FOR some time I have wondered what has become of the direct damline of legend race dog and sire Bombastic Shiraz.

As can often happen when a champion stud dog emerges, his own direct family can fade away. It simply means the females from this champion's own damline have nowhere to go when the time comes for them to be bred.

Their owners simply run out of options because of the domination of the champion stud dog.

I thought this had happened with the direct damline of Bombastic Shiraz. The damline of Bombastic Shiraz runs straight to the famed Zulu Moss (Clay Moss-Cursorial) who, with her litter sister Riviera Moss, has become a breed shaper.

Of course the Zulu Moss (and Riviera Moss) family continues today via National Dingaan (incestuously in-bred to the littermates Zimbabwe and Chief Dingaan (Temlee-Zulu Moss).

But it is Bombastic Shiraz's direct family that appears to have faded away. We always hear about breeders chasing the sisters to champions in a bid to produce their own champion.

But during my weekly study of each city winner around Australia, I came across a dog called Stocktake (Lochinvar Marlow-Inventory by November Fury).

For those of you who love to study such things, I suggest you look closely at the pedigree of Stocktake.

That's because he is line-bred 2x2 to the half relations Bombastic Shiraz and Bombastic Peach. The latter is by No Intent-Bombastic Blonde whereas the superstar Bombastic Shiraz is of course by Black Shiraz.

However, this is the cross found in Stocktake's dam Inventory who is by November Fury a son of Black Shiraz.

Stocktake is an intensely in-bred greyhound. He carries a 4x4 cross of Sobbing Sal and her litter sister Hot Show Deb (both are New Tears-Wee Sal). This is a cross that has worked exceptionally in the past.

WHILE Stocktake was winning at Sandown last Thursday night, up at Albion Park Fays Magic (Magic Sprite-All Hands On by Bombastic Shiraz) was running a handy 30.15 to win a fifth grade.

The bitch has now won 11 races and been placed 22 times. She won the Lismore Distance Title during the Cup carnival last year.

Her pedigree too is amazing and one should take a close look to see just how saturated it is.

Again, the intensity comes via the Zulu Moss family.

Fays Magic is bred on the cross of littermates National Dingaan (fourth dam of sire Magic Sprite) and Little Denver (sire of Fays Magic's third dam Berrie's Lass).

But, check out the pedigree of second dam Ruby Hand (a Richie Dean bred bitch).

She is 2x2 to the half relations National Desire (West Cape-National Lass) and Little Denver (Worth Doing-National Lass).

When Ruby Hand was mated to Bombastic Shiraz it brought in a reinforcement of the Zulu Moss family via his direct damline. (Interesting to note that much underrated stud dog Nitro Burst is bred on the Bombastic Shiraz/National Lass cross.)

It resulted in All Hands On (dam of Fays Magic).

So when All Hands On was mated to Magic Sprite it further enforced this bloodline via the littermates National Dingaan and Little Denver.

And, to further add to this, if you trace the direct damline of both Hotshot (sire of Magic Sprite's second dam) and the damline of Waroo Lass, you will come to a bitch called Sancerie (Magic Babe-Shy Melody).

Sancerie's daughter Sweeping Fairy produced the bitch Pavlova's Girl (in-bred to Magic Babe and his sister Gemdalina). Pavlova's Girl, of course, became the mother of legend Camden Glider.

Interesting also is the fact Malawi's Prince's dam traces to Moor's Magic who is also bred on the Magic Babe-Gemdalina cross.

This makes Leprechaun Yap (second dam of Magic Sprite) and Bombastic Blonde (dam of Bombastic Shiraz) bred identically.