Smiling Shard capped a fabulous 2yr-old season by winning the $A311,000 Breeders' Crown Final for colts and geldings at Melton, Victoria, yesterday.
He highlighted a great day for New Zealand-trained horses who also won the $170,000 final for 3yr-old colts and geldings (Tintin In America), the $163,00 final for 2yr-old trotters (Tuhimata Glass) and the group two race for 4yr-olds, the $60,000 Graduate Pacers Free-For-All (All Tiger).
Smiling Shard advanced his stake earnings to $568,000 from eight wins (including three group one races), five seconds and three thirds in 17 starts.
He was fifth in his other start.
His form is a tribute to West Melton trainer Cran Dalgety.
Smiling Shard won a trial last November.
The Grinfrom-eartoear-Sly Shard colt began racing in Auckland on December 19. He has been driven in his wins by ace reinsman Dexter Dunn (19), who was posting his biggest win in Australia.
Smiling Shard also won the $184,000 New Zealand Sires' Stakes Final at Addington and the $200,000 Harness Jewels Ruby at Ashburton in a New Zealand record 1.53.7 for owners Chrissy Dalgety (wife of the trainer), Alaistair Rooney, of Picton, Allan Vernel, and Peter Gorman, both of ChristchurchA $41,000 purchase by Dalgety at the 2008 premier yearling sale, Smiling Shard was bred by Debbie and Mark Smith, of Myross Bush.
Smiling Shard is from the first New Zealand crop of Grinfromeartoear and the first foal of Sly Shard, a Panorama mare who won four races.
She is a half-sister to Sly Flyin, who won 29 races and $911.000.
"I sent Sly Shard to Grinfromeartoear on the advice of Brian Hancock [Australian trainer] who considered he was a good cross for a mare by Panorama," Debbie Smith said.
Smiling Shard is bred 3x3 to Abercrombie, an outstanding racehorse and successful sire.
The Smiths also bred Shard Ark, winner of the $100,000 Yearling Sales Pace at Auckland in June for 2yr-olds bred to northern hemisphere time.
Smiling Shard settled eighth on the outer after starting from the second row yesterday.
He moved alongside the pacemaker, Lanercost, at the 1200m and prevailed by half a neck in a 1.57.8 mile rate.
Tintin In America is trained at Patumahoe by Geoff Small for the ATC Trot 2008 syndicate. Driven by David Butcher, Tintin In America ran a 1.56.2 mile rate, the fastest of the day.
He has now won nine races from 24 starts and $537,000 in stakes.
Tintin In America is by McArdle, who has a waiting list of mares to serve this spring.
He is restricted to 180 mares.
The win of Tuhimata Glass vindicated the judgement of Auckland owners Scott Plant and Stonewall Stud Ltd who each bought 10% of Tuhimata Glass from Hayden Cullen five weeks ago before an Australian campaign.
Tuhimata Glass was passed in for $15,000 at the 2007 Australasian Classic yearling sale.
He was leased to Cullen, who exercised a right of purchase.
Cullen is employed by Brent Mangos, the Pukekohe trainer of Tuhimata Glass.
Mangos won the Breeders' Crown race for 2yr-old fillies with Molly Darling in 2004.
Molly Darling, part-owned by Plant, finished second in the 3yr-old final.
Molly Darling, now owned outright by Plant, is due to foal to Mach Three.
Tuhimata Glass is by Malabar Maple from Tijuana Glass, a Chiola Hanover mare who is also the dam of the trotter, Susan (eight wins).
Skyvalley, a 16-length winner of the BC race for 4yr-old trotters yesterday, is out of the Chiola Hanover mare, Chiola's Lass.
Skyvalley (by Muscles Yankee) is a half-brother to seven winners including Allegro Agitato (22 wins) and Cabaletta (seven).
He was bred by Denis Lauren and Pip Gerard, of Hamilton, and Sean McCaffrey, of Cambridge.
Skyvalley was sold for $73,000 at the 2006 Australasian Classic Sale.
Muscles Yankee is also the sire of Let Me Thru, winner of the race for 3yr-old trotters yesterday.
Le Me Thru is out of the New Zealand-bred Invasion's Pride, a half-sister by Armbro Invasion to seven winners including Landora's Image (seven wins).
