FAST Minardi's fabulous career to date and his recent 600m Melbourne victory added to the highlights of the now hugely proven "nick" that is Fernando Bale and Barcia Bale.

This was always going to happen simply because both sires are stud greats and the number of bitches with them in their pedigree is staggering.

Fast Minardi is Fernando Bale-Cheeky Vixen by Barcia Bale.

He is the winner of the G2 Launceston Cup, Illingworth Classic and Tassie Derby and been 2nd in the G1 Nat Distance, G2 Launceston Cup, 3rd in the G1 Rookie Rebel and a finalist in the G3 Ladbrokes Classic.

It is easy for bloodline fantastic to see the link between Fernando Bale and Barcia Bale ... not the obvious fact both are from the Wheeler family's so dominant breeding program.

The link is the direct damline of Fernando Bale and through Lansley Bale in Barcia Bale ... both tracing to the Wheeler's foundation bitch Gail's Beauty.

What is also interesting is that Fast Minardi has a 3x2 of Rosemary Bale and Heidi Go Seek who are bred along very similar lines with the half relations Head Honcho and Advert already a highly proven cross (see Lady Toy) and the Awesome Assassin family reinforced through the damline of Talks Cheap.

Add to that the fact Fast Minardi's 2nd dam Heidi Go Seek was mated to Fernando Bale to produce G1 star Hasten Slowly.

The obvious standout of the Barcia Bale/Fernando Bale cross is Miss Ezmae that superstar stayer. Crumble Monelli is another, and so is Derby winner Slingshot Jersey.

WHICH brings us to the final of the prestigious Bendigo Gold Rush Maiden.

It is a race that has been won, or contested by, some fine race dogs.

Check out the crosses of just some of the finalists.

Cheap Red Wine is by Fernando Bale from the Barcia Bale bitch My American Girl.

Reiterate is by Fernando Bale from the Barcia Bale bitch Silken.

Respect Advocacy is by Fernando Bale from the Barcia Bale bitch Origami Angel (a sister to Fast Minardi's dam Cheeky Vixen).

Thirty Seconds is by Fernando Bale from the Barcia Bale bitch Eye Will Reign.

Sudoku Carmello is by Fernando Bale and his damline carries Lansley Bale (found in Barcia Bale).

Five of the eight finalists of the Gold Rush Maiden carry the Fernando Bale/Barcia Bale cross.

Other Bendigo finalists bred along similar lines include Summer Kobie who is by Fernando Bale's son Koblenz from a daughter of Noaki Pace. This again is the Hasten Slowly cross, but also the cross found in G1 star Fernando Mick (33 wins, $867,000) etc.

WHICH brings us to the recent Tassie Breeders Classic winner Frazier Price (Aston Dee Bee-She's A Fernando by Fernando Bale.

The dam is from She's All Class who, when mated to Aston Dee Bee, produced that great litter that included Wynburn Sheean (23 wins, $136,000), Quick Joey Small (30 wins, $94,000), Vintage Fame (25 wins, $81,000), Highland Wonder (14 wins, $59,000), Highland Fame (20 wins, $51,000) etc.

This is the proven cross of Barcia Bale/Fernando Bale is again found in Frazier Price, but we are also seeing Aston Dee Bee and Fernando Bale linked very successfully.

G2 Qld Derby winner Just A Sort, also 2nd in the G1 Brisbane Cup, is bred on this cross.