Father Patrick off to perfect start

By Jonny Turner

Trotting stallion Father Patrick got his New Zealand career off to a brilliant start when La Reina Del Sur won at Addington on Friday night.

The All Stars filly notched her sire’s first win with his first starter when taking out the first 2yr-old trotters’ tote race of the season.

La Reina Del Sur put in a late dive to nab runner-up Royal Del and deny sire Royal Aspirations from notching his first winner with his first starter.

Scoring his first win in New Zealand was a mere formality for Father Patrick given the wave of success he has produced in North America.

Nevele R Stud, who stand the stallion in Australasia via frozen semen, is delighted their son of Cantab Hall is on the board, general manager Ged Mooar said.

“We are really happy.”

“First starter, first winner and she was pretty professional.”

“She is a beautifully bred filly and she had been trialling pretty well.”

La Reina Del Sur is one of 28 New Zealand bred 2yr-olds by Father Patrick.

If reports on his stock are accurate, the filly certainly will not be his only winner among them this season.

“The feedback we are getting from his 2yr-olds is really positive,” Mooar said.

La Reina Del Sur is from the talented former All Stars racemare Escapee and is bred and owned by Trevor Casey.

Another of the progeny of Father Patrick and a talented former All Stars mare is among the tiny group of yearlings the sire will be represented by at this year’s national yearling sales.

Just four Father Patrick yearlings will be offered – all of which will go through the ring in Christchurch.

The stallion produced just 12 live foals in New Zealand in the 2018-19 breeding season, before his popularity skyrocketed in the Northern Hemisphere.

A colt from Hot Pants, offered by Spreydon Lodge, which is also managed by Mooar, is among the draft.

Colts from Kiwi Girl, Moment Of Beauty and a filly from Rosedorae will also be offered.

The success of Father Patrick’s yearlings at sales in North America has been well documented after a full brother to star trotter Greenshoe sold for $US1,100,000 at Lexington, late last year.

The first public offerings  Father Patrick’s Australasian yearling crop of this season went through the ring at last weekend’s Melbourne trotting sale.

Four fillies sold at an average of $A36,875.

Many more yearlings are set to be offered at next year’s yearling sale after Father Patrick served a what is thought to be a record book, this season, for a stallion standing via frozen semen.

The book of 126 mares included a high number of quality producers, Mooar said.

The sale of Always B Miki’s first crop of yearlings in New Zealand could bring more excitement to Nevele R Stud at the upcoming yearling sales.

The stallion has 20 yearlings in the sale, with 14 being offered in Christchurch and six in Auckland.

The stock of Always B Miki have been popular at yearling sales in North America and Australia, recently.

His progeny that have sold at the recent Brisbane and Melbourne sales have fetched an average price of A$32,307.