Bella Una
WHEN Chris Spratt bred his handy race bitch Katanga Eve to Feral Frankly back in 2021, he was putting together an intensely in-bred pedigree he was obviously hoping would get the dramatic boost for which he was craving.
Katanga Eve (Fabregas-Fancy Arjo) won three races, a final at Wentworth Park among them, and Chris had bred her from the Dennis Barnes-bred Fancy Arjo (Head Bound-Little Bit Fancy).
It is, of course, the famous Gay's Fancy damline that still tosses up superstars for the Barnes family and anyone wanting to buy into it.
Chris had already put Katanga Eve to Zipping Garth for another intensely in-bred mating.
Unfortunately, Chris got only one pup from the mating but it turned out to be Over Thinking the winner of 13 races and $35,000 for Lance Day and the Reg Gardoll kennel.
Over Thinking was bred on a 2x3 of Zulu Zeus and Little Bit Fancy both of who are bred on the Where's Pedro/Collision cross. He also had a 4x3 double of Bombastic Shiraz and a 5x3 of the famous half brothers Big Daddy Cool and Head Bound.
It was an intensity that worked with the winner of 13 races.
Come October of 2021, Chris whelped Katanga Eve's second litter, this time by Feral Franky and bloodline intensity was the feature of the mating once again.
Again, he brought in the Where's Pedro/Collision reinforcement, and this time he duplicated but balanced Bombastic Shiraz 4x3.
Basically what Chris did was mate Feral Franky with the identically bred Katanga Eve ... and wow, it certainly worked.
At the weekend, the star of that litter Bella Una, already a Temora track record breaker, runner-up in the G1 Peter Mosman Opal and a finalist in the Million Dollar Chase as a pup, sped to the front and was never in danger to win the Country Classic at Dubbo.
It took her record to 36 starts for 10 wins and 13 placings for stakes of $202,000 ... and there is no doubt she is flying the flag for bloodline intensity devotees.
Her litter is nine strong and eight have won with Irinka Daniel and Party Mode showing huge ability.
Runner-up at Dubbo was NSW GOTY Palawa King, another by Feral Franky and also with a strong double of Bombastic Shiraz but also a double of the famed Rumble Spirit damline through her son Collision and daughter Spiritual Rumble.
OVER in WA, bloodline intensity and proven recipes were also to the fore when the G1 Perth Cup and G1 WA Galaxy were run.
Uncle Tommy (Tommy Shelby-West On Poppy by Barcia Bale) stormed to the line to down a high class field to win the Perth Cup.
A few races later, his virtual brother West On Boonie (Tommy Shelby-West On Violet by Barcia Bale) got all the breaks to win the Galaxy.
West On Poppy and West On Violet are Barcia Bale-Zelemar Fever littermates.
When Steve Withers put Tommy Shelby to stud after his amazing race career, he was always going to be an absolute must for daughters of Barcia Bale to bring in the proven cross of Tommy's dam Serena Fly High with Barcia Bale that produced superstar Jungle Deuce.
(N.B. This too should also work in reverse with Jungle Deuce mating daughters of Fernando Bale.)
But, another must was always going to be bitches with DAUGHTERS of Bombastic Shiraz in their make-up ... exactly how the G1 stars from WA's glamour racing weekend proved. (Again, another recipe for anyone wanting to breed to Jungle Deuce.)
But, Uncle Tommy (13 wins, $255,000) and West On Boonie (14 wins, $292,000) also carry a 4x5 of Big Daddy Cool and Brett Lee positioned to greatly impact with each other in the matings.
Yet another sister to West On Poppy and West On Violet is West On Hazel whose first litter, to West On Augie, produced the luckless but sensational Throttle (12 wins, $110,000) and the outstanding West On Hazy (22 wins, $67,000).
Throttle broke down when on the verge of a spectacular race career.
West On Hazel has since produced litters by Aston Dee Bee, and (naturally) Tommy Shelby the latter whelped in May 2023.
