Big Wheel’s full-brother Blacksadance (five wins) was an unlucky fourth in the feature QBRED pace of the night – the $50,000 Triad Final for the 3YO Colts & Geldings – won by Governor Jujon.
“They aren’t the prettiest brothers in the world, in fact I’d say they are quite ugly,” Polson said.
“Dumbo has big ears so his nickname was obvious, and that’s why we called the other fella ‘Mouse’.
“They are both by A Rocknroll Dance, and I always liked great racehorses from the USA.”
He said had it not been for NSW trainer David Thorn, he would not have come across Washington Lass.
“He found her for me and started this great trip for me,” Polson said.
“I’ve owned horses before and bred a couple with friends but this was my first solo venture - I’m still very raw, but am learning as I go.
“All I know is that Chantal and Pete are so good with my horses, they have developed them beautifully.
“I can’t speak highly enough of them, I wouldn’t want my pacers in any other stable.
“The progress they have made in recent times has been unbelievable.
“The staff also need a big pat on the back too because they do the hard yards handling them every day.”
The siblings are out of the 2006 Washington VC New Zealand mare, Washington Lass.
She had 10 races in New Zealand for 10 starts and four placings, coming to Thorn’s barn in July 2011.
“She was quite a nice pacer, she won second up for us at Menangle as the $1.60 favourite and then went on to win eight more races and $53,000, before we retired her in July 2015,” Polson said.
“She could have gone a lot further, but she was a ‘roarer’, and in the end we had to have her operated on.
“She would have been a much better racehorse had she not had throat and breathing problems.”
He said because he had raced a horse with Turpin before, Polson decided to send Washington Lass north where the weather was kinder on her lungs.
“She won three races up there, including her first two at Redcliffe,” Polson said.
“She never reached her full potential as a racehorse because of her breathing problems, and for that reason I always thought she would make a nice broodmare.”
Washington Lass has left three foals, the last a Sunshine Beach brown yearling colt who is also being prepared by Turpin and McMullen.
“He’s a lovely little fella as well, but his feet aren’t the best and Chantal said he was a work in progress,” Polson said.
“We didn’t have her (Washington Lass) served last season, but she’s now back in foal to Sunshine Beach again, because he’s a stallion which really attracted my eye.”