The progeny of Yamanin Vital are still doing the job on the race track, even four years after the White Robe Lodge stallion's death.
Flying Elite was a winner at Sha Tin on Sunday night, taking his record to four wins from nine starts in Hong Kong.
Brian and Lorraine Anderton produced the colt from Flying Elite's late mum, Bright Blue, and Flying Elite's full sister Forever Vital was a placegetter at her last start at Winton earlier this month. Bright Blue's final foal was a Sir Percy colt born last November.
The Andertons bought Bright Blue at a winter sale in Queensland when she was already in foal to Piccolo, and the resulting foal, Flying Blue, won four from 21 in Hong Kong including The Chairman's Trophy in April 2011 at Hong Kong group 2 level.
Brian said people told him bringing over Bright Blue was like ''taking coal to Newcastle'', but he knows his pedigrees.
''Dad had her grandmother, Brown Satin,'' he said.
Brown Satin, by Mellay, won the 1972 New Zealand Oaks Stakes (now the 1000 Guineas) at Riccarton
.. . . but more to come?
To be fair, the Andertons had a great night on Sunday without having to leave their home on the Taieri. Only 50 minutes earlier but 2500km away, Bourbon Goldman won in Singapore, taking his record to three from nine.
The Andertons breed from Bourbon Goldman's dam, Zerperfluous, with fellow breeder Eric Parr and Brian tells me the mare is being served by Raise The Flag this year.
Racecourse roulette
The lists keep on coming in. Murray Fish has been to all 52 thoroughbred courses in New Zealand, plus a few that have been shut down such as Bulls, Marton and Nelson, along with more than 100 overseas.
Mosgiel man Dave O'Sullivan sent me a handwritten list (loving the personal touch, Dave), with a methodical list, which broke his racecourses down to country or - in the case of Australia - states.
Not surprisingly, for someone with an Irish surname, he has notched up 24 Irish tracks. Throw in several other countries, and his list reaches 110 tracks in total once you include the 37 New Zealand tracks he's visited.
Hyde horseman Mick Prendergast wrote to me to say he'd be a long way off the most race courses attended, but has competed on 39 different tracks in the South Island at officially approved races.
As for a winner? Let's just agree racing was the winner on the day. Besides, I don't have a prize to give out anyway.
Longest serve?
Just an update to the Forbury Park club's annual meeting on Wednesday night. Information has come to hand that Letty Ferguson served 22 years on the club's committee from 1978-2000, making her the club's longest-serving female committee member.
Lazy fiver
The drought continues. Sigh. Let's give Cherokee Charlie a go in the Tuapeka Cup (race 8) at Forbury Park on Sunday.
