22 December 2017

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A book on his 21st birthday was the catalyst for Lance Cobban to develop a passion for Harness Racing.  The book was called 250 Famous Trotters and from this point Lance followed breeding for 30 years.  Lance ventured into harness racing about four years ago purchasing fillies and mares.  Some of those purchases based on the impression the mighty CHRISTIAN CULLEN made on him.  Lance’s tale started when he was just a small boy…….

 

“When I was a small boy my Dads Uncle George had a horse by the name of Billy Adios. He was trained at Monteagle/ Young by Maxy McIllhatton and won 26 races for them including a Brisbane Cup. He was out of a ½ sister to the champion horse Ribands  My father was not a horseman but I have been hooked on them since listening to wonderful feats of Billy Adios.

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About four years ago I imported a couple of nice race mares from New Zealand to race.  TIMELY LOCH and TACTFUL LADY. Both mares won about eight races each for me and both earned just short of $80,000 in prizemoney.  Both mares are now broodmares.  TIMELY LOCH broke the Wagga track record in her 2nd Australian start in a Country Menangle series heat. She has since had a ROCKNROLL HEAVEN colt foal bred in partnership with Neville Cranston

 

TACTFUL LADY is by MCARDLE out of an IN THE POCKET mare. She finished racing and I bred her to ART MAJOR. She has produced a really nice colt that I call Max.  Since TACTFUL LADY went to stud her  ½ sister by BETTERTHANCHEDDAR,  MYSWEETCHILLIPHILLY came  out and won the Group 1 Gold Tiara a Bathurst in 1.54.1.

 

I am a huge fan of CHRISTIAN CULLEN and I think at times the influence of his sire IN THE POCKET is under estimate.  CHRISTIAN CULLEN was the best horse I have seen in my lifetime and I don't think we saw the best of him as he carried a tendon injury all of his racing career.  I have three CHRISTIAN CULLEN mares, TIMELY LOCH, CULLENS LADY and MISS GOLD FORTUNE. I bought MISS GOLD FORTUNE at the Christchurch yearling sales. She is a 1/2 sister to FRANCO LEDGER and developing into a beautiful big mare. Already the winner of four out of her eight starts I really think she will leave something very special as she is a very relaxed mare with speed. 

 

Unfortunately I lost my other mare DIRTY ANNIE to a serious tendon cut. I brought her off Alabar because she was out of a half sister to STUNNIN CULLEN. However, I did get one foal from her by TINTIN IN AMERICA as I was trying to replicate the breeding of the ill fated Zee Dana who is bred similarly.”

 

These mares, that have entered the broodmare ranks, will no doubt make their mark again in the future.