Quote Originally Posted by Messenger View Post
Breeding horses requires HEAPS of patience.
Reading the article about the Ronans

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/art...-the-sunshine/

I looked up Yes Mate who, as mentioned in the article, is making his debut in R1 at Echuca tonight
He is the only foal of one of their mares who has been served by some commercial sires but who was it that got the positive - the home breeder Daroobalgie.
Daroobalgie had a good record but as a Nuke Of Earl son out of Mistress Monique, an Apollo Eleven mare, there was no miracle and he is a very modest sire
If you have never heard of Apollo Eleven, that might be because Mistress Monique ($83k) was his only progeny to pay her way

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fie...20#ECC27082004
Apollo Eleven was a very good Simpson-bred horse trained by Kevin Newman in the early 70s. Golden Adios - Minnesota from memory, stood at lower profile studs. Did leave 34 winners Kev, if you look deeper. His dam, foaled nearly 70 years ago, followed him to Sydney in the early 50s and was a very good producer. Royal State was a Showgrounds regular for Alf Simons when I was a kid, Apollo Eleven won 50 grand when that would have built you a luxury home, his sister Admin was a good Sydney trotter, Karamea Minna was a top filly and producer, Miner Karamea was handy in WA. I had an early association with Minnesota Express, her last foal dropped when she was 23. He was very fast but used to favour his knee. The small tracks back then didn't suit him, he would be a good horse today.

I know the fastest he ever went was 85 MPH. That was in a single float behind a Phase II Falcon GT on the Loddon Valley Highway, running a little late to get to Nyah for his first win. That was 44 years ago this month, l love how the old names keep popping up!