Building relationships with buyers has been a big part of Denis and Jo Howe’s success in the standardbred breeding industry.

“We always follow up and touch base with buyers,” said Denis, who has been taking yearlings to sales for about 20 years after it started out as a hobby.

“We’ve built some good relationships.

“We have made some real good friends after selling horses to them,” he said.

The Howes will be looking to either build on those at the Nutrien Equine Standard Yearling Sale in Sydney on Sunday, February 20.

Their Wagga-based Mataranka Park Standardbreds are taking four lots to the Inglis Riverside Stables at Warwick Farm.

They are hoping to build on the quartet the family offered at last year’s inaugural Nutrien Equine sale in Melbourne, where all four attracted more than $20,000, with an Art Major-Hows The Memory filly going for $41,000.

While Hows The Memory is not represented this time, her dam Distant Memory has a Bettors Delight colt going under the hammer.

Here’s how Dennis Howe sees their lots:

Lot 53 – Sweet Lou US-Custom Franco NZ filly

“She’s athletic and well put together.”

He says she’s not a typical Sweet Lou though in looks.

Many of his progeny inheriting his stand-out white blaze.

“There’s not a white hair on her.”

The filly is a half-sister to four winners, including Invest (Christian Cullen NZ) 6 wins and The Pima Indian (Changeover NZ) 6 wins.

Lot 57 – Bettors Delight US-Distant Memory colt

“He’s a lovely horse – a nice colt.

“He’s not big, but he’s very correct  – a lovely horse.”

Distant Memory was one of 14 winners out of Macrandra, including six bred by the Howes.

In her own right Distant Memory won 10 races, including the 2013 group 1 Bathurst Tiara Final and group 1 Vicbred Super Series 2yo final.

Distant Memory has left four winners, including Hows The Memory (Mach Three Ca) 1:150.1, 15 wins, $154,000; listed winner Bench Memories (Somebeachsomewhere US) 1:53.4, 15 wins; Delightful Angel (Bettors Delight) 1:53.5 4 wins; and Something Bettor (Bettors Delight) 1:58.3 3 wins.

Howe said there was a tendency for the family to get better with age.

Lot 60 – Art Major US-Equus Franco NZ colt

“He’s not big, but he’s still a good size.

“He is a nice type and she’s (the mare) has left some big earners.”

This is the Howe’s second foal out of Equus Franco, which has left four winners including Flem N Em NZ (Courage Under Fire NZ) 1:49.6, 61 wins, $980,000; and Glenferrie Bronte NZ (Changeover NZ) 1:51.4, 42 wins, $440,000.

Lot 71 – Art Major US-In Her Memory colt
He’s a cracker. He’s outstanding.

“He’s one of the best Art Majors on type I’ve bred.

“He really catches the eye.

“We have a few people inspecting our lots. Some didn’t have him marked when they came, but went away with a tick on his page.”

He is the third foal out of In Her Memory, which was bred by the Howes and won three races.

He is a half-sister to Secret Smile (Grinfromeartoear US) 1:53.4, 17 wins, $84,000.

Yearlings will all be on site this afternoon with our Yearling Parade starting at 6pm on site.

If you would like more information on the sale please contact Mark Barton 0419 488 256.

Online Catalogues links below

SYDNEY YEARLING SALE

MELBOURNE YEARLING SALE

Lot 78

Alabar Bloodstock’s Sydney yearlings are on their way north for Sunday’s Nutrien Yearling Sale and to celebrate Rocksie Rock took out the sixth race at Bathurst last night for trainer Michael Muscat and driver Doug Hewitt.

Rocksie Rock is a 3yo Rock N Roll Heaven gelding out of the Sportswriter mare Maid For You Lombo and last night was just his third start and first as a 3yo and he rated a handy 1:58.0 over the 1730 metres to get rid of his maiden status.

His half-sister by Always B Miki will be offered by Alabar on Sunday as Lot 78.

Maid For You Lombo is a half-sister to Australian 2yo Filly of the Year Aussie Made Lombo p,1:55.1 $578,857 being a daughter of the legendary Tailamade Lombo p,1:55.3 $1,354,978 whose race-track exploits have been matched by her stud record with her 10 individual winners include five winners of $100,000 plus on the track.

