Droopys Fool's GROUP 1 National Derby heat win...

Eye Onthe Storm

Another classic case of on paper a moderately performed broodbitch producing a star race dog.

Eye Onthe Storm (Droopys Vieri x Bower Louise)

Droopys Vieri a top line sire, but the dam Bower Louise bares a much closer look than just her moderate race card suggests.

Bower Louise (Bower Major x Bower Tina) - Bower Major was a moderatley performed race dog at best. But, on closer inspection and as mentioned a number of times in earlier articles on this site, in this case Bower Major traces back in tail line to immortal broodbitches Lemon Soda and Skipping Chick. Not to mention carrying immortal broodbitch influences of Manorville Major, Murlen's Slippy, Linda's Champion and Sand Man and you have an exceptionally pre-potent broodbith to go forward with.

Any doubt need only compare Bower Major's pedigree with that of Nifty Niamh dam of the great Premier Fantasy!

Eye Onthe Storm is one for the breeding faithful and purists!

Dedication of breeding to Take Murex

What to breed to in your pedigree?

I've spoken previously about what I've personally termed "elite international genes" (EIG's) and Take Murex is most certainly that...

Legendary Australian breeder Alan Wheeler took his top class racebitch Emiline Bale to Temlee concentrating one part of his pedigree to the legendary Take Murex family, through Temlee descending from the great Pigalle Wonder [Take Murex] sire line and Emiline Bale carrying the Take Murex family - result the greatest racebitch the Wheelers have bred - AGRA Hall of Fame member Winifred Bale.

Allan Wheeler then took Winifred Bale to leading sire Chariot Supreme - Take Murex's greatest sire line outside of Ireland - that of Waverly Supreme - result top class Penrith bitch Roma Bale.

Now with son Paul Wheeler at the helm, Roma Bale visits import sire Barney's Alarm - a reasonable if not moderate sire, heavily bred on the Take Murex family - from sire Satharn Beo a direct descendant of Take Murex to Waverly Supreme's brother Laurdella Fun and so on - resulting in a handy litter of males and containing a bitch named Alarming Bale.

Paul Wheeler then takes Alarming Bale to reasonable sire Faithful Hawk - at the time a sire carrying an above average number of lines of the Take Murex family - resulting in handy bitch Clementine Bale.

Paul Wheeler then takes Clementine Bale to now leading sire Where's Pedro and through the establishment or sheer persistence of breeding to Take Murex in his broodbitch Clementine Bale - combined with the emergence of leading sire Where's Pedro, carrying and bred on numerous lines of Take Murex - results in reportedly the fastest dog the Wheelers have bred and as of last Friday - 2009 Group 2 Geelong Cup winner GRIPEN BALE.

Gripen Bale is a great example of breeding to an "elite international" gene over generations. Whereby eventually a brood loaded with in this case Take Murex is waiting for an emerging star sire loaded with the exact same theme - to some just "lucky", others maybe somewhat an aligning of the stars or maybe just pure reward for dedication to the cause...

Droopys Scholes the dam sire...

Set to become a great dam sire?

Taking a look at Droopys Scholes' third generation - a good 8 lines to analyse.

Walkabout Sid: from the immortal Brother Fox x Promises Free litter - Walkabout Sid in his own right through Head Honcho, but also through his dam Promises Free and her brother Nation Parade - no peer in pre-potent broodbitch lines.

Fitzroy Lass: Head Honcho dam line and proving a global pre-potent broodbitch influence. In Ireland through pre-dominantly Top Honcho - but as has been seen through Go Wild Teddy dam sire of Faypoint Man - the common theme being Head Honcho. Not surprising when the Head Honcho tail line in recent years has produced Advert, Hades Rocket, Pure Inspiration to name a few.

Double Summit: an obscure name and gene to many. Brought to fame through the legendary Top Honcho - but further removed [Double Summit] traces back in tail line to the immortal Zulu Moss - the who's who of Australian greyhounds carry this family. Credibility, Just The Best, Bombastic Shiraz, Primo Uno, Elite State, Betty's Angel etc and we only scratch the surface of the importance of the Zulu Moss family.

Rainbow Bright: the tail dam line of Top Honcho and traces back in tail the the immortal Prairie Peg/Take Murex family. Like Zulu Moss above and even moreso, behind nearly every international great modern day greyhound. In modern times most notably through Waverly Supreme and Laurdella Fun.

I'm Slippy: "elite international gene" behind great greyhounds all over the world. Droopys Scholes carries this gene closes of modern day dam sires and that can only be seen as a positive for his daughters breeding on.

