Collision and Run’s House

PEDIGREE research can often lead to some great revelations. Take for instance the success at stud of former Wentworth Park track record breaker Collision. Whenever a dog goes to stud, astute breeders always look for a few unmistakable truths about him that could lead to siring winners, quality dogs and more importantly Group winners.

Collision (Awesome Assassin-Rumble Spirit by Malawi's Prince) fulfilled a number of the criteria that aids a young dog to reach the top at stud.

Firstly he was a track record breaker and history has shown that stud dogs that broke records on the track often become exceptional sires. Generally those records are the toughest to break...city sprint records.

Those records have stood the test of time. Just like the 520m mark at Wentworth Park. Only an exceptional galloper sets a new time standard at a track like that.

Consider the number of exceptional greyhounds who race the 520m distance at Wenty and yet are not able to lower its mark. It said something for Collision's ability....his sheer speed.

But track records are just one component that makes a top class sire, as Collision has proved himself to be.

His pedigree gave broodbitch owners so many options that he had to be right for bitches with varied pedigrees.

The impact of Brother Fox on the bloodlines of Australian, and world, greyhound racing has been huge. It was no surprise so many of his sons went to stud and proved themselves.

It's difficult to find a broodbitch that does not carry a son of Brother Fox within her pedigree.

Therein was one of the most important factors of the potential success for Collision when he went to stud.

Collision carried only one cross of Brother Fox in his pedigree, through his DAUGHTER Follow Through in his immediate tail female line.

This is all important for Collision to be able to "balance" the many, many broodbitches that carry Brother Fox SONS within their pedigree.

Add to that, Collision's most important ancestor is Malawi's Prince, his damsire. We have all seen what an influence Malawi's Prince's daughters have become at stud.

A few years ago there were some who were reluctant to duplicate Malawi's Prince within a pedigree. At stud he was generally thought of as a sire who produced quality sons. While his best offspring was the champion bitch Tenthill Doll, many, many of his best progeny were males.

It was also thought the determination of some of his offspring could be found wanting at times. Thus the reluctance of some to duplicate this most famous of stud dogs.

This could not be further from the truth. A duplication of Malawi's Prince is popping up everywhere in the pedigrees of top class greyhounds. His domination at stud as a sire of winners simply had to make his a top class broodbitch sire.

Last year's Melbourne Cup winner Lord Ducal (Bombastic Shiraz-Ducal Princess) is bred on a 3x3 duplication of Malawi's Prince.

Many of the top progeny of Bombastic Shiraz carry the Malawi's Prince duplication (Super Hornet was in-bred 3x3 to Malawi's Prince). Queensland's own greyhound of the year finalist High Earner (Collision-Double Guess) is bred similarly.

Add to that, Collision also carried a duplication of the famous broodbitch Princess Diro, through her daughter Shining Light, and her half brother Bowetzel...balanced nicely.

So what bitches would suit Collision?

Of course, it would have to be any broodbitch that carry SONS of Brother Fox ... they are almost everywhere throughout Australia.

Add to that, bitches that carry Shining Chariot to link up with his sister Centrefire in the sireline of Collision.

Another option would have to be bitches that carry Buka Sunset, the litter brother to Malawi sire of Malawi's Prince, Collision's most dominant ancestor.

Bitches that carry SONS of Malawi's Prince (i.e. Token Prince) are perfect.

History has shown that the above is how many of the best progeny of Collision are bred. There are always exceptions, but with all pedigree research, there will always be exceptions to every rule.

Which brings me to the real reason for this column ... Run's House (Awesome Assassin-Amy's Sonnet by Placard).

Run's House was a star of the 2007 racing season for his breeder and trainer Jason Thompson. He now stands at stud with Thompson and his first runners are just starting to hit the track. If you take a very, very close look at the pedigree of Run's House. It is virtually identical to Collision.

Both are by Awesome Assassin.

Collision is out of a Malawi's Prince daughter.

Run's House is out of a Placard bitch. Placard of course is by Malawi's Prince.

Add to that, Collision has a daughter strain of Brother Fox in his damline (Follow Through).

Run's House has a daughter strain of Brother Fox in his damline (Silver Slipper).

AND Run's House also has multiples of the Princess Diro damline ... through Centrefire and her brother Shining Chariot, as well as Bowetzel to further add to the mix.

Collision's dam Rumble Spirit is in-bred 3x3 top and bottom of the pedigree to Waverly Supreme*.

Run's House's dam Amy's Sonnet is in-bred 4x5 to Waverly Supreme* top and bottom of her pedigree.

The purpose of all this?

Collision is one of the best and most in demand sires in the country. Try getting a mating or frozen semen to the dog. They are available but difficult, very difficult, to get.

So, Run's House is the perfect alternative.

He was a Group 1 winner and one of the best gallopers of his time. He won the Maturity, was second in the Topgun, third in the Silver Bullet and a finalist in the Paws of Thunder.

Every aspect of the success of Collision pertains to Run's House.

Jason Thompson and his lovely partner Seona Hood report Run's House has "about 20 litters" on the ground since he retired in May 2008.

Jason and Seona have one litter by him racing that includes Penthouse, Who's House and White House. All three are showing great ability.

Who's House shows early splits almost the equal to the Thompson-trained champ El Galo's first sections.

Run's House was bred by Jason and Seona. Dam Amy's Sonnet was purchased from Gary Gardiner on the Northern Rivers of NSW. A multiple city winner, Amy's Sonnet won a heat of the Sale Cup in the best of the series but came on season the following day.

She was immediately mated to Awesome Assassin and produced a high class litter of which Run's House was the standout. Also in the litter was top class galloper Vulture Street a finalist in a number of feature races throughout the country. Spirit Squad was a National Derby finalist and won a Ipswich Young Guns, while Hulkamania was an Albion Park winner.

Their sister End Of Fashion was a Sandown winner and a likely future good broodbitch.

With that initial success by Run's House's progeny Penthouse and Who's House, Jason and Seona have received spin-off interest in Run's House. Within a month of those two winning, Run's House has served 10 bitches.

And so it should be.