Common Ancestors

Common ancestors in the greyhound breeding world have been making their presence felt for many decades. While there are many who espouse the theory that an outcross in a pedigree is a worthwhile introduction, many of the best outcross influences do have a common ancestor somewhere.

Look at local legend Temlee and the great Irish import Waverly Supreme*. Both these great influences on the Australian greyhound trace to that most famous of Irish bitches Prairie Peg. But there are just as many common ancestors making their names felt in the pedigrees of great Australian gallopers today and breeders should be well aware of their influence. Take for instance the nick between Just The Best (Credibility-Flying Amy) and Token Prince (Malawi's Prince-True Temptation). Both these dogs trace in direct female line to the famous stayer and grand broodbitch Bay Road Queen i.e. Just The Best through Flying Amy, to Tenthill Flyer, to National Queen to Bay Road Queen; Token Prince through True Temptation to Bay Supreme to Bay Road Queen.

The Just The Best/Token Prince nick has been responsible for such great gallopers as Buckingham Chuck, Cool Mat, Cool Effort, Frosty Fruits, Cool Effort, From A Distance, Romantic Diva, Black Framed, Category One, Real Mccoy, Bogie Ace, Thatz Classic, Bluezella etc. But the real nick between these two must come through their respective dams, Flying Amy and True Temptation.

In fact, the influence of True Temptation and Flying Amy who come through the alternate sex path of many of the "nick" examples above could be the real reason these two sires have combined so well. The pedigree of Buckingham Chuck explains this:

The pedigree of Cool Mat explains this just as well, but in reverse:

There are many, many other great nicks and crosses to be found among the champions and quality gallopers of today. The link between Malawi's Prince, Wee Sal and Genuine Replica is a great one. Take a look at how similarly bred all three are.

So it would lead one to believe that a mix of these three in a pedigree could offer some interesting possibilities. Take for instance the flying sprinter Bond, a son of Brett Lee-Thai Magic, in which we find Wee Sal as the third dam of his sire Brett Lee and Genuine Replica the third dam of Thai Magic.

The Adelaide Cup winner Collide is by Brett Lee from a daughter of Malawi's Prince. We have already seen that Brett Lee's granddam Wee Sal and Malawi's Prince are bred on exactly the same cross. This Wee Sal/Malawi's Prince nick is also behind the pedigree of Over Flo (Brett Lee-Flo Jo Tears) an outstanding galloper who has started his stud career off promisingly.

Which brings us to Gun Law Osti and Paris Match who are bred on exactly the same cross as well.

So would it be reasonable to assume that if we linked Gun Law Osti and Paris Match somewhere in a pedigree, then it might have a profound effect.

Peter Giles' champion stayer Sargent Major (Stately Bird-Triumphant Tears) is yet another example of the double-up of the Osti Lee damline working exceptionally well. Dollar Bird, the dam of Easter Egg winner Stately Bird, is (like Gun Law Osti and Paris Match) by Brother Fox from a daughter of Osti Lee. Sargent Major's dam Triumphant Tears is by Bobniak (a son of Paris Match).

Cyrus The Virus (genetic brother to Stately Bird) produced most of his best progeny from matings to bitches that carried more of the Osti Lee damline. Let's then look at the pedigree of NSW's leading sire Hallucinate and the current boom Victorian sire Where's Pedro who are litter brothers by Brett Lee-Elusive Rebel.

Topgun winner Meticulous is by Brett Lee out of the Bobniak bitch Dance Portrait thus bringing in the Gun Law Osti/Paris Match nick again. It is extremely interesting as well that Hallucinate's champion staying son Miagi carries both Malawi's Prince and Genuine Replica in the pedigree of his dam to link up with Wee Sal in Brett Lee. Once again... all three are bred on the same cross.

Where's Pedro's champion sprinting son El Galo is out of a daughter of Malawi's Prince. His star gallopers, the ill-fated Hot To Rumble and brilliant Axe Handle are out of a bitch that carries Malawi's Prince in her damline. His Australian Cup winning daughter Tasman Queen is out of a daughter of Placard (a son of Malawi's Prince). In fact, most of the top progeny of Where's Pedro carry Malawi's Prince in their damline.

Bombastic Blonde, dam of champion galloper and top sire Bombastic Shiraz, is the product of sire and dam who are bred on almost the same pedigrees. She is by Malawi's Prince (bred on the Waverly Supreme/Bowetzel cross) out of a bitch called Blonde Bombshell. That bitch is by Shining Chariot by Chariot Supreme by Waverly Supreme*, out of a bitch called Semester, out of Zelwe who was by Bowetzel. It would stand to reason that with so much Bowetzel, Princess Diro and Shining Chariot in the damline of Bombastic Shiraz that bringing in more of that line would be an ideal way to breed to him.

His champion daughter Flashing Floods is out of a bitch by Awesome Assassin who carries Centrefire, a sister to Shining Chariot, in his damline. Sky Hazzard also has Shining Chariot in his damline, so does Coulta Bomber and so does Super Hornet.

Something to think about?