John and Christine Yeomans have been breeding and racing Standardbreds for at least the past 40 years from their picturesque property at Doreen on the northern outskirts of Melbourne.
One of their original mares was named Racy Rita , who won the 1980 Victorian Oaks , and then went on to produce 11 foals including Makeyourownluck 1.54 and prizemoney of $221,000. Racy Rita was by the former outstanding Gordon Rothacker trained stallion Gallagher and Gordon was based at that time just around the corner from the Yeomans property.
At the Neds APG Melbourne Yearling Sale on Sunday 6th February , Homestead Farm will be offering a Sweet Lou filly [ Lot 231 ] , whose fourth Dam is in fact that same Vic Oaks winner Racy Rita. The Filly is a tall , athletic girl complete with her white blaze and is from the outstanding Bettors Delight mare Im Smouldering 1.55.3 $327,966.
Another of the Yeomans’s original mares was the daughter of Shadow Star named Gold Cygnet and it was from her that they offered a Hilarious Way filly at the 1992 APG Sale in Melbourne.
The APG Sales commenced in Australia in 1990 so it can be seen that John and Christine have been long and loyal supporters of the APG brand.
By the way that filly offered in 1992 was passed in so raced for the Yeomans’s as The Last Laugh. She did qualify for the rich Final at Harold Park on 16th April 1993 but was withdrawn at the barrier after breaking twice at release.
So moving forward from 1992 to the Neds APG Sale at Oaklands Junction on 6th February , Homestead Farm will offer six beautifully prepared and reared yearlings - one Trotting colt and five of the Pacing gait.
The Trotting colt , LOT 119 , is a strongly built lad by Australasia’s premier Trotting Sire Majestic Son and from a pacing bred mare called Im Havinaball , who actually won 8 races as a trotter.
This Family holds some very fond memories for John and Christine as the third Dam of this colt is a mare called Etoile. Back in 1993 , the Yeomans’s purchased the French Chef filly at the APG Sales and then a year later won the $250,000 APG Fillies Final when driven by their son in law Trevor Dove.
There are only four colts in the Melbourne Sale by the outstanding Sire American Ideal and there won’t be many better looking than LOT 240 - the first foal from the Art Major mare Im Very Willing. He is tall , strong and handsome and comes from a Family that knows how to produce a Stakeswinning colt - Rohan Home , Caribbean Blaster , Crunch Time and Charlaval are just a few examples.
The cross of American Ideal over an Art Major mare has a stamp of success on it with horses such as the millionaire Soho Tribeca and Centenario being shining examples.
John and Christine made another astute purchase at the APG Sales back in 2000 when taking home an Armbro Operative filly from Graham and Helen Head’s wonderful mare Black Debate.
Later named Indigenous , she became hot property on the racetrack winning 14 of her 21 career starts and then became even better in the Broodmare barn producing 8 winners to date with combined earnings of over $550,000.
Two of her daughters will be represented at the Inglis Complex on Sunday week.
The Dream Away daughter The Dreamtime has a December foaled colt by American Ideal [ LOT 158 ]. He is a handsome full brother to Its Ebonynivory 1.55.4 [ third in the 2019 APG Fillies Final ]
The Life Sign daughter Life Inthefastlane 1.54.7 lived up to her name by earning $264,566 and has been a gem at Stud to date with her first four foals now earning over $500,000 between them.
The Art Major colt from her [ LOT 249 ] is a tall , well-built colt and a full brother to the brutally fast 2 year old of last season Brutally Handsome. He was a fast finishing runner up in the Breeders Crown Final to the likely Victorian 2 year old of the Year Catch A Wave.
Rounding out the Homestead draft is a pretty chestnut filly [ LOT 166 ] , by Lennytheshark from The Heat Is On. It is no surprise that Lenny is siring some chestnuts as he has three doses of chestnut colour in his first four generations.
The Dam of this filly is a half-sister to the Group winning filly Im Smouldering 1.55.3 and once again has the Vic Oaks winner Racy Rita as her fourth Dam.
John and Christine have been superbly assisted at Homestead for many years now by Rachael Benns and Shane Gallagher and they will again be busy on Sales weekend .
Homestead stands for quality so to inspect the “ Green and Black “ teams draft , head to Stable C on Sales weekend.
John Coffey has been inspecting all of the Victorian yearlings over the last few months and will be pleased to answer any questions that you may have on the individuals featuring in the sale, or to bid on your behalf. John can be contacted on 0418 500 211.
Corinna Davey (Sales Executive - VIC/TAS ) for International Animal Health https://www.iahp.com.au/ will be on hand to select and to award the most sort after garland and product prizes for the best presented filly and colt. This is going to be a hotly contested event and should not be missed.
Please contact Linda Graham on 0428 955 998 or via email and she’ll be pleased to assist you with your online registrations, pre- bidding sale approvals or to answer any other questions that you may have on your travel and accommodation needs.
