Oakbank Estate is a respected harness nursery
Gary and Louise Toulmin’s Oakbank Estate, set in lush pastures on the foothills of Mt Buninyong, is one of the fastest growing standardbred nurseries in Victoria.
Oakbank Estate is home to 50 broodmares owned by a range of clients, including Soho Standardbreds and Summit Bloodstock.
The Toulmin family provide the full range of services from breeding mares, foaling down, weaning and handling through to yearling preparation and breaking-in.
They will offer three quality yearlings at the 2025 APG Melbourne Yearling Sale on February 2.
The first, Lot 3, is a colt by impressive French trotting stallion Classic Connection (Tr1.54.1, $614K) from the unraced Earl mare Countess Angela, who is from the famous Maori Miss family.
The colt is a half brother to Menangle Park Cup (G3) winner Van Sank (1.54.7, $198K). winner of 18 races and Stawell Trotting Cup runner-up Suga Daddy (Tr2.0.1, $45K) – both were 2YO winners.
Van Sank set a track record at Albion Park in 2024 and was a finalist in the 2023 Interdominion trotting final.
Countess Angela is a half sister to Calder Sensation (Tr2.2.1, $142K). Her grandam is a half sister to superstar Maori’s Idol, who won 40 of his 46 starts in the mid-1970s.
This family has produced many generations of star trotters, including 2024 glamour girl Keayang Zahara, winner of eight Group 1 winners from her 14 starts.
Lot 6 is a filly by well credentialled US sire Huntsville from unraced Art Major mare Eily Lou Lou, who is from the illustrious Burgundy Lass family.
The cross of Huntsville over an Art Major mare has produced nine wins from one crop in Australia, including his fourth top earner Tardelli (1.53, $167K), who won the Group 1 Bathurst Gold Crown final in 2022.
This filly’s dam is a half sister to 2YO NZ colt of the year and NSW Derby winner Gotta Go Cullen (1.58.4, $1.1M)
Her grandam is a half sister to superstar pacer Il Vicolo (1.56.9, $1.5M) and the dam of Stunin Cullen (1.54.1, $1.3M).
The Toulmin’s third offering is Lot 26, a colt by Downbytheseaside from the family of their foundation mare Oak Valley, who produced star 1980s filly Handibank (1.59.8, $122K) with her first foal.
Handibank won 11 races as a 2YO and 3YO, including the Queensland Oaks and the 3YO Vicbred fillies final. She left five winners at stud.
The name Oakbank Estate was derived from the first two horses owned by Gary -
Oak Valley the dam of Handibank,” Louise Toulmin said.
“We pride ourselves on our pastures, services and facilities that have been designed and implemented with the horses best interest in mind.”
This colt’s grandam, Belief, is a half sister to Handibank and won five races.
For full details of Oakbank Estates entries and all yearlings in the 2025 Melbourne Yearling Sale please visit our Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer today!
