The latest broodmare to join the ranks of those that have left the winners of over one hundred races is Fleets Pocket with a combination of New Zealand and Australian winners.
FLEETS POCKET (2000f In The Pocket/Fleet Vance; family of Wild Lass, CF N185) : pacer, four unplaced starts, $875; 16 foals, 11 raced plus qualifier, 11 winners, nine in two minutes, three in sub 1:55.0. Bred by Kevin Odgers; purchased for $29,000 at 2002 Premier Sale in Christchurch; all progeny bred by Lex and Heather Williams.
| Winning Foals – | NZ | AU | G/T | MR | $** |
| 2004g Mighty Pocketlands Badlands Hanover) | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1:59.3 | 22,030 |
| 2006f Flying Pocketlands (Badlands Hanover) | 6 | 15 | 21 | 1:52.6 | 442,423 |
| 2007g Mighty Flying Thomas (Falcon Seelster) | 6 | 18 | 24 | 1:54.6 | 354,429 |
| 2008f Flying Mrs Williams (Falcon Seelster) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2:02.5 | 5,810 |
| 2009g Mighty Flying Mac (Mach Three) | 14 | 2 | 16 | 1:55.7 | 265,837 |
| 2010f Flying McPocket (McArdle) | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1:54.8 | 34,522 |
| 2011g Mighty Flying Major (Art Major) | 10 | 0 | 10 | 1:55.3 | 140,155 |
| 2012g Mighty Flying Deal (American Ideal) | 5 | 13 | 18 | 1:56.8 | 180,746 |
| 2013f Flying Miss Mac (Mach Three) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:57.8 | 12,854 |
| 2014g Mighty Flying Rocker (Rocknroll Hanover) | 1 | 0 | 1 | T2:03.8 | 6,602 |
| 2015c Mighty Flying Art (Art Major) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1:59.3 | 43,720 |
| Total foals : | 47 | 59 | 106 | $1.5m+ |
** Conversion: $A1=$NZ1
There is a small irony with Fleets Pocket in that she is owned by well known trotting owners and breeders, Lex and Heather Williams (One Over Kenny fame amongst numerous other high class trotters), to have such a stand out pacing mare in their stable. The Williams’ purchase of Fleets Pocket has resulted in the enviable production of a fine line of quality pacing performers. Fleets Pocket (now aged nineteen) continues to be bred from, having most recently produced an Art Major colt whilst she was served by Sweet Lou in 2019.
Fleets Pocket with Lex Wiliams
Fleets Pocket ($29,000) was purchased along with Galleons Memory ($15,000) at the 2002 NZ Premier Sale, the first standardbred purchases made by the Williams. Successful stud sheep and dogs for trialling breeders, the Williams’ two fillies were purchased primarily for breeding purposes. Neither filly proved particularly adept racehorses, Fleets Pocket being broken in and qualified by Phil Williamson at two prior to racing on four unplaced occasions for Tim Butt as a two and three year old. Whilst having speed and gait, her temperament was never going to assist her racing abilities.
Fleets Pocket was her dam Fleet Vance’s (Vance Hanover) first foal. Fleet Vance, won twice in NZ (1:59.6 at Alexandra Park at two, among first one hundred two minute 2yo’s in NZ; fourth Nevele R Fillies) before taking a record of 1:55.1US in North America, $48,258. In total Fleet Vance had ten foals, six to race with four winners, three in two minutes.
Fleet Vance’s second foal was Place Of Glory from Badlands Hanover’s initial season at stud, a winner at Alexandra Park (third Cardigan Bay/Kindergarten Stakes, fourth NZSS), the winner of nineteen and 1:56.6 in Australia, $200,412, Golden Mile, Victoria Derby heat (fourth final), third ID heat. Other notable foals of Fleet Vance included Lifeswhatyoumakeofit, two wins, 1:59.8, $10,035, seconds Leonard Memorial, NZSS/Caduceus Club Fillies at two, fourth Ladyship Stakes, GN Oaks and Passion N Glory, six NZ (three Addington)/thirteen AUS wins (six Albion Park/two Menangle), 1:55.9, $150,501, Smooth Satin Championship, QLD Seymour Charity Cup.
Fleets Pocket’s grand dam was Glitter (Lordship), a non-winning trotter from six starts, $303. She was to prove very handy in the broodmare barn however. Her ten foals produced seven racehorses, four of whom were winners. They included Sparks Will Fly (five Alexandra Park wins for Steven Reid), 1:54.4US, $211,388); Champagne Tastes (three Alexandra Park wins, 2:02.0, $11,500); Our Graedy (four Alexandra Park/nine WA, four at Gloucester Park/nineteen NA wins, 1:52.4US, $307,713, WA Higgins Memorial) and Fleet Vance.
