The increasing influence of French bloodlines on Australian trotting ranks has been heightened in this year's Breeders Crown Series.
Haras des Trotteurs stallions Quaker Jet and Ready Cash each produced group winners in the carnival.
And it did not stop there.
Orlando Vici and Used To Me progeny joined Quaker Jet offspring as top three placegetters in the rich series, which is one of the crowning glories on the Australasian harness racing calendar.
Quaker Jet three-year-old filly Im Ready Jet reinforced her status as one of Australia's pre-eminent trotters of her age and sex by securing a second group 1 Breeders Crown final. Im Ready Jet went into three-year-old fillies' final as the reigning Breeders Crown champion of her year, having won last season's group 1 two-year-old fillies title.
Always Ready gave champion sire Ready Cash another "Downunder" feature in the group 2 Breeders Crown Championship for four-year-old entires and geldings.
Haras des Trotteurs principal Pat Driscoll described the results as outstanding. "They come off very small crops for stallions which are relatively new to Australia and New Zealand," he said.
Im Ready Jet is from Quaker Jet's first and biggest Australian crop.
She has been the stand-out of that 44-strong crop as a three-time group 1 winner among her eight career victories.
Quaker Jet's three-year-olds also include group 2-placed filly Dizzysjet, South Australian Derby winner Im Hector, group 1-placed Imamaorijet and gelding Cracker Jet, which added to a group 2 placing with a third in the group 1 Breeders Crown final for his age category.
Quaker Jet is a sone of the great Love You.
Always Ready is proving to be a prize flagbearer for Ready Cash, being from his second Australian crop and one of only 22 Australian foals by the stallion across three seasons. Always Ready is elite in his age group - now featuring 13 wins in 20 starts.
His successes include the group 1 Vicbred Super Series final as a two-year-old, which is complemented by three group 1 placings.
And the entire's record would have been even more impressive had he not missed his three-year-old season with injury.
Ready Cash has had a strong showing with what is now his four-year-old crop in Australia, with the 13 foals also including three-time group 1 runner-up All Cashed Up, two-time group 1-place filly Par Ici and six-time winner Cash Lover.
Orlando Vici left his mark on the Breeders Crown with two placegetters - Red White and Bloom finishing third in the group 1 three-year-old colts and geldings final, and Brandlo Prince third in the Breeders Crown Championship for four-year-old entires and geldings.
Red White and Bloom is building an impressive record in his first season of racing, with four wins to go with his blue ribbon placings.
Brandlo Prince is from Orlando Vici's first and biggest crop (11 foals) here to date and has been a big improver this season with seven wins to give him 10 lifetime victories to go with a group 1 placing as three-year-old.
Orlando Vici has an excellent winning percent with 12 winners from 14 offspring to race. Used To Me had his name put in lights with Dont Care's second in the group 1 Breeders Crown two-year-old colts and geldings final.
Dont Care is from Used To Me's biggest crop (his third) of 24.
Four-year-old mare Imsettogo is the most successful the six foals of Used To Me to get the races with nine victories.
And what Pat Driscoll likes most about all this from the Breeders Crown, is the promise of more to come as his French invasion gets more opportunities.
By David Brehaut