Lot 78 will be in Barn J18 so drop by and have a chat to Dale Forbes about this filly.

Lot 87

The final event on Tuesday night at Young saw the 3yo American Ideal filly Sarah Jo overcome her wide draw on the second row to finish strongly to claim her first win.

Lot 87 in Nutrien’s Sydney Yearling Sale this Sunday is a Sweet Lou half-brother to Sarah Jo and is being sold by Benstud Standardbreds.

Montana Jo, the dam of Lot 87, is a half-sister to four winners including Flojos Gold p,1:54.0 $202,575, Madison Louise p,1:55.9 $114,016 and the 3yo Vicbred Homegrown Classic winner Kira Jo p,3,1:57.4.

To arrange inspection prior to Sunday contact Craig Judd on 0458 658 273

Downbytheseaside gets his first downunder winner

Tuesday night at Gloucester Park saw the running of five heats for the 2yo WA Sales Classic and when Between Two Thorns took out the second of the fillies heats she became the first Australasian winner for Downbytheseaside.

Having her first start in a race Between Two Thorns rated a handy 1:58.1 for the 1730 metres and she will be a leading fancy for the $100,000 final next week.

Downbytheseaside is the sire of four lots in Sunday’s Nutrien Sale in Sydney including three fillies.

Lot 25

A colt on account of Galthorn Farm from the Life Sign mare Vampish Hanover p,1:56.6 $48,188. To arrange a pre-sale inspection contact Galthorn Farm 0417 221 959 or drop by Barn K71 on Sunday.

Lot 29

A filly on account of Brooklyn Lodge & Clients from the Village Jasper mare Whispering Lass p,1:59.3 $129,323. To arrange a pre-sale inspection contact Melanie Settree 0438 683 280 or drop by Barn K58 on Sunday.

Lot 47

A filly on account of P and C Judd out of the Sportswriter mare Charissa Tee p,3,1:58.0. To arrange a pre-sale inspection contact Craig Judd 0458 658 273 or drop by Barn J84 on Sunday.

Lot 58

A filly on account of Eric and Rosemary Basham out of the Art Major mare Dynomo Dee. To arrange a pre-sale inspection contact Shelley Stockton 0427 099 451 or drop by Barn K6 on Sunday.

Its all happening for Sydney yearlings

Five yearlings entered for the Nutrien Sydney Yearling Sale on February 20th had half or full-relations win across the weekend as the build-up to the sale intensifies.

Lot 35A 2020 COLT OUT OF ANNAS INNOCENT owned by Tim Neven Prepared by Ben Stud Standardbreds

It all started at Penrith on Thursday night with the win of Rock Of Delight at Penrith. It was the Art Major gelding’s tenth win and took his earnings past the $50,000 mark

Tim Neven is offering a half-brother to Rock Of Delight as Lot 35A in Sydney and importantly for prospective purchasers this colt is by Somebeachsomewhere.

The dam of Lot 35A is the Bettors Delight mare Annas Innocent p,3,1:57.2 which is half-sister to the unraced Art Major mare Without Guile.

So what you may say – Without Guile produced Saturday night’s Group One winner Bondi Lockdown p,1:51.6 $287,020 which won the $100,000 Bonanza at Melton downing Beyond Delight and Kimble.

Bondi Lockdown is now the early favourite for the $250,000 Chariots Of Fire on February 19th at Menangle.

The kicker is – Bondi Lockdown is by Somebeachsomewhere which makes Lot 35A even more interesting than perhaps may have been the case.

So head to Menangle on February 19th to watch Bondi Lockdown take on the country’s best 4yos and then head to Nutrien’s Sydney Yearling Sale and check out Lot 35A.

If you would like to inspect Lot 35A before sale day then contact Craig Judd from Benstud NSW on 0458 658 273.

Lot 89 2020 COLT OUT OF MUSICAL DELIGHT owned by Lauriston Bloodstock prepared by LLOWALONG FARMS DR KATH MCINTOSH

The historic Carrick Park track opened in 1914 and is 17 kilometres west of Launceston and on Sunday evening the Meander Valley Cup was won by the Well Said gelding Young Rooster which beat Earl Jujon and Kardesler.

On account of Lauriston Bloodstock, Lot 89 in the Nutrien Sydney Yearling Sale on February 20th is a half-brother to Young Rooster being by Art Major from the very smart Bettors Delight mare Musical Delight p,3,1:53.1 $248,910.

