Fanta Bale

PAUL Wheeler is a clever bugger.

Back in 2013, he'd been given a bitch by Robbie Britton called Ucme Typhoon (Dodgem By Design-USS Mysterious by Greys Flambeau) who had won 11 races and earned $30,000 in a 68-start long career racing in Australia.

Robbie bought her from the US and while much of her racing was over sprints in WA, she was also a 600m Meadows and 650m Sale winner. Robbie gave her to Paul to breed with on the proviso he get the pups to train.

Wheeler liked the deal.

If one takes notice of what Paul Wheeler does when he breeds (and it is my job to do just that), he likes to put US bred bitches to the stud dogs he owns that he feels put in great chase. Turanza Bale (in-bred and balanced perfectly to Walkabout Sid) is one of his best for doing just that.

(Is this why legend Miata was mated to Turanza Bale ... i.e. Found A Diamond.)

The Turanza Bale-Ucme Typhoon litter developed into a hot one.

It included Allen Oregon (19 wins, $103,000), Allen Membo (16 wins, $77,000), Allen Portland (15 wins, $70,000). Five of the eight from this litter won more than $47,000.

Another feature Paul Wheeler likes to achieve when breeding is to put an in-bred stud dog over an in-bred bitch.

There are few more in-bred dogs Wheeler owns than Topgun winner David Bale who is incestuously in-bred 2x1 to half sisters Gold Rush bale and Dyna Beauty (both out of Jindara Bale ... of the Barcia bale direct damline).

While it might not appear that obvious at first glance, Ucme Typhoon is an in-bred bitch. Her second mother Thin Air is hugely in-bred to Blendway and his half sister Being Brave (both out of Hall of Fame producer Buzz Off).

Ucme Typhoon's sire Dodgem By Design is in-bred to the half relations Lucky Artist and Kasco Lady (both from Pat Dalton's famed damline).

But, Ucme Typhoon's dam also brings in Exception a litter sister to Lucky Artist and half sister to Kasco Lady.

The Gable Dodge/Fortress "nick" has been a fabulous one based almost entirely on the cross of Lucky Artist and his sister Exception.

So, when Paul Wheeler put Ucme Typhoon to David Bale there appeared only one significant cross ... a double via sons to Fortress.

But that is far from the case.

Fortified Speed (damsire of David Bale) is bred on the same Fortress/HB's Commander cross to USS Mysterious (dam of Ucme Typhoon). It was a powerful 3x2 cross and positioned to greatly impact upon the resultant offspring.

Those "resultant offspring" include champion Fanta Bale who last week added the Group 1 Albion Park Gold Cup to Group 1 victories in the Australian Cup, Hume Cup, Rookie Rebel and Sandown Cup.

In just 39 race starts she has won 25 and been placed nine times for $800,000 in stakes.

Her littermates include top staying dog Brolly Bale (11 wins, $72,000 and multiple Group 1 finalist), Abed Bale (9 wins, $21,000), Diama Bale (5 wins, $19,000) and Heiski Bale (4 wins, $12,000).

Since then Ucme Typhoon has been mated to Spring Gun by Wheeler and this litter has just turned two.

Ucme Typhoon has since been bred to Barcia Bale by Shane Fisher at Lara, whelping three dogs and five bitches.

It is interesting that Fanta Bale has a cross of Greys Flambeau a litter brother to Greys Free Style the dam of Kinloch Brae. Obviously, Fanta Bale could be mated to a stud dog with Kinloch Brae in its make-up somewhere.

WHILE, on great pedigree designs, the pedigree of KONG (Mogambo-Fantasy Royale by Premier Fantasy) was one that took my interest.

Third in the Richmond Riches, he recently won at Wentworth Park in 29.68 to stamp himself a hot, hot race dog.

His pedigree is great and should be studied by those interested.

He is 3x3 to Brett Lee at the top and bottom of his pedigree. This is the 3x3 position found in Token Prince (to Waverly Supreme), Worth Doing and Brett Lee's own sire Gun Law Osti (3x3 to Temlee).

But, Kong also carries a cross of Spanish Dancer and the similarly bred Head Honcho, and Ginger and National Lass whose dams are genetic sisters.

Do the "test mating" on each of these crosses and it will be obvious.

Marty Hallinan has been utilising the Head Honcho/Spanish Dance mix for ages.

Champion My Bro Fabio is bred on this cross.