Linden Magpie
WHEN a dog runs 29.28 around Sandown as Linden Magpie did recently, it's time to take a look at the make-up of its pedigree.
Linden Magpie is by Where's Pedro-Avon Lyla May the dam being a daughter of Elgrando. He has now raced 33 times for 14 wins and 10 placings.
He can run, and run very fast.
Before that 29.28 win, Linden Magpie had reeled off 29.45 and 29.58 wins at Sandown. He has won seven of his past 12 starts.
Even a brief look at the dog's pedigree will show he is intensely line bred and also bred on a cross that has worked to previously produce a champion.
You'll all remember El Grand Senor, the son of Where's Pedro and Laurels runner-up Elgrando Gold, who was Australian greyhound of the year after a swag of Group 1 wins and track records. He is now at stud.
El Grand Senor is by Where's Pedro from a Elgrando bitch.
Linden Magpie is by Where's Pedro from a Elgrando bitch.
This is particularly interesting because Elgrando has My Madigan as his dam and she is a DAUGHTER of Gun Law Osti who just happens to be the grandsire of Where's Pedro.
Gun Law Osti is line bred and sex balanced in the pedigree of both El Grand Senor and Linden Magic 3x4. The position of Gun Law Osti in Elgrando is particularly conducive to producing a quality male.
The intensity in the link between Where's Pedro and Elgrando bitches is not necessarily simply because of the duplication and balance of Gun Law Osti.
Take particular notice of the position of Paris Match in the damline of Where's Pedro. Paris Match, of course, is the genetic sister to Gun Law Osti.
But there is much more intensity in Linden Magpie than just the multiple crosses of Gun Law Osti and Paris Match.
That's because his second dam Avon Joy is a daughter of Cry Havoc (Head Honcho-Wee Sal).
Of course, we must remember that Where's Pedro is a son of Brett Lee who is out of Sobbing Sal a half sister to Cry Havoc.
In the pedigree of Linden Magpie, not only does he have that saturation of Gun Law Osti and Paris Match, he also brings in a 3x3 cross of Sobbing Sal and her half brother Cry Havoc.
Linden Magpie's sire and dam Where's Pedro and Avon Lyla May are bred almost identically but with some subtle balances.
When researching a pedigree like that of Linden Magpie, I always like to look further than just the "on the page" make-up that goes to produce a very fast dog like this.
I didn't have to look far to find even more fascinating aspects to it.
Take for instance Linden Magpie's second dam Avon Joy (Cry Havoc-Ella's Joy by Walkabout Sid).
Avon Joy was a speedster, not able to run much past 400m. Her saturated pedigree, very closely in-bred to speed lines, was always going to restrict her to short courses.
But she won plenty of races and with such close-up line breeding she certainly proved herself worthy of being bred with. She hasn't let anyone down.
Avon Joy's pedigree shows a 3x3 cross of Walkabout Sid at the top and bottom of the pedigree.
This is an interesting position within her make-up.
Many great gallopers have been bred on this theme.
Such greats as Token Prince (3x3 at the top and bottom of his pedigree to Waverly Supreme), Worth Doing (3x3 to Temlee) and Gun Law Osti (3x3 to Temlee) all have a dominant stud dog at the top and bottom of their third line.
But Avon Joy also has a 3x3 cross of the litter sisters and champion producers I'm Blessed and Wanzel, one coming via a daughter, the other via a son and in a position to greatly impact upon the resultant offspring � Avon Joy.
Such intense in-breeding MUST give Avon Joy all the best attributes of the ancestors to which she is in-bred, meaning the great producing sisters I'm Blessed and Wanzel.
The trick with breeding Avon Joy was to allow her to pass on these attributes.
Put to Elgrando, she produced Avon Lyla May the runner-up to Cromlah Bale in a Traralgon Cup, and third placegetter behind Magnificent Love and Vapour Whirl in a Warragul Cup final. She was also a multiple city winner and feature race victor.
Avon Joy did exactly what she was bred to do…carry the best genes of her ancestors on to her progeny.
Not all in-bred bitches can do this, or are given the chance to do it.
Elgrando was a pretty moderate sire at stud. His influence in pedigrees of today comes from having Gun Law Osti as his damsire and thus able to impact any matings Elgrando daughters have.
In an earlier litter to Nobody's Fool, Avon Joy produced the very fast Farm Glory a Traralgon track record breaker.
Linden Magpie's fifth dam Flying Diamond was line bred 3x3 to Lady's Crown a half sister to champion Ragsie and Del Bairn. They were out of Hobart Thousand winner Fairbairn Lady.
This is a damline that produces great soundness. Linden Magpie has littermates that can run very fast as well.
It didn't surprise me one bit that they could.
Such intensity in this pedigree for the sisters of Linden Magpie could soon need an outcross to let some hybrid vigor back in.
It doesn't have to be a total outcross though.
It will be interesting to see which way the owners of Linden Magpie's sisters go when it comes time to breed them.