As a 2yo Musical Delight won the Group One Australian Pacing Gold final and her first three foals are all winners in Young Rooster p,1:58.0 $134,162, Beach Music p,3,1:54.5 $152,870 and the 2021 2yo winner Ripp p,2,1:58.6.

The cross of Art Major over a Bettors Delight mare has produced 11 individual $100,000 earners in the Southern Hemisphere and there is even an example of the success of blending the blood of these two champion sires on the catalogue page.

An Art Major half-sister to Musical Delight in Queen Of Pop p,1:57.3 $204,527 is now the dam of the 2021 Bathurst Gold Tiara winner Just Hope p,2,1:54.1 $68,900 which is by Bettors Delight.

Dr Kath McIntosh of Llowalong Farms is preparing this colt for the sale and she can be contacted on 0427 497 429.

Lot 19 2020 FILLY OUT OF THE ARCH NEMESIS owned and prepared by Brooklyn Lodge Standardbreds

Brooklyn Lodge is offering Lot 19 at the Nutrien Sydney Sale and this filly is a three-quarter sister to the Somebeachsomewhere gelding Crunch Time which easily won the final event at Menangle on Saturday night from Ashark and Accelere in 1:50.5.

The time may have been outside Crunch Time’s career mark of 1:49.6 but the win was his 16th and lifted his earnings to $194,675.

Lot 19 is by the up and coming siring son of Somebeachsomewhere in Captaintreacherous p,3,1:47.2 $3,153,541.

Captaintreacherous, whose oldest Australasian progent are current 4yos is already the sire of 106 winners in this part of the world including the outstanding fillies Tough Tilly p,3,1:52.5 $361,633, which won the Group One 2yo Vicbred Super Series, and the 2021 Australian 2yo Filly Pacer of the Year Encipher p,2,1:54.9 $278,358.

A full-brother to Lot 19 in Captain Crusader p,3,1:52.5 $167,906 started first-up in the $100,000 Group One Bonanza at Melton on Saturday night.

Contact Melanie Settree on 0438 683 280 if you would like to inspect Lot 19 prior to the sale.

Lot 17  2020 COLT OUT OF TARALINGER consigned and prepared by Brooklyn Lodge Standardbreds *PICTURED

Brooklyn Lodge will also offer the colt by Heston Blue Chip from Taralinger which is Lot 17 in Nutrien’s Sydney Sale.

A winner of 12 races herself, Taralinger maintained her 100% producing record when 4yo Hes Watching gelding Jeffcoate became her ninth individual winner when he won at Penrith on Thursday night.

Her other eight winners include Three Mugs In p,1:52.9 $109,536 and Star Maker Final winner Yesnomaybeso p,1:55.7 $80,017.

Again, contact Melanie Settree on 0438 683 280 if you would like to inspect Lot 17 or any of the other lots from the Brooklyn Lodge draft prior to the sale.

Lot 84 2020 COLT OUT OF MISS HAZEL Consigned by Sloys Company Prepared by Ben Stud Standardbreds,

Having his first start since October at Penrith on Thursday night was the 3yo Somebeachsomewhere gelding Duggee Sloy which came back to racing in fine style downing Iambecauseofyou and Eugenien and rating career best 1:57.4 for the 1720 metres.

Duggee Sloy won once and was placed on a further five occasions as a 2yo and finished fifth in the Group One NSW Breeders Challenge final at Menangle in October.

Lot 84 in the Nutrien Sydney Sale is a half-brother to Duggee Sloy and five other winners including Victorian Country Clubs Championship winner Christian Sloy p,1:53.8 $95,027, Roll With Me p,1:56.2 $84,508 and Hazelnuts p,1:54.8 $83,043.

The dam of Lot 84 is Miss Hazel p,1:57.0 $310,063 which won 15 races including a NSW Oaks while Lot 84 is by super sire Art Major.

Miss Hazel is a full-sister to 2yo NSW Breeders Challenge winner Louvre p,3,1:54.5 $402,665, South Australian Derby winner Renaissance Man p,1:53.1 $297,904 and My General Lee p,1:52.2 $261,897.

