AUSTRALIAN BROODMARES OF NOTE : CRAB

Another in a series looking at noteworthy Australian broodmares.

CRAB (190- Young Olympic/A114 (CF A114); foundation mare of family) : unraced; one foal, unraced. This relatively minor Australian family progresses through to one of Australia’s best twenty first century pacers to date being Queensland millionaire Be Good Johnny.

Crab’s unraced sire Young Olympic was by Von Moltke Junior’s successful son Olympic from Polly (Lancaster), a Norfolk Trotter by Serenader. Von Moltke Junior, T2:43¾ was exported to Australia from North America in 1879. The winner of five races in Melbourne, three at Boccaccio Park, two at Elsternwick, in 1881 he established an Australian Trotting stallion’s mile record of T2:57.8. Polly was also third dam of winning sire Von Osterley and Otla Anu, Terang Cup, third dam of Gay Brigade, T2:16.4, Ararat Trotters Cup and McNamara Memorial.

Crab was the dam of a single foal, Lady Bird (1914), unraced, sired by Blue Ribbon, a Ribbonwood stallion (progeny included Wanganui Cup winner High Sea) and bred by P Fiechtner of Greenmount in Queensland. She was the dam of six foals bred by P Fiechtner for four winners :

• Spring Wilkes T2:31.2
• Sparkling Jewel 2:17.0
• Lord Raven, 2:16.0, winner of last ever Melbourne Thousand in 1934, Harold Park April Hcp
• Cole Queen who raced as Countess Cole in Victoria, 2:22.0, Brisbane Thousand
• Lady David (1933f David Belmont), unraced dam of four foals,
• Susan Ribbons, unraced dam of nine foals, four winners : Joe Chamfer 2:14.7; Smokey Ribbons 2:13.6; Romeo Star 2:16.2; Blazing Gamble 2:19.0 and winner producing mare Dazzling Bright, dam of winner Runalong, 2:10.8
• Dad’s Choice, 2:22.0, dam of three foals
  • Fleetwood Lass, dam of four winners, third dam of Michael Way, 1:57.1US, $68,708, eleven AUS wins, Canberra Derby, USA Fireball series
  • Mister Blue 1:57.8, $32,914, nine wins, NSWSS 4/5, Maturity – 4
  • La Croupier, 2:04.0, $3,860, three wins, dam of four winners including Rocky Floyd, 1:52.1, $73,439, twelve wins
• Our Lady, unraced dam of two foals, Fleetwood Pride, 2:16.0 and Fleetwood Charm, unraced dam of five foals :

• Fleetwood Gem, unraced dam of five live foals
  • Fleetwood Garnet, dam of three winners
    • Rickaby Bay, 2:03.1, $9,340, eight wins
    • Fleetwood Garrison, 1:59.0, $33,882, eleven wins
    • Lowanna Star, 2:04.4, $1,980, two wins, dam of Have To Go, 2:08.5, $1,899
    • unraced Fleetwood Flame, dam of Fleetwood Fireball, 1:58.9, sixty six QLD wins, $108,816
  • Fleetwood Meg, 2:13.9, $890
• Fleetwood Krissey, unraced dam of seven foals, Fleetwood Light, 2:14.0 and
  • Passport, unraced dam of
    • Fleetwood Pedro, 2:04.1, $5,460, four wins; third dam of Fleetwood Bunny, 2:04.7, $3,625, two wins; fourth dam of Fleetwood Adam, 1:59.1, $19,099, fourteen wins
    • Fleetwood Imaport, unraced dam of three winners, Fleetwood Happy, 2:04.2, $5,557, five wins; Fleetwood Pal, 2:00.2, $8,800, eight wins; Fleetwood Imalady, 2:05.0, $5,120, six wins, dam of winner Fleetwood Lad, 2:00.7, $1,616
  • Fleetwood Kate, unraced grand dam of Fleetwood Snip, 2:00.1, $21,560, ten wins
  • Fleetwood Katrina, unraced grand dam of Fleetwood Guy, 2:02.3, $11,120, five wins and Happy Also, 2:07.6, $4,966, two wins; fourth dam of Fleetwood Karlee, 2:00.2, $10,786, five wins; fifth dam of Fleetwood Supanova, 2:06.1, $18,140, two wins, Unknown Road, 1:57.4, $20,206, six wins and The Full Circle 2:09.2, $450
• Fleetwood Ruby, unraced dam of five live foals, Fleetwood Dillon, 2:07.1
• Fleetwood Nancy, unraced dam of five live foals
• Fleetwood Opal, 2:19.0, dam of ten foals, Avenger 2:08.3, $3,253 and unraced mare Fleetwood Michele, dam of two live foals, Fleetwood Mandy, 2:02.4, $9,138, seven QLD wins, dam of eight live foals, five winners from five starters, all geldings :
  • Be Good Johnny (refer below)
  • Fleetwood Jazz, 1:59.5, $39,316, eighteen SA wins, three at Globe Derby and Whyalla, one at Gawler and eleven at Port Pirie
  • Muniganeen Moon, 2:00.3, $11,798, four QLD wins, three Gold Coast and one at Albion Park
  • Mandys Promise, 2:01.7, $5,536, QLD winner at Albion Park
  • Good Boy Indy, 2:02.6, $8,397, two QLD wins at Redcliffe