Druids Dalroy: having spoken about the negativity of this gene as far as sires go. Mainly in part to the belief this family is a highly pre-potent brood gene. Backed up by the fact Droopys Scholes dam Droopys Kristin was herself a great broodbitch. Augurs well for Scholes daughters breeding on. Further shown through Druids Dalroy descending from the Sandy Sally dam line producing Bypass Byway and further removed again the immortal Skipping Chick dam line. Arguably the greatest broodbitch line the world has seen - particularly in modern times.

Kyle Jack: immortal brood influence, behind any number of great broodbitches. Even more so in modern times through Kyle Jack's dam line of Lady Babra and the emergence of family member Farloe Melody coming to the fore in countless numbers of Australia's top broods - most notably the great Australian brood Elusive Rebel. But also through the likes of Cromlah Bale, Fenceline, Cyrus The Virus, Lansley Bale - in Lansley Bale himself a great broodbitch sire - and Farloe Melody or the shared Lady Babra gene with Kyle Jack and you have a serious pre-potent broodbitch influence.

Ballinderry Sand: the immortal broodbitch herself and tracing back to the legendary Ballinderry Moth and Skipping Chick, already mentioned above and all in all Droopys Scholes would appear to offer up an exciting mix for his daughters breeding on.

Freshman Sires Series (Killahan Phanter)

Droopys Kewell - leading sire and appearing as the best irish lined sire of sires, with sons Droopys Maldini and Droopys Scolari both doing a fine job at repelling the Australian stud invasion. If Killahan Phanter succeeds at stud, along with other Droopys Kewell sons - then there will be a strong case for Droopys Kewell as a leading sire of sires.

Come On Ranger - leading sire of his time, tracing back to Micklem Sand - a litter sister to the great sire Whisper Wishes. So you have consistent quality sires coming from this tail line and dam sire of Killahan Phanter.

Slaneyside Hare - leading sire in his day and himself a sire of sires [Some Picture, Deep Decision, He Knows, Vintage Prince, Knockeevan Star etc]. Though while not in that position in Killahan Phanter's pedigree - does appear in the dam line of stud dog Droopys Agassi - probably not a great endorsment for Killahan Phanter with Droopys Agassi proving a disappointment at stud. Though did sire the brilliant Droopys Electric and ill-fated Agassi's Ace [even V12 Pedigrees mating plan Lemonfield Daisy]. However, Droopys Agassi does come from that Droopys First tail line - a tail line behind a number of stud flops.

More significant is the sire from completely left field who was never given chance at stud Indian Ruler - who carrying and when bred 3x3 to Slaneyside Hare produced the Group 1 North West Oaks winner Calla Princess. Suggesting Slaneyside Hare can be seen very much as a positive or at the very least a complimentary component to a sires pedigree.

Daley's Gold - what is left to be said - great sire, great broodbitch influence found everywhere. Should be seen as a major positive and far enough back in Killahan Phanter's pedigree to not allow a broods pedigree loaded with the famed Skipping Chick dam line to be overly inbred.

Adraville Bridge - starting to emerge beind some notable sires. In particular Westmead Hawk and his close family relation before him Knockeevan Star [carrying Slaneyside Hare]. Seen more as complimentary, but nonetheless a gene that would appear to be somewhat significant, when you consider classic winner Accordello is bred on and carries a duplication of Adraville's Bridge.

Moral Support - leading sire and broodbitch influence. Who apparently was very fussy when it came to serving the ladies - nontheless of the ones he did fancy, produced some great greyhounds the likes of Manorville Major, Druids Lodge, Tracy Budd and last but not least Fly Cruiser - winner of the 1990 Irish Cesarewitch and 1991 Guinness 600 at Shelbourne Park in track record time. Who in turn [Fly Cruiser] sired Popov, the 1995 Regal 600 winner; Shelbourne 575y track record holder and runner up in the Irish Champion Stakes. Significantly Fly Cruiser is a litter-brother to Killahan Phanter's 5th dam Under The Clock.

Whisper Wishes - great sire and broodbitch influence, found in any number of great sires.

Bright Silver - significantly a litter-sister to Silver Hope and Yanka Boy and 1/2 brother to Faithful Hope, but Bright Silver is a foundation tap-root female herself (see below) - Silver Hope was a great sire descending from the legendary Millie's May tail line. Along with Yanka Boy as a brood influence, behind a number of successful modern day sires such as Droopys Maldini, Roanokee, Ballymac Maeve etc.

Killahan Phanter a Group 1 winner himself comes from an exceptional dam line - with such notables along his tail line - Plastercene Gem (sire), Lenson Express, Lenson Earl, Dunhill, Deerfield Bypass, Skywalker Prince, Supplement, Fly Cruiser (sire), Strange Twist, Lauragh Six right the way back to Irish dog of year Yanka Boy, Silver Hope, Faithful Hope. From separate branches [Perfect Anna], the likes of Shaneboy Lee, Mountleader Peer, Mounleader Omar, Shelbourne Becky, Hillcroft Josie, Shanless Park, Scarty Lad and Aereal View.

