Both horses were bred by former NSW Racing boss Tony Hartnell on his Meringo Stud, one which is perched on a ridge running down to the ocean a short drive south of Moruya and which also produced another grand sprinter in Mr Innocent.
  The main spotlight  last week was on Takeover Target as he attempted to emulate the feat of Choisir, the first Australian bred, owned and trained performer to win at Royal Ascot, annexing the coveted sprint double, the same two races, in 2003. Bought by his owner and trainer, Queenbeyan taxi driver Joe Janiac, as a supposedly dicky legged untried two-year-old in Sydney for only $1,200 and now earner of over $2million, the six-year-old gelded Takeover Target, like Choisir, had established himself as a first class sprinter back home. His 11 wins here have included two Group1s at Flemington, the Salinger Stakes and Lightning Stakes, and two Group1 thirds were appearances in the Doomben 10,000 and Oakleigh Plate.

  Early in his career he was the winner of historic Ramornie Handicap at Grafton, just up to road from Coffs Harbour, the base for his two younger half-sisters Shady Henrietta (seven wins including one in Sydney) and Saskarla (four wins at north coast tracks from eight starts).Trained and part owned by Ken Lantry, they are by the Mr. Prospector sire Mr. Henrysee, a resident now at the Lamont's Kooringal Stud near Wagga Wagga but initially used at the Meringo Stud where he also sired Mr Innocent, one of the best horses ever trained at Coffs Harbour.

  Takeover Target, Shady Henrietta and Saskarla are nearly three-quarter relations as last week's Royal Ascot hero is by Celtic Swing, a champion European two-year-old and French Derby winner by the Mr. Prospector sire Damister.

  They are the only three live foals produced by their dam Shady Stream in seven seasons at stud. She had dead foals in 1998 (from her debut service), 2002 and 2003 and missed in 2004. Shady Stream is an unraced half-sister by the former good Lomar Park sire Archregent (CAN) to the Fred Brown Glen Avon Lodge, Southbrook, Qld bred Brisbane winners Admiral Spy and Roadspy and is from the Spectacular Spy (USA) stakes winner Merry Shade.

  Merry Poppins, the grandam of Merry Shade, was a half-sister to Sports Queen, the dam of Top Charger (won five stakes sprints Sydney) and Olympic Flame (four Sydney wins). Olympic Flame is a veteran producer for the Woodlands stud with her eight winners including the high class sprinters Sports and Seika.

  Also trained at Coffs Harbour (Gordon Yorke) is budding new champion sprinter Natural Destiny, a three-year-old colt  by AJC Derby and Rosehill Guineas winner and Tokyo Japan Cup second Naturalism and from another Meringo Stud Archregent  mare, the unraced Force of Destiny.

   Now winner of seven of nine starts including the Group 3 W.J. Healy Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, Natural Destiny is another big sale bargain, being sold for only $10,000 at the William Inglis Sydney Classic sale.