The burgeoning ranks of trotting stallions in Australia were given another significant boost with the acquisition of the Muscle Hill horse E L Titan (1:51.4), winner of $702,473, by prominent western Victorian breeder Pat Driscoll, the principal of the Haras des Trotteurs stud, Ballarat.
As a racehorse E L Titan competed with success for three seasons and included among his victories the $86,500 International Stallion Stake as a two-year-old in 1:53.4 defeating Trixton and the $92,300 Galt Memorial and $230,000 Carl Erskine Memorial (beating Father Patrick) as a three-year-old at which age he also finished runner-up in the $500,000 Breeders Crown – clocked in 1:51.4 after sitting parked – and the $613,800 Canadian Trotting Classic.
After serving a season at stud, E L Titan returned to the fray at four years and took his record of 1:51.4 winning the $100,000 Sebastian K Invitational at Pocono Downs’ five furlong track defeating the world champion Resolve.
An upstanding bay of 16 hands, E L Titan carries an impeccable pedigree made up of champion sires, champion racehorses and champion broodmares. His sire Muscle Hill (1:50.6) was the best trotter of his era with stake earnings of $3,273,342 and has been one of America’s top trotting sires for some time. Muscle Hill figures as the sire of standout trotters in Marion Marauder, Manchego, Resolve, Ariana G and Southwind Frank.
On his dam’s side E L Titan belongs to a family which has made a real impact on the American breeding scene. His Stakes-winning dam Courtney Hall 3, 1:55.4 ($118,986) ranks as a full sister to the dam of Cantab Hall 3, 1:54 ($1,442,303) and is from the immediate maternal family of Andover Hall 3, 1:51.3 ($870,510), Conway Hall 3, 1:53.4 ($818,884) and Angus Hall 3, 1:54.3 ($830,654), all champion racehorses and sires.
Courtney Hall has left seven 1:55 winners from nine foals which have amassed almost $2.9million, while her dam, Canne Angus, produced nine winners from 11 foals including the USA 2YO and 3YO Trotting Filly of the Year Cameron Hall 1:53.8 ($1,816,236).
E L Titan’s oldest stock are only seven-year-olds and from 224 foals of racing age he has sired 175 starters, 128 winners with 83 in 2:00, 25 in 1:55 and 33 $100,000 earners. His progeny has banked $10.3million to date.
Driscoll said: “He’s an outstanding addition to the trotting stallion ranks and he is here to stay.”
E L Titan should prove an ideal cross to mares boasting the blood of the ‘Hall’ sires, Majestic Son, Love You, Monkey Bones, The Pres, Imperial Count, Monarchy, Earl and others.
E L Titan is to stand at Cobbity Equine Farm in NSW alongside the Breeders Crown champion and Canadian 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year On A Streak (2, 1:52.4), a $803,745 winning son of Cantab Hall who is standing his second season at stud.
Both E L Titan and On A Streak will stand for a fee of $3,500 plus GST in Australia and New Zealand.
Peter Wharton via Harness Racing Victoria & Harness Link.