He Knows Uno
EVERYONE who turned up to Albion Park last Thursday night on Flying Amy Classic and Gold Cup night was obviously there to see Miata perform.
The "Black Caviar of the greyhound world" copped a severe check out of the boxes and that was the end of her chances.
While most were disappointed not to see Miata show the world once again just how she can sustain her sensational speed over a distance, everyone also cheered home the local hero He Knows Uno.
Few dogs are as exciting as the son of Primo Uno-Honeymoon's Over who is raced by Lillian Patterson and was bred and is trained by her husband Mick.
Never a more likable bloke has graced the greyhound world than Mick Patterson.
In 2011, He Knows Uno was judged to have staged the "run of the year" when he came from a seemingly hopeless position to win a race at Wentworth Park.
Not just any race, but a top grade race.
Queenslanders have seen He Knows Uno put in a run of the year type performance most of his career.
After winning the Gold Cup, and coping with the numerous pats on the back, Mick Patterson was in memory mode.
He told me one of his proudest achievements was having bred He Knows Uno, having raced and bred his mother, and having raced his grandmother.
And all this from a house block in the idyllic little fishing village called Iluka on the NSW north coast.
So what is it that makes He Knows Uno tick.
He's a son of Primo Uno the former star sprinter who has proven himself over time as one of the star stud dogs seen in this country in the past few years.
Honeymoon's Over, dam of He Knows Uno, was a pretty good race bitch.
But the story starts with Divorce Remorse (Token Prince-Outrageous Alice) who Mick trained for NSW breeder Adele Power.
Divorce Remorse was a 30.17 winner around Wentworth Park. The bitch produced a litter to Brett Lee that included Honeymoon's Over and a very good race bitch called Nellie Bligh.
Honeymoon's Over won 13 races from about 28 starts. She was very fast. She went 24.00 when the track record at Lismore was 23.98. She made the final of a Grafton Sprinters Cup and Casino Cup.
The pedigree of He Knows Uno is diverse. It carries many great names, Black Shiraz, Brett Lee, Token Prince, New Tears etc.
There are few immediate aspects to it that stand out apart from a 4x5 link between the litter brothers Buka Sunset and Malawi, and a 4x5x5 link between Walkabout Sid, Amerigo Man and West Cape. Interestingly, the sets of brothers come via alternate sexes, Buka Sunset and Walkabout via daughters in Primo Uno, Malawi and West Cape via sons in Honeymoon's Over.
I have spent some time researching the pedigree of He Knows Uno.
One very interesting factor I found was that Honeymoon's Over carries a cross of Tangairn in her damline.
Outrageous Alice, third dam of He Knows Uno, is by Warren's Flyer whose damsire is Tangairn (Tangaloa-Del Bairn Babe).
What is interesting about this is the fact Primo Uno's fourth dam is the former great galloper Nikki Bairn (Chief Dingaan-Del Bairn Babe).
Thus there is another strong link in the pedigree of He Knows Uno via Nikki Bairn and her half brother Tangairn.
While the link between Nikki Bairn and Tangairn comes into this pedigree 5x6, it is however along the X path in the pedigree and thus has a strong chance of impacting.
If we trace the direct female line of He Knows Uno, there are some really fascinating ancestors along his tail female line.
His fourth dam Alice Irene (Admiral Lynch-Gallant Doll) was the Vic Peters Memorial at Wentworth Park and ran 29.90 there on the grass - a phenomenal performance.
Alice Irene's third dam Top Doll (Black Top-Rojean) was a litter sister to Swanston Lass winner of the Australian cup and a track record breaker as well.
If we go further down the line we come to a bitch called Miss Gerphna (Minda Jerry-Lady Rodanthea) a litter sister to a bitch called Theaminda who just happened to chase home the legend Chief Havoc at Harold Park when he equalled the 800 yard track record way back in 1947.
Miss Gerphna's third dam Hillcourt Lass (Low Comedian-Hillcourt Dickens) won the 1928 NSW Waterloo Cup.
Hillcourt Lass' third dam Hillcourt Lioness (Hillcourt-Lioness) was imported from England in 1915.
Hillcourt Kioness was heavily in-bred to the famous broodbitch Sea Serpent (Glenlivet-Mermaiden) who herself was a heavily in-bred bitch.
Which brings us back to He Knows Uno.
While he is obviously the standout in his litter, his brother Paddy Wack was an outstanding prospect who damaged a stopper bone as a pup and never got to show his true worth.
Their sister Maddie Louise is a very good race bitch and a Wentworth Park winner in smart time.
Mick and I have discussed her future matings.
We are very keen on a mating to Cosmic Rumble (Spiral Nikita-Spiritual Rumble) who is really starting to make broodbitch owners take notice.
A mating of Cosmic Rumble-Maddie Louise will duplicate Brett Lee 3x3, duplicate and sex balance Malawi's Prince 4x5, but will bring in a significant link between Spiral Nikita and the pedigree of Maddie Louise.
Moral Standards, the English Derby winner who eventually found his way to Australia as a stud dog, sits in a position of influence in the pedigree of Maddie Louise.
Minnies Nikita is the dam of Spiral Nikita (sire of Cosmic Rumble). She is heavily line bred to the litter brothers Lucky Wonder and Wonder Valley (Pigalle Wonder-Racing Millie). Wonder Valley won the Irish Derby. Lucky Wonder won the Irish National Sprint.
No Way Jose, the dam of Moral Standards, is line bred to the famous Irish broodbitch Millie Hawthorn.
Racing Millie (dam of Wonder Valley and Lucky Wonder) and Glittering Millie (dam of Millie Hawthorn) are half sisters.
Along the female line of Millie Hawthorn and the brothers Lucky wonder and Wonder Valley is a bitch called May Moon VII who is line bred to none other than that great broodbitch Sea Serpent who is found in the damline of He Knows Uno and Maddie Louise.