All in all it would appear Killahan Phanter offers plenty of positives to suggest at the very least he bares close watching in his freshman year.

Freshman Sires (College Causeway)

Go Wild Teddy: has for the most part produced that lone "freak" of a greyhound in College Causeway - in turn a lone commercial Go Wild Teddy son at stud [anywhere in the world]. The biggest attribute credited to Go Wild Teddy, is his ability to impart speed and chase into his offspring. College Causeway certainly has chase in abundance. But, it would appear his strength has come from his Minnie's Nikita dam line - responsible for producing the brilliant sire Spiral Nikita - himself noted for strength while racing and as a sire source of strength. Will this mix of Go Wild Teddy speed and chase and Minnie's Nikita strength, allow for a leading sire? If nothing else it's an intriguing mix - not dissimilar to Premier Fantasy's pedigree make up.

Staplers Jo: faultless part to College Causeway's pedigree. Whether it be as a sire line through the great Larkhill Jo, Droopys Kewell and continued to Droopys Maldini and Droopys Scolari or as an immortal dam sire in the likes of the ill-fated sire Razldazl Billy. Plenty of evidence to suggest Staplers Jo adds plenty of strength to College Causeways future stud career.

Phantom Flash: found most notably in Spiral Nikita, but more and more in leading race dogs and sires. The most notable being the brilliant sire Ballymac Maeve. More significance is Phantom Flash's tail line of Westmead Satin - aka the tail line of the legendary stud dog Larkhill Jo. This dam line along with Skipping Chick has no peer when duplicated or further line bred. And as such should again be seen as a strong selling point to College Causeway's chances of success at stud.

Curryhills Fox: from here on in it could just be said College Causeway's 2nd dam is a litter-sister to the great race and stud dog Spiral Nikita. And as such his chances of success at stud, would appear better than average. But, nonetheless the rest of his pedigree is worthy of praise. So, Curryhills Fox aka the immortal Skipping Chick dam line, when duplicated, triplicated and so on can be found in any number of modern day greats.

Hurry On Bran: a more obscure gene, but one becoming increasingly significant. Hurry On Bran found in successful sires Spiral Nikita and Droopys Vieri - has shown its powerful potential through a number of Droopys Maldini offspring containing the duplication of Hurry On Bran - such as Droopys Carvalho, Droopys Mal, Hospital Pass etc.

Sally's Gossip: immortal dam line and a dam line behind a number of successful sires around the world - such as the aforementioned Spiral Nikita, Share Profit, Roy Trease, Stoney, Flag Star, Printer's Prince, Deep North, Patricia's Hope etc

Freshman Sires (Ardkill Jamie)

Top Savings - Ardkill Jamie is by far the best son of the brilliantly fast, somewhat moderatley performed sire Top Savings. Question mark whether Top Savings will prove to be a sire of sire through Ardkill Jamie. Though in his defence, Top Savings is a son of the great Top Honcho, carries Sand Man and is a direct tail line decendent of the legendary influence Quare Fire.

Droopys Fintan - the biggest hurdle for Ardkill Jamie to overcome is his dam sire Drooys Fintan. Known as the brilliant Droopys First dam line - this dam line is found in any number of moderatley performed sires such as - El Premier, Rectabond Rebel, Droopys Sandy, Cool Performance, Droopy's Agassi - just a few sires with this Pony Nikita/Droopy's First lineage in their pedigrees and all moderately performed sires. Again as mentioned previously in an earlier article, it will be interesting to see if this gene lends itself more to broodbitch lines, rather than top shelf sire material. Very possible, when you consider Droopys First descends from the immortal broodbitch and influence “Skipping Chick” - a family capable of producing a sire such as the great Daley’s Gold, but for whatever reasons this branch [Droopys First] hasn’t.

Adraville Bridge - and we start to see some real sire strength, though until Wetsmead Hawk entered the sire ranks, Adraville Bridge has had mixed results in sires pedigrees - with the brilliant Climate Control carrying Adraville Bridge and whilst having his moments [Wise Thought, Jesse Bale] hasn't really set the world on fire at stud. The best carrying the [Adraville Bridge] influence would appear related to Westmead Hawk, in the form of Knockeevan Star - suggesting Adraville Bridge is seen to be of relative importance...complimentary, rather than the leading gene to base a successful stud career upon.

Spring Season - the mother of the legendary Some Picture - himself a great ill-fated sire and a great tail line in her own right.

All in all Ardkill Jamie's pedigree gives off mixed signals, to whether he will or won't be a success at stud. Maybe a wait and see approach with this undoubtedly great race dog.