Lennytheshark and Chris Alford earlier this year in the Vicbred reigning champion silks.
As the red dust of the west settles on the 2015 Inter Dominion carnival, Victoria can rightfully bask in the parochial sunrays of the east thanks to the deeds of the newly crowned champion Lennytheshark.
Every offshoot of Lennytheshark’s momentous Grand Final victory, rating 1:54.8 for the 2536 metres, is enveloped by the Big V.
The Lennytheshark story began on the east side of the Hume Highway and reached its finale on the west in a tiny town named Avenel boasting a population of little more than 1000 people.
Donna Egan and David James of Empire Stallions played an integral role in both the Interdom champion’s paternal and maternal ancestry.
Egan and James owned the prolific stallion Albert Albert, the sire of Lennythshark’s mother Botswana, who stood at Stan Walker’s Warwick Stud in the Goulburn Valley.
Albert Albert died a decade ago but not before he sired the winners of more than $22 million in Australia.
Botswana was bred by prominent breeder Kevin Newbound of Forest Lodge who sent her to the court of the Empire based stallion Four Starzzz Shark with the resultant foal Lennytheshark.
Newbound sold Lennytheshark to Victorian businessmen Kevin and Martin Riseley as a weanling.
Lennytheshark’s ties with Avenel in the Strathbogie Ranges were reunited when he was transferred to the stables of leading Victorian trainer David Aiken as a four- year- old.
To cap off the all Victorian victory Lennytheshark had the services of champion local reinsman Chris Alford in the sulky.
>> It pays to be Vicbred
Alford admitted the pressure of driving the favorite took its toll in the days leading up to the $1.3m Inter Dominion Grand Final.
“I had trouble sleeping a couple of nights before the race,”Alford said.
“You are taking a lifetime of work from a guy like David Aiken and putting it all on the line in one race, I wanted to be remembered for winning it, not for getting beaten, “he said.
Alford said he was confident in the run that Lennytheshark would get the job done.
“He settled really well outside the leader and I knew I always had the leader in my sights, “he said.
OTHER VICTORIANS TO DOMINATE INTER DOM OR ID GRAND FINAL DAY
Major Crocker (Vicbred eligible and by Alabar's leading sire Art Major)
Philadelphia Man (Bred by Benstud Standardbreds, Vic, and Vicbred eligible)
Earl Of Charity (Bred by the Pace Family Group at Melton)
Media enquiries:
CODY WINNELL
COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA MANAGER
HARNESS RACING VICTORIA
PO BOX 184, MOONEE PONDS, VIC 3039
400 EPSOM ROAD, FLEMINGTON, VIC 3031
t: 03 8378 0288 | f: 03 9214 0699 | e: cwinnell@hrv.org.au
www.hrv.org.au