Kingman taking his maternal family back into the ‘limelight’

Aussie raider Kingman turned in one of the great New Zealand Cup performances of all time, then nonchalantly gave his Kiwi rivals a start and a bashing in the Group 1 Christian Cullen 4YO Classic last week. The son of Art Major is now closing in on becoming the latest Australasian pacing millionaire.

Kingman is putting together a serious body of work: 35 starts for 15 wins, 10 placings, and $988,000 in stakes.

He is the first foal of the 8-win Dali (by Dali) mare Gotta Go Dali Queen (1:52.8, $86,000), who—as the name suggests—was bred by northern horsewoman Sue Martin. Gotta Go Dali Queen is in turn a daughter of Gotta Go Harmony, a smart filly who won four races from just 22 starts, with most of her $205,000 in stakes coming as a 2YO Jewels winner. On that day at Ashburton she set a New Zealand record for a 2YO filly over the mile.

Kingman’s owner Mick Harvey purchased Gotta Go Dali Queen—who raced predominantly in Australia—as a broodmare in 2020. Since leaving her Cup-winning son, she has produced fillies by Captain Crunch, Always B Miki (a full sister to the NZ Cup winner), Captaintreacherous, and a colt by King Of Swing. Of course, Harvey held a share in the three-time Miracle Mile winner King Of Swing, now standing at stud and applying his craft from the breeding barn.

Gotta Go Harmony was bred only twice by Sue Martin before being sold to southern breeder Todd Anderson (Taffy Ltd). In total she left seven live foals for five winners, all of whom took sub-1:58 mile rates.

Her pedigree was a potent blend of two genuine star pacers: by Christian Cullen from Elect To Live. The latter was a diminutive powerhouse who fearlessly took on all-comers across 35 starts for colourful northern horseman Neil Brady. Trained and driven by Brady to 19 wins and $577,000, the daughter of Live Or Die possessed the heart of a lion. Her all-out racing style earned her a legion of fans.

In the broodmare paddock, Elect To Live produced the talented Gotta Go Cullect (also by Christian Cullen), who looked destined for stardom after winning five of his nine starts for the Brady–Martin partnership. He later stood at stud, and while colonial-bred stallions often face challenges in both quantity and quality, he did leave the 10-win trotter Harrysul ($104,000), who proved good enough to contest a Dominion Handicap.

While Sue Martin bred from Elect To Live, the multiple Group 1 winner herself was bred by Anne Phillips (née Grice) from her family’s mare Lopez Elect (by Lopez Hanover from Ruling Miss). Anne is the granddaughter of legendary breeder Ben Grice, who established one of the great nurseries of New Zealand harness racing—renowned for its blue-blood mares, imported stallions, and deep genetic influence.

Lopez Elect traces back through a remarkable maternal line:
• Ruling Miss was a half-sister to Ruling Lobell (NZ Oaks) and Miss America, dam of the talented trotter Bellam (14 wins) and the Mark Purdon-trained Brabham, a Group 1 New Zealand Free-For-All winner among his 20 victories on both sides of the Tasman.
• Her dam Ruling Caste left the smart 2YO Rebel Caste, by the Grice-bred Bandit (by Light Brigade from Shyness). For those who can cast their memory that far back, Shyness was by U Scott from dual New Zealand Cup winner Haughty.
• Ruling Caste was a full sister to Brahmaputra (a branch successfully developed by Colin Baynes) and a half-sister to the sharp 2YO filly Glamour (by Bachelor Hanover).

This is the same immediate maternal family as Sakuntala—dam of the mighty Iraklis, yet another New Zealand Cup winner. That branch later flourished commercially under the late Father Dan Cummings and his Tuapeka family, becoming one of their most successful bloodlines.

Given that lineage, it’s little wonder Kingman had the credentials to win a New Zealand Cup. His family tree is littered with past champions who achieved exactly the same feat.