Non-winner Glitterbug has left three winners while unraced filly Alldatglittersisgold (purchased by late Kaye Kilgour) went onto win the Australian Broodmare of the Year title on two occasions, thanks to the deeds of her progeny – ten foals, seven raced, all winners including :
- Miracle Mile winner Baby Bling, half-sister of Bling It On, twenty one wins (ten Menangle, three Melton, one Gloucester Park), 1:50.5, $854,490, AUS Oaks, WA Mares Classic, Robin Dundee Mares; dam of a winner
Bling It On
- Bling It On, bred by late Kaye Kilgour, daughter Sammy and Harvey Kaplan and later syndicated for racing, forty five wins from eighty six starts (twenty one Menangle, four Melton, tem Albion Park), 1:50.8, $1,656,656, five Group Ones – Kevin Seymour Nursery/Breeders Crown – 2c, QLD Derby, Gold Coast/Hunter Cups (set track record of 1:55.1MR, broken following year by Lazarus in 1:54.1MR for 2760mM); seconds NSW Derby, Chariots Of Fire, Cordina Sprint; thirds Ballarat/Victoria Cups; ten 1:52.0 or better times. At various stages of career trained by Belinda and Luke McCarthy as well as John McCarthy in case of Hunter Cup victory
- Hectic, one NZ win as Shezagolddigger/thirteen AUS wins (five Melton, one Harold Park), 1:56.7, $97,745; dam of two winners, She Envy, thirteen AUS wins (one Melton/two Menangle), 1:53.4, $105,532
- Show Me The Bling, eight wins (one Melton), 1:53.1, $68,110, second VICBred – 2
- Blingittothemax, fourteen wins (three TAS; six Albion Park; five VIC), 1:55.3, $111,244
- Bletchley Park, fourteen WA wins (eleven Gloucester Park), p2, 1:53.6 at Gloucester Park, $221,309, APG Consolation – 2, The Warwick; seconds in WA Golden Slipper – 2 and WA Derby
Fleets Pocket’s third dam was non-winner Sandra Del (Armbro Del) who had one start as a trotter and fifteen as a pacer, all unplaced. She produced six foals which included unraced Beryl’s Lot, dam of four win pacer for Hamish Hunter in Miss Whippy (2:03.7, $8,888, dam of a winner) and Glitter.
Fourth dam Mist Ahead (Croughton), raced on four occasions without placing, leaving six foals, four raced with two of them winners. Mister Gregory, won six in NZ including the Timaru Cup (1:59.0US, $39,119) while Glencree won three as a trotter T2:12.3, $5,085 and Sandra Del bred on as above.
The family then traces back to foundation mare Wild Lass through Rainy Voyage, Lady Vaulsbury and Lady Queensbury.
Fleets Pocket’s male progeny includes :
Mighty Pocketlands, first foal of Fleets Pocket was raced by the Williams. He was placed on four occasions including three at Addington at two and three prior to his sale to Australia. The winner of four races including one at Albion Park, 1:59.3, $22,030
Mighty Flying Thomas, purchased by Graeme Rogerson for $24,000 at 2009 NZ Premier sale. Winner of six in NZ (one Alexandra Park, five Manawatu Raceway)/eighteen AUS (thirteen Gloucester Park), 1:54.6, $354,429, WA – The Lewis. Latest win at Northam on 22 June 2019
Mighty Flying Thomas
Mighty Flying Mac, Mach Three gelding bred three by three to Direct Scooter, fourteen NZ wins (four Alexandra Park and Addington)/two AUS wins (one Melton), 1:55.7, $265,837, Hannon Memorial, Gordon Roxburgh Hcp, Geraldine/Rangiora Cups; second Harness Jewels – 2, thirds Junior FFA, Kaikoura/Easter Cups, Rangiora Classic, fourth Methven Cup. Part owned by Chrissie Dalgety in NZ.
