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LEYAVA - Classic Winner Producing Mare

Leyava (1958 Garrison Hanover-Pollyapolis), Aus family of Lady Ajax; 2:09.6, $1,710; 2 wins; 11 foals, eight to race for seven winners and 1 qualifier. Breeder J S Sellars. All foals bred by A M Sellars.

Leyava raced briefly from four to seven winning at Roxburgh (4yo) and Winton (5yo). Placed at six and seven, she became a very successful broodmare.

Equal with Lordship for number of winners produced, Leyava's sire Garrison Hanover was imported to NZ in 1955 standing at stud for 28 years for Bill Denton having to be humanely destroyed in March 1981. His was a quality pedigree by Billy Direct from a Guy McKinney mare (Gloria Hanover) from Peter The Great mare Queenly McKinney. He was a good winner in the USA against the best horses of his day. He was sire of Garry Rowan, who sired Garry's Advice and Classic Garry who left Chandon in Australia. Leading sire for three consecutive years 1966-7 to 1968-9, Garrison Hanover was leading broodmare sire in 1982/3.

His 501 winners included Caledonian Garrison (GN Derby), Cardinal Garrison (GN & NSW Derbies, AK Cup), Dandy Briar (AK Cup), David Garrison (NZ 2yo Championship), Game Adios, Main Adios & New Law (NZ Derby), Garry Dillon (NZ Cup), Lady Nugent & Shalimar (NZ Oaks), Speedy Guest (GN Derby, Messenger), Waitaki Hanover (GN Derby, NZFFA, AK & Hunter Cups).

Garrison Hanover's broodmare sire credits included Albas Reign (NZ 2yo Championship, NZ Derby), Balcove (NZFFA, Easter Cup), Classiebawn (NZ Breeders Stakes), Harvest Gold (GN Oaks)& Hilarious Guest (refer Loyal Guest)

Dam Pollyapolis was by Indianapolis from Fortune's Favourite, a grand daughter of Miss Fortune, most prominent of Edith's foals. Pollyapolis was a six-race winner spread over four seasons (Invercargill, Wyndham, Ashburton twice, Addington & Forbury Park). Besides Leyava, Pollyapolis left Gore Cup winner Trigside; Va Vite, dam of Calton Hill (winner of the inaugural NZ 4yo Championship); granddam of Karalea (Roxburgh Cup), Glen Moira (Winton, Roxburgh & CPTC Winter Cups); third dam of Rapture (Southland Oaks), Kildonnan (Riverton, Yarra Valley & Warragul Cups)

The Australian family of Lady Ajax was founded in 1880's, the result of mating Ajax with Lady Fisher. Two of her offspring were sire Piccaninny (9 Sydney wins; sire of 46 winners; sire of the third dam of Lawn Derby) and Edith, who when exported to NZ began a very successful branch of this family through her filly Miss Fortune. Those tracing to this family include Free Hall (ID Pacing Final), Tobacco Road (NZ Derby), Radiant Fortune (WA Cup), Trevira (Easter Cup), Pacific (USA Breeders Crown), Yankee Loch (Rowe Cup, ID Trot Final), Flight South (AK Cup), Pullover Brown (VIC, NZ, & Aus Oaks, NZ Breeders Stakes), Moment In Time (AUS Oaks), Fleur De Lil (WA Oaks, Aus 3f Breeders Crown, 1:53.4AUS), Sovereignty (GN Trotting Derby, National Trot, T1:56.7) with the quickest being Montecito (1:49.2US).

Leyava's male progeny include:

Profiteer, winner of six races, the first 2 at four (Wyndham, Forbury Park). The Reefton Cup and 2 Addington wins followed plus second in the Hororata Cup at five with a final win at Addington as an 8yo. Profiteer sired five winners.

Ryal, a good Southland pacer for owner/trainer Jim Dynes, whose 9 wins were recorded from three to five. His single win at three was at Oamaru before finishing second in the Queens Birthday Stakes. At four, 7 wins with 3 at Invercargill, 1 at Wyndham and 3 at Addington (at Easter - Rattray & Plains Handicaps, NZ Autumn Stakes). His single win at five was at the NZ Cup carnival in the Canterbury Restricted FFA. Ryal was exported to North America.

Sassanach, a classy twelve-race winner before he was exported to North America. Sassenach recorded 4 wins at three. The major win was the NZ 3yo Championship at Addington. His outstanding season at 4 included the NZ Cup meeting wins in the Hayward & Churchill Hcps, CPTC Presidents Hcp before 2 heat wins at the 1971 Addington ID's (2nd in another heat but unplaced in the final). His Final 2 NZ wins were at Addington as a 5yo in the Le Lievre & Ollivier Hcps. Sassenach placed in each of the following three seasons - at 6, third in the Miracle Mile, fourth in the Ollivier Hcp; at seven, third in the Clarendon FFA and at eight, second in CPTC Presidents Hcp.

Shavande, winner of five races in Southland starting with 2 wins at three (Wyndham & Gore). Further 2 wins at Wyndham at four before his final win at five (Gore Cup). he raced for two further seasons without success before export to North America.

Stampede, winner of 11 races over four years reaching Cup class. He started with 6 wins as a 4yo (Winton, Invercargill, Hutt Park(2), Addington(2)) with a second in the Wyndham Cup and fourth in the NZ 4yo Championship. Stampede's 4 wins at five were at Forbury Park, Addington and Alexandra Park twice including ID Consolation as well as running third in the Easter Cup (Hands Down). A solitary win at six was recorded in the Ray Coupland Stakes (previously the Ollivier Hcp) during the Addington Cup carnival. At seven Stampede placed second in the Kaikoura Cup and fourth in NZFFA. The Young Charles stallion sired 51 winners (Defoe 1:53.00TT, Taylor Mile, 4yo Superstars, ID Heat; Lady Bonnie, Ashburton Cup; Stands To Reason NZSS 2c, Cardigan Bay Stakes at 2); damsire of 35 winners (Wingandaprayer, Riverton Cup; Les Lisle, Waimate, Amberley & Tuapeka Cups; Onedin Crusader, Kurow &Timaru Winter Cups; Onedin Lecacy, Invercargill Cup).

Zabadak, Stampede's half brother was an open class pacer who won on eleven occasions. A winner at three at Invercargill, where he also finished second in Futurity and third in Southland Challenge Stakes. t four, Zabadac won at Winton, Invercargill and twice at Wyndham (Wyndham Cup). At five, wins were recorded at Wyndham, Forbury Park and Addington (Pan Am Mile consolation) together with second in the Gore Cup and fourth in the Easter Cup. Zabadac's 3 wins at six included Forbury Park (beating Bonnies Chance) and a double at Addington (Firestone Junior FFA, Wee Win FFA). He finished second in the White Heron Travelodge FFA, third in ID heat and fifth in Auckland Cup. He Placed at seven and eight; second in the Winton Cup, third Pan Am Mile consolation.

Leyava's fillies included:

(My) Saligna, born in NZ, unraced dam of Silken Smooth (2 wins, 2:00.8, fastest progeny), exported to Australia, her 10 foals produced six winners from seven to race mostly for Solid Earth Pty Ltd, Queensland.

Socialite, unraced, dam of Lady Megan, granddam of Greek To Me, Tom and Grace; Susan Who, dam of Flashbang, 1:55.0, Menangle

Credit: Peter Craig writing in Harnessed Aug 2015