Balanced Breeding

I READ with interest some of the posts on a recent Greyhound Data topic about “sex balancing” within a mating and its worth.

The argument went back and forth, for and against. “Prove it” said some, “can't be right” said others.

I want to follow this up with a few paragraphs written by one of the world's great thoroughbred pedigree advisors whose list of greats he has designed the pedigree for is simply amazing.

“There are many ways a breeder is able to duplicate an ancestor because different patterns may be designed. If there is concentration of a male ancestor only via his sons, it is a limiting factor and will automatically exclude any valuable sex-linked genes located on the X sex chromosome. Male ancestors can only transmit their Y sex chromosome to sons. However, by reinforcing a male ancestor via both sexes (son and daughter) it provides an opportunity for valuable sex-linked genes to be inherited because a male ancestor's X sex chromosome is always given to his daughters. This is why I preach the concept of duplicating male ancestors via sons and daughters so as to deploy similar genes on BOTH sides of chromosomal pairings.”

Wow! That will have a few scratching their heads for sure.

I don't wish to bore the tears out of any of you by enhancing on our instant genetics lesson.

But what I want to do is show some examples of what sex balancing can achieve, or to be more precise, what it has achieved.

Everyone who has heard of the broodbitch Wee Sal put up your hand!

I'm sure anyone who reads this column will for sure know that Wee Sal (Chariot Supreme-I'm Blessed by Bowetzel) is a goldmine and the granddam of legend Brett Lee.

Everyone will also be well aware of that grand greyhound Shining Chariot and what a sensational race dog he was and what an influence within pedigrees he still is today.

Shining Chariot was by Chariot Supreme-Shining Light. His dam is a half sister to Bowetzel the damsire of Wee Sal … so what you may ask.

But it is the overall pedigree of both Wee Sal and Shining Chariot I want you to concentrate on.

You see, Wee Sal and Shining Chariot are almost sister and brother.

Both are by Chariot Supreme and they have in their damlines the half brother and sister.

We have always seen that bringing in brothers and sisters, half brothers and half sisters, into a pedigree can upgrade for racetrack success.

So it would make sense to design pedigrees that include successful ancestors that are bred on almost identical lines and Wee Sal and Shining Chariot are not only successful, but genetically the same.

This is an incredible example of balanced breeding. Wee Sal is a female, Shining Chariot is a male. Chariot Supreme is duplicated but significantly sex balanced coming via a daughter and son.

The male Bowetzel is brought in via a female in Wee Sal and the female Shining Light (his half sister) is brought in via her son Shining Chariot.

So, whenever Wee Sal and Shining Chariot are combined within a pedigree, but more importantly in a position to be able to impact with each other, then we could hope this could upgrade for racetrack success.

Brett Lee (Gun Law Osti-Sobbing Sal) has Wee Sal as his second dam, so it would be only natural that we should mate him to bitches that carry Shining Chariot to allow this close line breeding and balanced breeding, to impact on the resultant offspring.

When Brett Lee mated the Sandown Laurels runner-up Leprechaun Yap, it produced a litter worth dying for. Betty's Angel was Australian greyhound of the year, her sister Leprechaun Pace won the Paws of Thunder and Miss Mini Mouse was outstanding.

Their dam Leprechaun Yap carries TWO crosses of Shining Chariot in her pedigree to link with Wee Sal.

Now let's take a look at the pedigree of Trewly Special, Trew Millions, Borat, Go Forever … the myriad of star performers sired by Brett Lee from that wonderful producer Chloe Jones.

Chloe Jones, too, has a cross of Shining Chariot in her pedigree and significantly positioned to again link with Wee Sal.

So, here we have two of the best litters sired by Brett Lee and both have this powerful “balance” and close genetic relationship between Wee Sal and Shining Chariot.

Let's now look at an extension of this.

If it works one way, then surely it must work in reverse.

Obviously we should try to mate daughters of Brett Lee to stud dogs that carry Shining Chariot in their make-up, preferably in the damline.

Last year's Group 1 Paws Of Thunder winner Lochinvar Marlow is by Bombatic Shiraz from a daughter of Brett Lee. Bombastic Shiraz, of course, has Shining Chariot sited perfectly along his tail female line and ready to impact with Wee Sal.

Lochinvar Marlow was the result.

As an extension of all this, last year's Group 1 National Sprint winner Smooth Fancy is by Collision from a daughter of Brett Lee.

Collision has Shining Chariot's full sister Centrefire in his pedigree.

Mogambo, quickly making a name for himself as a sire, is an extension of this as well. He is by Brett Lee's son Where's Pedro and his dam Zarbo too has a double to Shining Chariot.

Another very interesting example of the Wee Sal/Shining Chariot link is the Group winner True Kihael (Trewly Special-Tell Tall Tales). We have already seen that Trewly Special is bred on the Wee Sal/Shining Chariot nick.

Tell Tall Tales is by Master Havoc, another son of Wee Sal. Not only does True Kihael's pedigree contain in-breeding to half brothers Brett Lee and Master Havoc, but it again reinforces the Wee Sal/Shining Chariot nick.

Now let's take a look at Malawi's Prince that most dominant of speed influences. He is by a son of Waverly Supreme from a daughter of Bowetzel. Wee Sal is by a son of Waverly Supreme from a daughter of Bowetzel. Shining Chariot is by a son of Waverly Supreme from a sister to Bowetzel.

Thus you would expect Malawi's Prince to have a similar impact as those instances above … and he most certainly does.

Genetic compatibility can upgrade for racetrack success. It doesn't always work. But linking Wee Sal, a champion broodbitch, to Shining Chariot, a champion race dog and outstanding sire, did in many instances. Betty's Angel is not a bad instance.

It is a very strong example of “balanced breeding”.