Congratulations to the owners, you are living my dream:)
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Congratulations to the owners, you are living my dream:)
I'd say there living everyone's dream
Has anyone heard anymore about these 2 great horses comming out and what service they will attract. My guess is as follows.
Heaven $10,000
Hanover $12,000
News has gone quite has anyone heard anything on RN Hanover comming or have they hit a snag.
There's a fair bit of Cat & Mouse stuff going on Mango.
Believe the respective fees are...
Rocknroll Hanover $13,200 incl. GST
Rock N Roll Heaven $11,000 incl. GST
Interesting i thought they might of been at least a $1000 below them prices but i suppose the budget will get stretched again.
Pepper Tree set to Rock N Roll
Heaven sent news for breeders
Thursday 17 March 2011
The Dan Patch Horse of the Year Award has an Aussie feel to it as Pepper Tree Farm announces details of Rock N Roll Heavens arrival in 2011.
Australians mightnt have won the principal Oscars at this years Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on February 27, but the U.S. Harness Writers Association awards, presented the same evening in Florida, proved a triumph for Cowra based Pepper Tree Farm, the future home of Rock N Roll Heaven.
Late last year Rock N Roll Heaven had been named best male 3YO pacer by the harness writers, but in the voting for the major awards- the Best Film Oscar equivalents- at last months banquet, he received 127 of a possible 131 votes to become Pacer of the Year, and 123 votes to become the Dan Patch U.S. Horse of the Year.
While those wins were widely anticipated, they were nevertheless hugely satisfying for Pepper Tree Farms Rob and Julie Van Dyke, who were following the USTA website much more closely than the millions watching television coverage of those other awards.
Just prior to last years Little Brown Jug, Pepper Tree Farm had reached agreement with connections for the Southern Hemisphere stud rights for the star colt which, after winning the famous race in world record time, would go on to complete a ten-race win streak through to seasons end at the Breeders Crown.
We have been following the career of this great horse for some time and are thrilled for his owners, Mr Frank Bellino and his son Joe, that he has added the prestigious Little Brown Jug to his impressive list of career wins, said Rob Van Dyke at the time.
His wins today showed his outstanding speed and toughness and we are truly excited that Rock N Roll Heaven will stand at Pepper Tree Farm next season.
Following Februarys award, that level of excitement would more likely be described as justifiably or tremendously. How about unbelievably?
Some details of Rock N Roll Heavens racing career will quickly dispel any charges that the writer is guilty of exaggerated praise.
He was a classy two-year-old, never unplaced in nine starts, winning the New Jersey Sires Final and the Bluegrass Stakes, and setting a world record 1:50.6 on a five-eighth track. He was runner-up in the Governors Cup and the $1 million Metro Pace (in 1:49.4) behind Sportswriter, whom he will join at Pepper Tree come September.
His three-year-old season was something else again. He won 16 of 21 starts, for $2.15 million, including the Jug, the Tattersalls Stakes, the Battle of Brandywine, the Messenger Stakes and, finally and fittingly, the Breeders Crown.
Bruce McAvaney, an old hand at the trots, would have described the Little Brown Jug victory as special.
In his elimination, he raced in the death for the first half of the race before forging to the lead and running away untouched in 1:49.4, which set a new Jug record and equalled the world 3YO half-mile record set two years previously by Somebeachsomewhere , which also became Horse-of-the-Year.
In the final, less than two hours later, he led most of the way to win by lengths, matching his elimination time for a record two-heat time of 3:38.8, lowering Shadow Plays record set in the 2008 Jug.
Rock N Roll Heaven achieved more sub-1:50 wins in 2010 than any horse in history, and more sub-1:50 miles in a season- 17 of his 21 race starts- than any horse before him.
The list of those with 10 or better in a season includes Lis Mara, Won The West, Boulder Creek, Riyadh, Jennas Beach Boy and Somebeachsomewhere, the only other three-year-old. Its a select group.
