Captains Mistress’s Menangle win gives Southland couple a timely boost

The emphatic success of Captain’s Mistress in a heat of the New Year’s Gift at Menangle last Saturday night has delivered Southland breeders Todd and Fleur Anderson, the 2025 Harness Racing NZ Breeders of the Year, a timely boost ahead of next month’s NZB National Yearling Sale at Christchurch.

The bonny Captaintreacherous mare carved out the flying mile in a career-best 1:50, highlighted by a scintillating 25.3-second last quarter – the fastest ever recorded at the Sydney headquarters’ track.

It was her ninth success from only 19 starts and pushed her stake earnings beyond the $450,000 mark. Her victories include the Group 1 NZ Sires’ Stakes Championships at two and three, the Group 2 Entain 2YO Filly Classic, the Group 2 Bionic Chance Bracelet and the Group 3 Redcliffe Oaks.

“She’s definitely the best mare that we’ve ever bred,” Anderson declared.

A full brother to Captain’s Mistress is part of the 15-strong draft being presented by the Andersons’ Taffy Limited at the Canterbury Agricultural Park on February 18.

“He’s an athletic, intelligent colt with a great attitude. He’s probably the closest that we’ve had to Captain’s Mistress in terms of type, so we’re quite upbeat about him,” Todd said.

The Andersons purchased Captain’s Mistress’s dam Imaginary Bet through Christchurch bloodstock agent Paul Davies from the late Ian Dobson in 2015 after she had produced her first foal.

“Dobson bought her as a yearling from Charles Roberts mainly as a breeding proposition to send to Christian Cullen,” Todd said. “He bred Cullen’s Bet out of her.

Imaginary Bet is out of Imagine Me, a full sister to Splendid Dreams, who was injured during her racing career but has since proven a sensational broodmare.

“We thought the blood at some stage would hopefully click,” Todd said.

Following Cullen’s Bet, Imaginary Bet’s next five foals – all bred by the Andersons – have all taken records inside 2:00.

Merlin, the winner of 10 Group races to date including two Derbies and $1.7 million in stakes, has undoubtedly been the standout of her progeny.

Durrant (eight wins), Gemma Mac (five wins), Magician (five wins) and now Captain’s Mistress have also emerged as winners from the mare.

“She’s one of the few mares to leave two Group 1 winners,” Todd said.

In 2024, Imaginary Bet was crowned NZ Pacing Broodmare of the Year, Captain’s Mistress was named 2YO Filly of the Year, and Merlin claimed the 4YO Male Pacer of the Year title.

The Andersons sold Captain’s Mistress as a foal.

“Peter Lagan approached us and we sold her to Mick Boots. In hindsight she would have been a nice one to have kept, but you never know,” Todd said.

Since producing Captain’s Mistress in 2021, Imaginary Bet has left a Captaintreacherous colt that fetched $160,000 on the bid of Rolleston trainers Hayden and Amanda Cullen at last year’s National Sale at Addington, along with another Captaintreacherous yearling colt, catalogued as Lot 289 at next month’s auction.

“She missed last year but she’s back in foal to Captaintreacherous this season,” Todd said.

Todd and Fleur, who topped last year’s Christchurch sale at $270,000 with a Bettor’s Delight colt out of Imagine Me, a close relative of Merlin and Captain’s Mistress, will offer what Todd describes as “one of our best ever consignments” in 2026.

The draft is being prepared by well-known Cantabrian horsewoman Laura Smith.

“Laura’s a great horsewoman. She breeds the mares and foals them down for us and prepares the yearlings, so it’s a one-stop shop,” Todd said.

“We’ve got some very nice colts at the coming sales beyond the Captaintreacherous full brother to Captain’s Mistress.”

The star-studded draft includes:

- a Captaintreacherous full brother to the six-time Group 1 winner and 2023 NZ Horse of the Year Millwood Nike (Lot 213)
- a Bettor’s Delight colt out of the Breeders Crown and Jewels winner The Orange Agent (Lot 193)
- a Bettor’s Delight colt out of 2YO Filly of the Year Supersonic Miss (Lot 179)
- a Captaintreacherous colt out of Delight Me, a daughter of Splendid Dreams (Lot 250)
- a Captaintreacherous colt from the royally bred Bettor’s Delight mare Perfect Bet (Lot 148)
- a Bettor’s Delight colt from Platinum, a daughter of top racemare De Lovely (Lot 153)
- a Captaintreacherous colt out of Dream On Me, another daughter of Splendid Dreams (Lot 253)
- and a Tactical Landing colt out of 2YO Jewels winner Missandei (Lot 320)

“We’ve also got the first foal ever to go through the sales out of the Rocknroll Hanover mare Rocker Band, a daughter of Mainland Banner. He’s a stunning colt by Bettor’s Delight,” Todd said (Lot 163).

Among the filly contingent being offered by the Winton couple are:

- a Captaintreacherous filly out of 2YO and 3YO Filly of the Year Spanish Armada (Lot 173)
- an Art Major filly out of Female Assassin, a daughter of Australian Pacing Gold winner Nostra Beach (Lot 263)
- and a Bettor’s Delight filly out of NZ Oaks winner Ideal Belle (Lot 284)

“We’re also offering the only Bold Eagle at the NZ sales – a filly out of a Muscle Hill mare called Girls On Film, who descends from the Regal Volo family of Ken and Karen Breckon,” Todd said.

“We try to give our horses the best opportunity every day and hope they’re well received by buyers and go on to good homes.”