Victa Haydn

SOUTH Aussies have known for a long, long time now the worth of the Corrumbene Lass damline.

So, when the Group 3 Howard Ashton was run and won at Murray Bridge on Sunday it was no surprise that damline was dominant ... once again.

"Dominant" is probably an underestimation of just how much this fabulous damline excelled in the $25,000-to-the-winner series.

It was won by Victa Haydn (Fernando Bale-Victa Victoria by Surf Lorian) who down littermate Victa Grosso.

But, add to that other littermates Victa Daryl (4th) and Victa Reid (6th) also made the final. Victa Reid took the place of scratching, littermate Victa Saige, while yet a sixth littermate Victa Maggie was a reserve.

Tony and Lisa Rasmussen would have been rightly proud of the result.

The litter is only doing what was to be expected of them.

Their sire Fernando Bale is a dominant force at stud.

Their dam, Victa Victoria (Surf Lorian-Teelah by Primo Uno), was a high class race bitch who started 134 times for 26 wins, 20 seconds and 19 thirds for stakes of $60,000.

Race careers like that make a mockery of that old wives' tale that a long race career is detrimental to a bitch's chances of producing at stud.

Victa Victoria had already been to El Grand Senor to deliver a smart litter that included Victa Ashley (2nd G3 Johnstone Mem, 3rd Champion Puppy, finalist G3 SA Derby, SA St Leger) and Victa Caleb (Champion Puppy, finalist G3 SA Derby, SA St Leger).

Victa Victoria's litter brother, Victa Sam, was second in the G3 Johnstone Memorial. They are half relations to Victa Troy (finalist G3 Johnstone Mem).

Victa Haydn comes from a litter of 12 and 10 of them have won ... no mean feat. Victa Grosso has also been third in the South Australian St Leger.

The litter is just 25 months old, and, if they are anything like their mum, their race careers are only getting started.

The pedigree the owners put together when mating Victa Victoria to Fernando Bale produced a litter in-bred 3x3 to Primo Uno. This is already a highly proven cross with Fernando Bale.

If you need proof of this, you only need to look at the pedigree of champion Sennachie (Fernando Bale-Rhonda Rocks by Kinloch Brae) who carries Primo Uno 3x4 along the direct damline on both sides of his pedigree.

In the pedigree of Victa Haydn and his littermates, it comes in 3x3.

This is a position of great influence and if anyone the slightest bit interested in pedigree design takes the trouble to do some research, they will find it is quite dominant for males.

Need proof of this.

The four Howard Ashton finalists from the litter are all males.

Check out the pedigree of champion High Earner. He too is in-bred 3x3 in exactly the same position, this time to Malawi's Prince. High Earner, a male, was easily the standout of his litter. Interesting as well, his litter sisters were handy, at best, when retired to stud.

Need more proof?

Take a look at the pedigree of superstar South Aussie stayer Sir Truculent (Worm Burner-Establish by Dyna Lachlan) who just happens to have Primo Uno 3x3 in exactly this position along the direct female line on both sides of his pedigree.

Sir Truculent, as we are well aware, is male.

The Corrumbene Lass family is a powerful one.

Among its best is Fabwik (Fabregas-Wikena by Surf Lorian) a multiple Group placegetter and finalist. She has been mated, in April, to Sennachie.

I'd love to see her mated to Fernando Bale to bring in the "super" successful "nick" happening between Fernando Bale and daughters of Fabregas.