Bling It On to stand in Queensland

By Darren Cartwright

Queensland’s lucrative $3.5 million breeder’s incentive scheme is the reason retired NSW-based harness racing champion Bling It On is being brought north to stand at stud later this year.

The 18-time Group winner, with a service fee of $3,300, stood his first two seasons at stud at Cobbitty Equine Farm at Cobbitty, about 50km southwest of Sydney as the crow flies.

However, Cobbitty Farm owners and well-known harness racing identities Luke and Belinda McCarthy are bringing Bling It On to their Stockleigh stud, 45km south of Brisbane.

The “amazing” QBRED Scheme, which offers bonuses of up to $21,500, is the prime reason Bling It On is being brought to southeast Queensland, said Belinda.

“He doesn’t have a full book yet, but he received a full book last year and we are expecting him to have a full book again this season,” she said..

“The reason we decided to take him up there was to get him into the QBRED, which is an amazing scheme.

“You get $21,500 in bonuses and the owner gets 90 per cent and the breeder gets 10 per cent.

“We’ve had a lot of breeders asking us to bring stallions up there because they want to be part of the QBRED scheme.”

The now 12-year-old stallion was Australia 2YO and 3YO Pacer of the Year and was a winner from 1609m to 2760m, including the AG Hunter Cup in record time with Luke in the sulky and the 2014 Queensland Derby at Albion Park.

Already, Bling It On has sired 38 individual starters for 21 individual winners.

The winners include Group 1 champion and NSW 2YO Filly of the Year Madrid, and his first two crops have collectively earned more than $470,000.

“It also means wherever the mare is domiciled, they are eligible for their own state’s breeding scheme,” she said.

“But if you go to Bling It On, you are part of the QBRED scheme and I’m sure it’s the richest scheme of any state has going for them.”

A full book for Bling It On consists of 150 mares, with a discount for multiple bookings, she said.

“Last year, it was a flat fee with no discounts, but this year there are multiple mare discounts,” Belinda said.

Bling It On will arrive in Queensland at the end of July before breeding season starts on September 1.