Lot 84 is consigned by Sloys Company Pty Ltd and is being prepared for the sale by Craig Judd who can be contacted on 0458 658 273 to arrange pre-sale inspection.

If you would like more information on the sale please contact Mark Barton 0419 488 256.

Online Catalogues links below and you can also order your printed catalogue online.

SYDNEY YEARLING SALE

MELBOURNE YEARLING SALE

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Joanne Andersen knows as well as anyone the highs and lows of the standardbred breeding games.

The Hawkesbury horsewoman has experienced each end of the scale over the decade she has been taking yearlings to the sales.

Three years ago she had a sales topper with a Captaintreacherous-Sweet As Reign colt being knocked down to Emilio and Mary Rosati for $130,000 in Sydney.

It was a stunning outcome. At that point in time Sweet As Reign had produced four winners.

“We’ve done pretty well for small breeders. That was an outstanding result,” Andersen said.

Sadly for Andersen and husband Brett and partners Darren and Tina Stevens, the Captaintreacherous colt would be the last foal Sweet As Reign would leave.

The mare and an unborn Sweet Lou foal died in 2020.

While Sweet As Reign is gone, there is a close connection to the two lots the Andersens and Stevens have going under the hammer at the Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sale in Sydney on Sunday, February 20.

Lot 72 is a Vincent colt out of Courage Under Fire mare Itz Reigning Men – a daughter and the only living mare out of Sweet As Reign.

This is the first foal out of Itz Reigning Men, which had to be retired prematurely from racing after just eight starts as a result of a trial fall.

“He’s outstanding,” Andersen said.

“He’s a really good type, beautiful.

“It’s been a great family and we’re excited with this first foal of Itz Reigning Men,” she said.
Retaining Itz Reigning Men as part of their select group of broodmares is part of a strategy that also sees them selling foals to help finance the operation and as required bringing in new acquisitions to refresh or maintain their broodmare line-up.

It was the latter that provides the story behind lot 68 – a colt from the first crop of Lazarus and out of Rock N Roll Heaven mare Heavenly Bread.

When Sweet as Reign was lost, Andersen went on the lookout for a replacement.

“It was pretty tragic for us. We needed to replace her.”

She said Heavenly Bread – a half-sister to champion racemare Our Golden Goddess (1:53.1 17 wins, $442,410) – was on the market.

While she had had two foals, both had raced had moderately performed, but for Andersen the opportunity was too good not to take up, being from such a terrific family.

Heavenly Bread was unraced after breaking a hock as a yearling.

Andersen has high hopes for the colt at the sale.

“He’s a lovely type, big and strong.

“He looks like Lazarus. Almost black.”

Andersen is confident the colt will attract his share of interest given he is so closely related to Our Golden Goddess, after her first foal (by Bettors Delight) brought $180,000 at the Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sale in Melbourne last year and also that the first Australian crop of Lazarus totaled only 40.

He is one of only five Lazarus foals being offered the Nutrien Equine Standardbred Yearling Sales in Sydney and Melbourne.

Andersen has also prepared lot 35 in Sydney – a Hurrikane Kingcole colt out of Pacific Fella mare Annabella Crabtree for Victorian breeder Frank McGrath.

It had been on her recommendation that the colt goes through the ring in Sydney rather than Melbourne on April 11.

Andersen said he was Qbred and there were many New South Wales trainers who liked to campaign horses in Queensland.

The colt is one of nine foals from the last crop of the ill-fated Hurrikane Kingcole, which has had 60 individual winners from 81 starters.

Andersen said he was a big loss to the breeding industry, which had been in need of more of the Cam Fella bloodline, with Hurrikane Kingcole being by Cam’s Card Shark, a son of Cam Fella.

She said the colt has progressed quickly in the few weeks he had been with her.

“He’s a nice long colt with plenty of scope. He’s willing to learn.”

Andersen did not take any yearlings to the sales last year, so the Harness Breeders NSW life member is looking forward to linking up with Nutrien Equine for the first time.

Over her time with standardbreds she’s been able to learn from the likes of Dennis Wilson, Lou Cini and Alabar Farms, and in turn, set up services such as Bred In The Blue – providing standardbred racehorse breeding consultative and promotion – and Harness Trading Ring Australia.

Nutrien Equine begins yet another chapter in her life with horses which began as a youngster some four decades ago.