Scoring Up

When three-year-old Come On Billie broke through for his maiden victory at Gawler on Monday at his 14th career start, the win carried far more significance than simply getting his name on the winners’ list.

Come On Billie was the final live foal produced by Whatacorka, who died last year at the grand age of 27, bringing another winner to the remarkable legacy of one of South Australia’s most enduring standardbred families.

During her lengthy career in the breeding barn, Whatacorka produced 10 live foals, with seven becoming winners.

The standout was undoubtedly the enormously popular Come On Frank, a genuine cult hero of South Australian harness racing.

Come On Frank faced the starter on an incredible 130 occasions, winning 61 races and being placed another 38 times — a remarkable record of durability and consistency that made him a favourite with harness racing followers.

Another of Whatacorka’s successful progeny was Whatabro, a winner of 28 races. He began his career with South Australian trainer Darren Billinger before later heading west to continue his racing career in Western Australia.

The Whatacorka influence remains evident on the racetrack today.

Her progeny still racing include four-year-old mare Bringusjoy, already a winner of three races, Twin Connection and now Come On Billie.

There was also a fitting family connection when Billinger recently celebrated his 600th training victory, with the milestone achieved by Twin Connection, another son of Whatacorka.

Uncork Established the Dynasty

While Whatacorka established an outstanding record as a broodmare in her own right, the family story goes back another generation to her dam, the outstanding Uncork.

Bred in New Zealand, Uncork was brought to South Australia in 1993 and proved herself an outstanding racemare before creating an even greater legacy in the breeding barn.

The daughter of Tuapeka Knight won 18 races during her own career, but it was as a broodmare that her influence became particularly significant.

Uncork produced an extraordinary 13 winners, including Saves A Corka, winner of the South Australian Oaks.

Saves A Corka subsequently continued the family tradition at stud, producing Aspiring Artist and Rap Artist, both winners of the Group 2 Southern Cross as two-year-olds.

Another member of the family, Our Little Artist, has further extended the dynasty as the dam of exciting pacer Loucasso, one of the leading contenders for The Eureka.

It is a family that has continued producing quality performers across several generations.

Come On Billie may never reach the extraordinary heights achieved by his famous half-brother Come On Frank, but his breakthrough victory at Gawler ensured the final foal from Whatacorka has now joined the family’s long list of winners.

More importantly, he is another link in a bloodline that continues to flourish more than three decades after Uncork arrived in South Australia.

For a family built on toughness, longevity and winners, the legacy of Uncork is still very much alive.