Striker Light

GEORGE Farrugia has been a player in greyhound racing for some time now and a successful one at that.

Only last week George and I discussed some potential matings he is planning ... Midnight Ripple to High Earner, Sleek Momentum to Kinloch Brae. But it was George's star race bitch Striker Light that took my interest.

George had some thoughts, some (in my opinion) handy, some not.

So when, on Saturday night, Striker Light pinged to the front and led throughout as favourite from the Brett Bravo kennel to win the Group 1 National Futurity at Wentworth Park, previous discussions with George about her future became even more important.

Striker Light is by KC And All-Pretty Fancy by Brett Lee. This is the famed Gay's Fancy direct damline that continues to toss up stars throughout the country.

Interesting that just two races later, Nangar Rock was beaten a length into second in the Group 1 National Derby. His dam Fancy Liza is a Brett Lee-Sweet Fancy sister to Pretty Fancy the dam of Striker Light.

While George was looking at home-bred stud dogs as a potential mate for Striker Light, I pointed out to him that champion sire Kinloch Brae could indeed be the best option for her.

Why, you ask?

Because George could indeed produce a "superior product" via such a mating.

Yes, I do indeed mean Superior Product the son of KC And All-USS Ceremony by TNT Star Wars who was a high class race dog in the US before going to stud in Ireland. He won 50 of 82 starts and was a feature race winner and stakes placed.

Breeding enthusiasts should look closely at the pedigree of Superior Product, especially his damsire TNT Star Wars a former top race dog and great sire in the US.

TNT Star Wars is by Fortress-Greys Stardust.

And, yes you are right. TNT Star Wars is bred identically to Kinloch Brae's dam Greys Free Style who is also by Fortress and out of a daughter of Hall of Fame producer Representation.

Putting Striker Light to Kinloch Brae "could" recreate Superior Product a high class stakes dog ... but in reverse.

KC And All is a son of Gable Dodge who has a wonderful "nick" with Fortress (damsire of Kinloch Brae). That's because Fortress brings in a cross of Exception while Gable Dodge carries Lucky Artist a brother to Exception.

The champion Gable Vermillion is just one US superstar bred on this cross. Bob's Skeet is another, Pak Seminole Win is another, Oneco Burntoast is another. Have a look at the pedigree of TNJ Fish Hook and you will see what I mean by this highly successful "nick".

Striker Light is quick early, very quick early. Generally she will probably need a "touch" of strength in her progeny. Kinloch Brae will obviously provide this.

The best progeny of this Kinloch Brae-Striker Light mating could be mated to a future stud dog that carries Smooth Fancy or Swift Fancy (bred on a similar cross to Striker Light's dam Pretty Fancy) in his damline.

WHILE on the subject of Kinloch Brae, he added to his already impressive career in Australia with the Derby winner Big Daddy Bee (Kinloch Brae-Winning Charm by Just The Best).

Winning Charm is a product of Bundaberg (Qld) dog man Steve Martin's astute breeding program via a Brett Lee-Heart Spark bitch call Hearts War he bought more than a decade ago and developed into a Group 1 line.

OK, it was already a Group 1 line via Heart Spark and her famous close relations. But Hearts War won one race, a maiden at Capalaba in a slow 20.51, at her only race start. Two generations later Steve has turned her branch of the family into Group 1 success.

OVER in Perth, another Qld bred in Bogie Bekim (Bekim Bale-Bogie Skye by Surf Lorian) won the Group 1 Galaxy over 715m.

So much for broodbitches being forced to have only a couple of matings before "the powers that don't know" end their careers.

Bogie Bekim is from Bogie Skye's fifth litter. She had already produced superstar Bogie King in her first litter way back in 2009.

AND, the Group 1 Perth Cup went to Equanimity (Barcia Bale-She's Historic by Bombastic Shiraz) beating Pepper Fire who is from the same Winsome Bluebird damline.

It's an amazing feature of genetics that Equanimity is bred identically to legend Miata's first litter, also by Barcia Bale.

Miata had seven pups in her litter to Barcia Bale, whelped in November 2013. Five of them were named, four of them were winners of a grand total of five races. Their combined prizemoney total hardly exceeds $10,000.

She's Historic, dam of the Perth Cup winner, won seven races and was placed 22 times. She was a Mandurah and Cannington winner and successful over 650m.

Yes, breeding is a fascinating thing.