HRV, Media Release, Thursday, June 27, 2013
SWEDISH CHAMPION FOR GREAT SOUTHERN STAR
Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) is excited to announce that Swedish Three and Four-Year-Old Breeders Crown Champion, Yield Boko, is on his way Down Under to tackle Australasia’s best Trotters in the 2014 Great Southern Star.
The winner of 22 from his 50 race starts, stakes earnings of more than AUD$800,000 and a fastest lifetime mark of 1:55.1 over 2140m, Yield Boko boasts credentials which rank him as one of the greatest Trotters ever imported to race in Australia.
And in what is a coup for Australasian breeders, Yield Boko will be standing at stud as part of his Great Southern Star preparation.
Combining stud duties with racing is commonplace in Europe and Scandinavia for champion stallions and Yield Boko is no exception.
Having last raced in late 2012, the champion son of Viking Kronos has been back in training in Sweden whilst covering a large book of mares in the current northern hemisphere breeding season.
In addition to his Three and Four-Year-Old Breeders Crown titles, Yield Boko also has victories in a heat of the 2009 Swedish Derby, the 2010 European UET 5YO Championship and the 2010 V75 International Group II among his career highlights.
His fastest winning time of 1:55.1 was taken only last July when breaking the track record at Halmstad in Sweden and he boasts a fastest time in defeat of 1:53.
Set to stand at Aldebaran Park in 2013/14 the striking 8YO stallion is planned to arrive in Australia by September to commence stud duties and continue his training build-up toward the key Group 1 features later in the year.
In making this announcement HRV Chief Operating Officer Brant Dunshea confirmed that Yield Boko will be guaranteed an International Invitation to the 2014 Great Southern Star.
“Confirmation that a horse of this calibre is coming to race and breed in Australia highlights the increasing significance Australia is becoming to overseas markets,” Dunshea said.
“This is further highlighted by confirmation that the PMU in France will be taking a direct broadcast and wagering on the five Group 1 Vicbred Super Series Trotters Finals from Tabcorp Park Melton next week.”
Prominent Breeder, Owner and Principal of Boko Stables AB in Sweden John Bootsman has been keeping a very close eye on the growth of Trotting Down Under over recent years and believes now is the perfect time to send a genuine elite class Stallion to Australia to race and breed.
“After my first contact with Chris Lang and Duncan McPherson in 2009 I became curious about Australia and began realising the potential of your country,” Bootsman said.
“And with the money on offer, plus the opportunity for Yield Boko to combine stud duties with a good racing season in the trusted hands of my friend, Chris Lang, things could not be more perfect.”
As would be expected, Chris Lang and Aldebaran Park principal Duncan McPherson echoed Bootsman’s enthusiasm for the adventure and both are thrilled to be a part of what looms as a new frontier for southern hemisphere squaregaiting.
“He (Yield Boko) is a very good horse, he’s a gold class horse; we’ve followed his career for the last few years and he’s competed well in some of the best races against the best horses going around,” Lang said.
“The bottom line is this is just great for the industry; more and more people are taking an interest in what we’re doing down here and its serious stuff what’s happening here.”
“Boko Stables are a global enterprise and for them to see this opportunity and understand the concerted efforts being undertaken in Australia to internationalise the sport, this announcement is a stamp of approval for the direction in which Australian Trotting is headed,” McPherson added.
“For Australian breeders, Yield Boko represents a remarkable opportunity to access bloodlines never before available and we at Aldebaran Park are delighted to be a part of making that opportunity possible.”
HRV are also pleased to confirm that the full list of 2013/14 Great Southern Star qualification and ballot exempt races has been finalised.
The schedule of races remains consistent with 2012/13 with the only addition being the new Group 1 5YO Ruby at the New Zealand Harness Jewels meeting which was run earlier this month.
Of the 21 races some six have been run with the following qualifiers already securing a place in the 2014 edition of the Great Southern Star:
Race 1 Breed For Speed Gold Final JINGLING SILVER
Race 2 NZ Trotting Championships VULCAN
Race 3 ANZAC Cup STENT
Race 4 Rowe Cup STIG
Race 5 NZ Jewels 4YO Ruby CYCLONE U BOLT
Race 6 NZ Jewels 5YO Ruby CHARLEMAGNE
The next qualification race will be the VICBRED 4YO Trotters Final on July 5 with prominent contenders TENDAHO, BRUNELLESCHI and in form mare WAIKARE PATRICIA sure to stake their claims for a place at 2014 glory.
For all the Great Southern Star conditions and information visit http://www.greatsouthernstar.com.au/gss/
Courtesy of Blake Redden, Communications Officer, Harness Racing Victoria.