Fleetwood Opal’s only live filly was unraced Fleetwood Emma who left four foals for a winner in Life Sign gelding Corey Odonohue, 1:52.7 (April 2016, Menangle) who won thirty seven races, placed on forty five occasions for stake earnings of $236,704. Eleven wins have been recorded in NSW, ten at Menangle; twenty three in Queensland, nineteen Albion Park and three in South Australia, one Globe Derby

Queensland bred millionaire Be Good Johnny (1999), breeder PC Fiechtner, a Fake Left gelding the second foal and first winner of Fleetwood Opal winning forty eight of his one hundred and twenty three starts, thirty eight of those victories recorded at Brisbane’s headquarters, Albion Park; Moonee Valley four, Globe Derby one, Harold Park two, Gold Coast two, Elwick/Hobart one. Placed on a further thirty eight occasions amassing total stake earnings of $1,671,405, best mile time was his 1:54.0 registered in the Group Two Gold Coast Bulletin Cup at Parklands Raceway, Gold Coast in October 2006; placed in 1:53.1, Albion Park.

Racing over eight seasons, Be Good Johnny’s victories included five group one’s – Miracle Mile twice**, Victoria Cup, Trans Tasman twice; three group two’s – Gold Coast Cup twice, Australasian Plate; three group threes – two ID heats, Sunshine Sprint and numerous listed and feature QLD FFA’s. Major placings included seconds in Gold Coast Cup twice, Sunshine Sprint, QLD Winter Cup; thirds in Queensland Pacing Championship twice, Trans Tasman twice, Christmas Cup, Gold Coast Cup, QLD Winter Cup, Bohemia Crystal, Sunshine Sprint; fourths in QLD Pacing Championship, ID Consolation, QLD Winter Cup and fifths in ID Grand Final Globe Derby 2007, QLD Pacing Championship twice and Sunshine Sprint.

** winner in consecutive years – 2005, 1:55.9, becoming the second Queenslander after Lucky Creed in 1970 to win the Miracle Mile. The race provided a Queensland/Team McCarthy quinella with the Luke McCarthy driven Slipnslide finishing second; 2006 1:54.3 defeating Blacks A Fake and Smooth Crusa giving QLD based sire Fake Left the Miracle Mile trifecta. The time was the second fastest ever recorded at that time at Harold Park behind Iraklis, 1:54.2 in 1996.

Be Good Johnny was named 2006 Australasian Grand Circuit Champion thanks to his three 1995/6 season Group One victories in the Trans Tasman, Victoria Cup and Miracle Mile. The same year he was inducted into the Queensland Hall Of fame.

Team McCarthy specifically trainer/driver John handled Be Good Johnny throughout his lengthy career. Whilst trained throughout by John, he was driven several times by son Luke McCarthy and Shane Graham, on a couple of occasions by son Andy and a few times by son Todd. Be Good Johnny was owned by John’s wife Narelle making it a whole family affair.

Be Good Johnny has a race named after him, the Be Good Johnny Sprint raced at Albion Park. It was first run as a Listed event in 2010 while he was still racing, finishing sixth in 2010 and fifth in 2011 in his fifth to last start. The race was accorded Group Three status in 2014. Winners of his race have included Interdominion champion Mr Feelgood in October 2010; five time Treuer Memorial winner in consecutive years, Washakie in 2011; Destreos in 2012, the most raced horse ever in Australasian harness racing, four hundred and eighty six starts, one hundred and one wins; dual winner Hi Jinx in 2015 and 2017; Colt Thirty One in 2020, millionaire and three time group one winner Colt Thirty One in 2020.

Peter Craig

22 February 2023

Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com

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