Extreme speed is an essential requirement for the kind of greatness achieved by this horse. In the Breeders Crown Final, he hit the three-quarter marker in 1:19.4, on the way to a soft 1:49 win, and his career record is 1:47.6 at the Meadowlands. But its matched by true toughness, says his trainer Bruce Saunders.
I think his toughness and competitiveness is what separated him from a lot of the horses hes raced against.
Hes had a couple of races where they really wanted to battle with him.
Hes happy to hook somebody and fight tooth and nail, thats his toughness. Ive worn out the word tenacious but thats what it is, hes a fighter.
A good example of this was his win in the Bluegrass Stakes. After doing a lot of work early, he seemed vulnerable when arch-rival Razzle Dazzle ranged up to him, but sensing the other horse there and then spotting it, he picked up the bit again and kicked away.
Rock N Roll Heaven is a son of Rocknroll Hanover (by Western Ideal from broodmare gem Rich N Elegant), the 2005 U.S. 3YO and overall Horse-of-the-Year, which is currently rewriting the siring records in the U.S. with his first two crops.
His dam Artistic Vision, which took a 1:50.2 race record in winning over $600,000 (shes the dam also of Clear vision 1:49.6) is an Artsplace sister to millionaire Armbro Animate. His fourth dam TMI is a full-sister to No Nukes, which is the grandsire of Western Ideal.
The evolution of sires in this branch of the Western Hanover sireline is very rapid, much in the mould of modern thoroughbreds. From 1993 when Western Hanover first stood at stud, weve moved on to Western Ideal, Rocknroll Hanover and now Rock N Roll Heaven in 2011, four generations in just 18 years.
Rock N Roll Heaven is currently standing his first season at Blue Chip Farms to a full book, and the exceptional fertility level indicated by the requisite testing has been confirmed so far, with his first mares tested pronounced in foal, at an early stage of the season.
When he shuttles to Pepper Tree in September this year, it will be the first time a current U.S. Horse of the Year has arrived here for stud duties.
Thats an exciting prospect for not only Pepper Tree Farm, but for the breeding industry in this country.
Pepper Tree Farm has announced that the service fee for Rock N Roll Heaven has been set at $11,000 including GST, with 10% discount for two mares and 15% for three or more mares.
There is no doubt that this is a major coup for Australia, which is certain to be reflected in outstanding support from breeders right round the country.
By the way, the real hero in this years Best Film, Lionel Logue, was an Aussie!
Harness Racing NSW (HRNSW) is the controlling body for harness racing in New South Wales with responsibility for commercial and regulatory management of the industry including 31 racing clubs across the State. HRNSW is headed by an industry-appointed Board of Directors and is independent of Government.
To arrange an interview or for further information please contact:
Name:
Dale Walker
Position:
Marketing Manager
Phone:
(02) 9722 6600
Email:
dwalker@hrnsw.com.au
Yeah read that it's in the breeding section of today's trotguide, now we will just have to wait to see what they do put out about RN Hanover. When reading about Heaven you can't find a fault anywhere, great race horse out of a good race mare who has thrown 2 for 2, hopefully Mr Bellino can make it 3 for 3 with his Bettor's filly.
oh yeah a real 'heaven for breeders' at 11k for a first season stallion, they are out of this world for that much money..better hope you dont get a filly paying that
ps - nice of hrnsw to give pepper tree some free advertising - do they do stories on all the new stallion this year?
Hi Buster
Speaking with a couple of mate's who were interested in going to him said 1st season should only be about $8800 and then when he proves then go up as Art Major, M3 and others have. There worry with spending that sought of money is the horse himself isn't overly big so if your looking to sell and you get a small bay filly you won't even get your service fee back and due to his size there's a fair chance of that happening. My personal opinion is i might send one there and hope for the best but i'll have to pick the right mare on breeding and size to help my chances.