WHILE the stars were preparing to come out at Wentworth Park for the Paws Of Thunder heats, down at Sandown a couple of days earlier, May Haze was impressive in winning a graded race in a handy time.

And the son of Nolen-Efogi Road by Bombastic Shiraz has a pedigree with some hidden aspects that make for great study.

By the time he led throughout last Thursday night to win at Sandown off a wide draw, May Haze had brought his record to 47 starts for 12 wins and 11 placings earning $34,000.

He's been a multiple winner at Sandown but has also won at The Meadows, Cranbourne, Warragul and Traralgon.

He is one of six named offspring from the mating and five of them have been winners.

Their dam, Efogi Road, was also a Meadows and Sandown winner and also won at Cranbourne. During her 32-start career she raced some very good opposition.

The pedigree match designed with Nolen for her was excellent.

Her two-named offspring to El Grand Senor, which did not bring in such a clever pedigree match, produced two named offspring of which one has been a winner of three races and $2000 in stakes.

So, what is so special about the mating to Nolen with Efogi Road that has produced the very handy May Haze?

For any mating plan to be analysed successfully, we must first look at both sides of the pedigree and then how they match up.

Nolen (Collision-Brooklyn Belle by Where's Pedro) was a very good race dog until he was badly injured. He came back to win again ... but, what could have been!

He is in-bred 3x3 to Malawi's Prince in exactly the dam position as Collision's champion son High Earner.

Nolen's direct damline traces to a bitch called Roses Are Golden (Second Stage-Coola Rose).

So, let's now look at Efogi Road, dam of our subject May Haze.

She is Bombastic Shiraz-Holiday Road by Carlisle Jack. She, too, brings in a cross of Malawi's Prince through the damline of her sire Bombastic Shiraz.

In May haze, Malawi's Prince appears 4x4x4 all through DAUGHTERS. This is significant. It will need to be "balanced" and the fact May Haze is a MALE, means this is the balancing effect the pedigree needed.

But, the pedigree links are MUCH more than just three crosses of Malawi's prince 4x4x4.

Look closely at the pedigree and we see there is a 3x3 cross of Brooklyn Haze (Malawi's Prince-Brooklyn Mood by Shining Chariot) and Bombastic Blonde (Malawi's Prince-Blonde Bombshell by Shining Chariot).

YES, Brooklyn Haze and Bombastic Blonde are both bred on the same cross. Both are by Malawi's Prince from a daughter of Shining Chariot.

This cross is so much more than just this.

Malawi's Prince is out of a daughter of Bowetzel. Shining Chariot's dam is Shining Light a half sister to Bowetzel.

Brooklyn Haze and Bombastic Blonde come into the pedigree of May Haze 3x3 and positioned to greatly impact with each other.

BUT, the pedigree match does not end there.

You will remember we mentioned the fact Nolen traces along his direct female line to a bitch called Roses Are Golden.

Well, in the damline of May haze's mother Efogi Road is a dog called Rapid Journey.

You will, or should, remember him as one of the all-time greats of world greyhound racing winning five Group 1s and also the Topgun which at the time was a Group 2.

Yes, Rapid Journey also traces directly to that very same bitch Roses Are Golden ... his third dam.

Thus, putting Efogi Road to Nolen brought in half relations along the direct damline on both sides, balanced through a female and male.

In fact, Brooklyn Haze (second dam of sire Nolen) and Efogi Road (dam of May Haze) are bred on an exact same cross.

Nolen's litter sister Donna Ricca is the dam of Group 1 Golden Ester Egg winner Moreira (Kinloch Brae-Donna Ricca by Collision).

Moreira's very first progeny are just starting to hit the tracks.

They include a dog called Damnation (Moreira-Muza's Girl) who has started seven times for four wins and three placings. He is a winner at Bendigo, Shepparton and Sale.

Damnation is in-bred 3x2 to champion sire Collision and is a member of the famed National Dingaan/National Lass female family via highly successful producer Casey's Angel (second dam of Damnation).

His dam Muza's Girl is already the dam of Azurite (Collide-Muza's Girl by Collision) a finalist in the Group 1 Super Stayers and Group 3 Lizrene.

Azurite is in-bred 1x2 to the half relations Collide (Brett Lee-Rumble Spirit) and Collision (Awesome Assassin-Rumble Spirit).