Mighty Fying Mac Hannon Memorial
Trained in Australia by Kiwi born trainer Brett Lilley at Bolinda, Victoria for two wins in eleven startS
Mighty Flying Major, winner of ten in NZ (four Alexandra Park/three Addington)/three unplaced Menangle starts, 1:55.3, $140,155, Motukarara Xmas/Akaroa Cups on grass; second in Sapling Stakes, thirds in Alabar Classic, NZSS Aged Classic, fourth NZSS – 3c
Mighty Flying Major : GF & J McMaster & Halswell Catholic Parish Mobile Pace
Trained by Ken Barron for Steve Thompson and Grant Dickey
Mighty Flying Deal, five NZ victories/thirteen WA wins (five Gloucester Park), 1:56.8, $180,746
Mighty Flying Deal
Raced by the Justins family of Wayne, brother Graham and son Jack of Collie, two hundred miles south of Perth. Wayne (assisted by wife Faye) trains the American Ideal gelding which is normally driven by Jack Justins (electrician by trade), the pilot in nine of ten WA victories
Mighty Flying Rocker, a Rocknroll Hanover gelding who is Fleets Pocket only trotter to date. In fact he is dual gaited having had two starts at each gait, his second as a rotter a winning one at Addington for trainer/driver Bob Butt. To date a winner and place getter from his four starts as a trotter
Mighty Flying Art, an Art Major colt purchased by Murray Brown for $50,000 at the 2017 NZ Premier Sale for owner Brent Ballantyne, who also owns his Mach Three half-brother Mightyflying Macatak purchased for $55,000 at the sales (current three year old).
Mighty Flying Art (Bruce Stewart)
The winner of three to date in Southland and fourth at his sixth start in the NZ Sires Stakes – 3c&g final at Addington on NZ Cup Day
Fleets Pocket’s fillies include :
Falcons Flybye, second foal by Falcon Seelster purchased by clients of trainer Gareth Dixon for $40,000. Qualified, unraced dam of six foals, five to race for four winners including a 1:50.0US horse in North America in Alotbettor, three NZ/eight AUS wins (four Menangle/one Melton), 1:52.4AUS, seventeen North American wins, 1:49.3US, $328,142; Fleeting Grin, nine race winner, three each for Regan Todd, Andrew Armour and Chris Webber (one at Addington), 1:59.7, $92,865, Tauranga Grass Cup; He Can Fly, NZ winner/eleven AUS/nine North American wins, 1:50.3US, (three Menangle, three Melton), 1:50.3US, $179,462; All Inflight, one NZ/four AUS wins from eight starts, 1:56.2, $21,800
Flying Pocketlands, is Fleets Pocket’s third foal and second winner, purchased for $20,000 at the NZ Premier Sale by Graeme Rogerson who initially trained her in partnership with Steven Reid. Heather Williams retained a share in Flying Pocketlands throughout her career. Her career record shows six Alexandra Park/fifteen AUS (three Menangle, five Melton) victories, 1:52.6 (Menangle), $442,423; NZYSS/Caduceus Club – 2f, Lexus International Lady Drivers Invitational, VIC Breeders Crown – Open Mares; seconds NZSS – 2f, VIC Ladyship Cup and fourths Young Guns, Breeders Crown – 2f, Queen of the Pacific
Flying Pocketlands after her significant win in the Caduceus Club Classic – 2f ($120,000) at Alexandra Park.
Flying Pocketlands was trained for a good part of her Australian career by Victorian based ex Kiwi Brent Lilley. She was raced by Canadians Adam Wilkinson and his father John, Peter Lemke, Mark Whelan and breeder Heather Williams. Flying Pocketlands was a Breeders Crown Repecharge winner at Cranbourne in her first Australian start at two as well as winner of Breeders Crown Open Mares at Ballarat in her final start in August 2013, aged seven by NZ standards (six by Australian).
Flying Pocketlands
Flying Pocketlands, now deceased left only one live foal, an unraced Art Major gelding.
Flying Mrs Williams, the three quarter sister to Passion N Glory (see Fleet Vance above, both by Falcon Seelster), the winner of two races (Addington and Forbury Park) from just four starts (2:02.5, $5,810) as a three year old for William’s (trained by Cran Dalgety and driven by Dexter Dunn). Dam of seven foals (all colts), three to race, all winners plus a qualifier. These include winner Flyingmasterwilliams, 2:05.2, $17,026; Flying Mister Ideal, winner of three at Addington for Brendon Hill/three WA (two Gloucester Park), 1:57.5, $57,479 and Flying Even Bettor, three wins/two Addington, $159,535, at two 1:54.4 in Kindergarten Stakes, seconds in Sapling/Welcome Stakes, NZSS – 2c, Harness Jewels and third in NZYSS Final – 2yo abd 3yo Opens
Flying McPocket, placed in one of four NZ starts prior to winning six (five NSW/one VIC) races in Australia, 1:54.8 at Bendigo, $34,522. Dam of 1:56.8 winning Art Major gelding
Flying Miss Mac, non-winner in NZ, winner of one race at Shepparton, 1:57.8, $12,854
Fleets Pocket has also left unraced three year old Mightyflying Mactak (Mach Three colt), two year old Flying Heathers One (Bettors Delight filly), yearling Bettors Delight colt Mighty Flying One and weanling Art Major colt Mightyflyin Supastar.
Peter Craig
2 July 2020