Admittedly, many of the mares who won New Zealand Cups failed at stud, the most obvious recent exception being Blossom Lady, who produced a Hunter Cup winner in Mister DG.
However, Blossom Lady was never mated with a New Zealand Cup winner, nor was 2005 winner Mainland Banner.
Kym's Girl was, being served by Christian Cullen three times, but never produced a foal to him.
The dual heroines of early 1980s Cups, Armalight and Bonnie's Chance, were both served by Cup winner Lordship.
Bonnie's Chance's foal died, Armalight slipped one and the other was unraced. Although that last foal went on to become the fourth dam of high-class pacer Ohoka Punter.
With a huge gap to other New Zealand Cup-winning mares, Loyal Nurse (1949) was never served by a fellow Cup winner but two-time Cup winner Haughty (1942 and 1943) produced two foals to 1945 winner Gold Bar without great success.
The coupling-of-Cup-winners curse even dates back to 1911 winner Lady Clare, who was served by the remarkable Wildwood Junior, a horse incredible in that he won the 1909 and 1910 New Zealand Cups back to back, having never raced in between.
That foal never raced either.
Owner Charles Roberts says Adore Me going to Christian Cullen will mean the resulting foal will be a close relation to his other superstar Christen Me, ironically the favourite for this season's New Zealand Cup.
But Roberts, the principal of Woodlands Stud, must have been tempted to keep Adore Me for one of Woodlands stallions like American Ideal or newcomer Sweet Lou, while new rave stallion Somebeachsomewhere was also a contender.
Regardless, Adore Me's first foal will be one of the most anticipated in the proud history of standardbred breeding in this country.
The mare scored the latest win of her career on Saturday night when she was named North Island Aged Pacer of the Year at the annual dinner at Alexandra Park, the glamour event of the northern industry's season.
Speeding Spur won trotter of the year, while other winners were The Orange Agent and her connections, Dream About Me, Shandale, High Gait and Have Faith In Me.
Zac Butcher beat strong opposition to win northern driver of the year, Brian Hughes doing likewise for the trainer award, while Barry Purdon received the achievement award for Sky Major becoming the first three-time Jewels winner. Cambridge couple Peter and Wendy Ferguson won the outstanding contribution to harness racing award, the night's premier honour.
Meanwhile, Christen Me remains the Cup favourite after his comeback win at Addington last Friday and is likely to meet mainly the same opposition in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday.
