Serg Blanco kicking goals in Oz

By Peter Wharton

Serg Blanco, a Bettor’s Delight gelding named after the star French rugby player, is one of the most capable young pacers racing in Victoria at present. He has won four races and has been twice Group placed in a comparatively short time and has worked his way back to an NR94 mark.

Serg Blanco winning on Ballarat Cup Night
(c) Stuart McCormick

Only a five-year-old, he showed up last season as a four-year-old above average when he won twice at Addington for Ohoka horseman Paul Kerr. He also won three races at Addington at three years.

Serg Blanco was bred and raised by Woodlands Stud, who bought his dam, the Live Or Die mare Ca Cest Lamore, in foal to Bettor’s Delight from the Les Girls No. 2 Syndicate in 2017.

Ca Cest Lamore, who was unraced, left Aramis (by Sir Lincoln), a winner of three races in NZ and who later took a record of 1:53.2 in America as her first foal. He finished up with a stake tally of $US99,289.

Serg Blanco was her second issue. He was knocked down for $75,000 to Canterbury owner Keith Ovens at NZ Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka in 2019.

Next was the Bettor’s Delight three-year-old filly Shapely, followed by her two-year-old sister That Is Love, now in work with Cran and Chrissie Dalgety.

“We have decided to keep her to race and later breed from,” Woodlands spokesman Tony Grayling said.

Tony Grayling, Woodlands Stud Studmaster with Bettor’s Delight

Ca Cest Lamore’s weanling colt by Bettor’s Delight will be offered at next year’s sale at Karaka. She is safely in foal to Woodlands’ exciting young American stallion Downbytheseaside.

Ca Cest Lamore belongs to one of New Zealand’s most successful maternal families. She ranks as a half-sister to four winners including the NZ and Victoria Oaks winner Copper Beach, dam of the champion racemare and six-time Group 1 winner De Lovely and the country cups winner Zadaka and grand-dam of this year’s Miracle Mile winner Catch A Wave.

Their dam, Les Payzen Star, also unraced, was a half-sister by Payson’s Brother to the Inter Dominion, Hunter Cup and Auckland Cup winner Elsu and the NZ Sires Stakes’ 2YO Championship winner Revonez, being out of Interchange, a dual NZ Broodmare of the Year and by New York Motoring from the Bachelor Hanover mare Zenover, and tracing to the taproot Bell Aurore.

Serg Blanco is closely related to Staroftheshow, a three-year-old Vincent colt who won the $100,000 APG Gold Bullion at Melton on the same night as he won.