Footrot Fosse
WAY back in the early 2000s, Bob Grocott imported from the US a dog called Fortified Rush.
A son of Fortified Speed-Greys Arizona by Greys Statesman, much was expected of him after winning 56 races at Wheeling Downs.
He got his chance, to a degree, in Australia but was generally a handy, at best, stud dog. His best was the very smart Queenslander Royston Renegade (20 wins, $51,000), the Wheeler-bred Dubai Flex (8 wins, $32,000) and Fort Shakin' (13 wins, $28,000) etc.
But it was as a broodbitch sire that Fortified Rush came to the fore.
A number of his daughters quickly established a reputation.
Champion littermates Chinatown Lad (G1 Sandown Cup, G1 Albion Park Gold Cup) and Fallen Zorro (multiple Group winner and Group producer) left their mark. Their dam was by Fortified Rush.
In New Zealand, his daughters produced (Aussie Bred) champ Little Mother who was twice greyhound of the year and winner of 85 races, and Angvella the winner of the G1 Auckland Cup.
Little Mother's half sister Ella Lezah is the dam these days of that wonderful litter by Don't Knocka Him that is represented by Group stars Ella Enchanted, Sky Wave and seven littermates who between them have won 132 races and $592,000.
They give Fortified Rush a further claim to fame.
Last Thursday night at Angle Park, Fortified Rush was represented by Footrot Fosse a slick 29.82 winner of semi-final of the Group 3 Brian Johnstone Memorial.
The Bosco Stamenkovic-bred and trained dog is the first progeny sired by Fortified Rush for many a long year.
He is out of the bitch Enid's Charm (Collision-Principality by Token Prince) the winner of six races during her career and $12,000 and a sister to Basilika (6 wins, $28,000).
The Fortified Rush-Enid's Charm litter turned two in July so has plenty of time to vastly improve on its credentials.
But, Enid's Charm had also been mated to former stud star Solve The Puzzle back in 2015 a litter that had moderate success at best.
Of the six named offspring in the Fortified Rush-Enid's Charm litter, three have won.
I would think Bosco and his partners in the litter would be hoping for a broodbitch of the future.
This is a direct damline Bosco has been breeding with for decades and traces right back to that grand race bitch and producer Zulu Moss.
Fourth dam Faustina Zulu was by Footrot Faust whose dam was that great stayer Footrot Flats (Mighty Close-Black Pennant) who Bosco and a mate raced with huge success when based in Sydney.
Footrot Flats is bred on a very similar pattern to the Wheeler family's foundation bitch Gail's Beauty.
They both are in-bred to the famed producer Brenda Gay.
I would love to see Bosco mate one of the bitches from the Fortified Rush-Enid's Charm litter to a Wheeler-bred stud dog with lashings of Gail's Beauty.
The damline of Footrot Fosse does not contain any such line breeding.
