZ Cup/FFA, NZ Miracle Mile
- Lady Averil, winner, third 1949/fourth 1950 NZ Cup
- grand dam of True Averil, NZ Cup, NZ Flying Mile
- third dam of Good Sport, Franklin Cup; Woy Woy Karamea, NSWSS -3; Penny The Pussycat, Paleface Classic, dam of Marty Monkhouser, 1:50.2US, Breeders Crown – 4h
- fourth dam of Nellie Robbins (VIC/SA Oaks; grand dam of Tenirama, TAS Oaks; third dam of Villagem [VICSS -3c, Chariots of Fire, Breeders Crown – 4h], Miss Graceland[(VIC Oaks], Nostra Beach [APG – 2f]; fourth dam of Carlas Pixel [1:49.5, NSW Ladyship Mile, VIC Ladyship Cup], Soho Tribeca [millionaire, VICSS – 4h, WA Golden Nugget/Pacing Cup, 2 ID heats, Kilmore Cup]); Torida Bee Jay (NSWSS – 3f); New Age Man, undefeated in thirteen starts, Renwick FFA, NZ/Superstars 4yo Championships
- fifth dam of Dream About Me (AUS), NSW Breeders Plate; Innocent Eyes (AUS/VIC Oaks, Chariots Of Fire, VICSS – 4m); Carome Julie/Floreat (VIC Oaks); Jasmarilla (VICSS 2/3f, Aust 2yo Pacers mile record 1:57.7TT, grand dam of Hard Hitter [NSW Breeder Challenge – 2c]; grand dam of Two Eye See [Seymour Nursery], Eye See Diamonds [1:51.6, NSW Breeders Challenge – 4m]; third dam of Messini [VICSS – 3c/4h, Bendigo Cup]
- sixth dam of Restrepo, Ballarat Cup
- eighth dam of Soho Nolita (APG – 2f)
Rothschild mare, unraced; third dam of Swallow (NZ Oaks); fourth dam of Bay Foyle (NZFFA, Miracle Mile), Hi Foyle (second NZFFA, third Auckland Cup), Birdie Hanover (dam sire of Two Under); sixth dam of Alba Foyle (SA Trotters Cup), Prince Rashad (Meadow Fresh 2000, Invercargill Cup twice, Ashburton Cup)
Too Soon (The Gosson), NZ High Class Hcp,
- dam of Lady Rothsoon (two Winton Cups, Hawera Cup)
- third dam of Fair Wave, Invercargill Cup, dam of Sea Born (Auckland/Fremantle Cups)
- fifth dam of Ascot King (Vic Derby), Parlez Vous (Kindergarten Stakes, sire of John Albert, Fremantle Cup; dam sire of Quick Trip, Franklin Cup)
- sixth dam of Jason King, ID heat
- seventh dam of Panyan (2 ID heats), Lumber Leon (WA Golden Slipper), My Rampage (QLD Oaks), Speedy Girl (GN Oaks, Ladyship Stakes), Steady Lady (3rd dam of Christian Spirit, Fremantle Cup)
- eighth dam of No Early Spark (SA Trotters Derby)
- ninth dam of Pembrook Benny (NZFFA, Waikato Flying Mile twice, City of Auckland FFA), Paris Metro (National Trot, dam of Massive Metro winner National Trot), Popforthebeach (1:51.4), I See Icy Earl (Redwood – 2T), Universal Dream (1:50.0US)
Play Soon (Harold Rothschild)), unraced dam of Harold Thorpe (Dunedin Cup, National Cup Hcp); descendants include Kildare Kate (Kindergarten Stakes), Freeway Don (Hannon Memorial), Kenwood Don (1:52.1US, USA Great Western Series), Delishka (1:51.1, Sibelia Championship), trotter Gold (Kaikoura South Bay Cup)
The Topsy family has a host of group winners rather than any standout champions with a high number of juvenile stars and speedsters including Australian Pacing Champion and Miracle Mile winner Bay Foyle (held Australian two year old mile record of 2:01.8, 1969), Lightning Mile winner Als Holiday and New Zealand Flying Mile winner True Averil.
Topsy is another of NZ’s leading families with three NZ Cup winners (Win Soon, True Averil, Lunar Chance) among a number of classic performers included in the various founding branches of the family. Other major race winning performances include :
Dominion Hcp : Annual Report
Ascot King is the only major Derby winner in the family (VIC), also No Early Spark (SA Trotters Derby) while Oaks winners are somewhat over represented with their number including Elixir, Speedy Girl, Swallow, My Ramage, Tenirama while Victorian Oaks winners were Carome Julie, Nellie Robins (also SA Oaks), Floreat, Innocent Eyes (also Australian Oaks, three and four year Aust female Pacer of Year), Sociable and Miss Graceland.
Miracle Mile : Bay Foyle
WA Pacing Cup : Soho Tribeca
with a Harness Horse of Year/Pacer of Year Award winner in New Zealand – Lunar Chance 1976.
The family has just two horses on the 1:50 list, these being Universal Dream (1:50.0US) while the families Australasian fastest is 2018 Ladyship Mile winner Carlas Pixel (1:49.5) with NZ mare Delishka (1:51.1, Menangle 2018) the quickest Kiwi to date. The families’ $500,000 earners are Pembrook Benny and Messini, both thirteen classic race wins, Villagem and Restrepo with millionaire Soho Tribeca leading the way earnings wise.
Next Edition : Black Betty (U300)
Peter Craig
15 May 2019
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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