The McCarthy and Lew stables provided a stirring quinella in last Saturday's Treuer Memorial at Bankstown with Washakie just edging out Karloo Mick. Both families enjoyed western districts success either side of the Group One feature, with the Lew–owned filly Karloo Midgy scoring at Young the previous day, and John's brother Pat winning with McAvaney at the Bathurst meeting last Sunday.

Washakie's Treuer win takes his record now to 21 wins from 59 starts and stakes of $440,116. While that's still well shy of the millionaire status recently achieved by Karloo Mick, and approached by Smoken Up, it's still pretty impressive for a comparative youngster just making it on to the Grand Circuit stage.

Washakie is a 6YO bay gelding, first foal, by Badlands Hanover from Shoshoni Sunrise 2:00.9 by O K Bye from Little Doll by Alba Counsel from Twilighter by Sly Yankee.

Badlands Hanover, sire of last season's Gold Crown winner Chariot King, is another son of Western Hanover, the emerging sireline in this country. Another of his sons in Barnett Hanover is the sire of Bohemia Crystal FFA winner and Treuer runner Western Cam.

Little Doll has produced 5 winners , all of average ability and all by sires that would be regarded as quite moderate too. There are no major winners further back in the family, so who gets the credit for Washakie's undoubted ability?

O K Bye has a good record as a maternal sire– Threepence, Oaxaca Lass, Howard Ino, Wirrpunda etc . Or perhaps it's the infusion of high speed into an old, dour collection of family genes?

Or do we just fall back on that truism about the glorious uncertainty of breeding?

Barry Lew has entrusted Karloo Midgy to Bathurst trainer Bernie Hewitt because he will be away from home for much of this season, following the Grand Circuit with Karloo Mick. The filly scored her third win from just seven starts in the Statebred Bonus race at Young.

Karloo Midgy is a 3YO bay filly, sixth foal, by Art Major from Karloo Ronnie 2:03.5 by Troublemaker from Pepperina by Good Humour Man from Diamond Maid by Diamond Hal.

Karloo Ronnie , a winner of four from just seven starts , has a perfect six–from–six in the breeding barn.
Her first two offspring, Karloo Titan (Grinfromeartoear) 22 wins and Karloo Bronson (Life Sign) 11 wins from just 15 starts, have clearly been the best, with Karloos Tracy, Rinny and Caz collecting five wins between them, before the promising Midgy burst onto the scene.

It was Karloo Bronson's unfortunate death in Queensland earlier in the year which almost caused Barry Lew to abandon his Inter–Dom. quest with Karloo Mick and instead head home.

Fortunately he heeded wife Rhonda's timely advice to hang in there, because they were representing the good folk from hometown Dubbo.

There's a 2YO colt this season by Life Sign to look forward to, and perhaps erase any lingering regrets over Bronson.

However that pans out, it's clear that there are two Ronnies in the Lew family that Barry has much to be grateful for.

Pat McCarthy, unlike his well–known younger brother John and nephews Luke and Andrew, has never left his Bathurst hometown, and his stable usually consists of one horse, or several if he's "gone big".

His wins are enjoyed in quiet, unassuming fashion. Such was the case with McAvaney, a maiden winner at Bathurst less than 24 hours after brother John piloted Washakie to that tough Group One at Bankstown.

McAvaney is a 4YO bay/brown gelding, fourth foal, by Safely Kept from Spirit of Tara 1:59.8 by Southern Gentleman from Miss Jaykaye by Hilarious Way from Scarlet Sunrise by Garry Rowan.

McAvaney, whose win would be appreciated by his namesake who called trots races before his subsequent fame as a sports commentator, becomes the third winner of his dam, following Taralinger (D M Dilinger) 12 wins and Spirit of Armbro (Operative) 7 wins .

Spirit of Tara is a full–sister to Renegade Mob 22 wins for $128,963 and Smooth Dixie 40 wins for $242,269 . Six of Miss Jaykaye's eight winners took 2:00 records.

There's a 2YO Village Jasper colt, and a yearling Grinfromeartoear colt , to enhance Spirit of Tara's record over the next few seasons.