14 February 2019 | APG Media
APG’s Australasian Premier Trotting Sale is less than four weeks away and it’s impossible not to be impressed with the quality of this year’s catalogue.
Whilst APG’s pacers have consistently proven themselves to be every bit the equal of their New Zealand Sales counterparts, it’s fair to say that in times gone by, most people would have said that New Zealand bred trotters had the edge on their Australian counterparts.
However, the tide is turning, and in recent years there has been exponential growth in the quality of trotter being bred in Australia, particularly by Australia’s leading commercial breeders.
The growth in the quality of the Australian product can be seen by putting this year’s APTS catalogue next to New Zealand’s Yearling catalogue:
| 2019 Trotting Sales | APTS Catalogue | NZ Catalogue |
| No. Horses Catalogued | 76 | 69 |
| Prizemoney earned by Dams | $2,300,500 | $2,150,661 |
| Average Earnings per Dam | $30,270 | $31,169 |
| No. Dams with earnings $100,000+ | 6 | 3 |
| No. of sub 2:00 Winning Dams | 16 | 7 |
| No. of Winners produced by Dams | 91 | 77 |
| No. of $100,000+ winners produced by Dams | 12 | 14 |
| No. of Group winners produced by Dams | 13 | 13 |
The results of the ever-increasing quality of yearling going through the APTS is already filtering through to the racetrack. Recent Group One Dullard Trotters Cup winner, Big Jack Hammer, is a former APTS Sales Graduate, as is reigning Breeders Crown 2yo champion, Kyvalley Clichy.
And whilst La Coocaracha, the dam of recent Southern Star winner, Dance Craze, may not have a yearling in this year’s APTS, her half-sister, Meredith Castle, has a cracking Dream Vacation colt that is sure to attract attention, particularly as Meredith Castle has already produced the $200,000 earner, Iona Grinner.
The great news for buyers is that in addition to the outstanding quality on offer at this year’s APTS, this year’s graduates will be eligible for the inaugural APTS Group One 3yo Race Series, featuring separate divisions for colts and fillies.
If you haven’t already got your 2019 APTS Catalogue, you can order one online by clicking here, and don’t forget that APG’s Online Guide for the 2019 APTS, featuring photos and video footage for all yearlings, along with updated pedigree pages will be available for viewing from 27 February via the APG website.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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