SUNDAY'S Group 3 Nowra Puppy Classic has brought together some very promising youngsters with a range of pedigrees that made for an interesting race.

The one that caught my eye most was Overflow Lisa (Rippin Sam-Vicki Keeping by Bekim Bale).

She is a very promising bitch from the Rob Camilleri kennel in Victoria and already the winner of races at Horsham, Warragul, Bendigo, Cranbourne, Sandown and with multiple wins at The Meadows.

She can run.

But, it was her pedigree that stood out.

Her sire Rippin Sam (Fernando Bale-Tears Siam by Bekim Bale) was a classy stayer with wins in the G1 WA Galaxy, G3 Lizrene, G3 Speed Star Stayers and he was second at G1 level in the Zoom Top, Association Cup, Sandown Cup and National Distance and third in the G1 Albion Park Gold Cup.

But, Rippin Sam always raced in the shadow of his illustrious brother Tornado Tears.

Unfortunately, Tornado Tears was never able to go to stud, a new occupation Rippin Sam could embrace.

Rippin Sam is bred on a strong reinforcement of the Wheeler family's famed foundation bitch Gail's Beauty coming via the direct damline of his sire Fernando Bale and through the direct damline of his damsire Bekim Bale.

Many breeders complained about the determination, or lack of in some cases, of the progeny of Bekim Bale. It was probably an unjust analysis of his offspring because he did head the Victorian sires list and produced some high class race dogs.

Most of Bekim's progeny were VERY strong.

So, when Vicki Keeping was put to Rippin Sam and produced a litter of pups back in March 2019 of which Overflow Lisa is one, the mating brought in a VERY powerful 3x2 cross of Bekim Bale duplicated through daughters.

This is a position of influence found in many high class race dogs.

Have a look at the pedigree of Group star and classy stud dog Surf Lorian. He is in-bred 3x2 in exactly this position to the litter brothers Amerigo Man and West Cape.

Alice Dooley, the dam of half of famer Paua To Burn, is in-bred 3x2 to Brother Fox in this position.

But, probably one of the best examples of this cross is the 3x2 of legend Chief Havoc in exactly this position found in Group winner and broodbitch great Elsie Moss.

Chief Havoc, as we all know, is a Hall of Famer and a champion. He was a stayer of extreme strength even though he could switch to sprints to be just as dominant.

Most broodbitch owners will look at the pedigree of Overflow Lisa and see she is by a stayer in Rippin Sam and in-bred 3x2 to Bekim Bale whose influence on staying lines in this country is profound.

They would be horrified and expecting to get offspring that might be getting warmed up at the end of a marathon.

But, this is far from the case.

When duplicating an ancestor up this close and in such a powerful position, it is almost always best to have that duplicated ancestor as a strong dog.

The duplication, for reasons that cannot really be explained to great satisfaction, provides "pace" ... which is exactly what Overflow Lisa has.

Like Elsie Moss and Alice Dooley before her, I would expect Overflow Lisa to become a successful broodbitch.

Surf Lorian, in-bred 3x2 to Amerigo Man and West Cape, or to be precise their famous mother Promises Free, became a high class broodbitch sire. His sons at stud failed.

If she was mine, I would be tempted to mate Overflow Lisa to Zambora Brockie to link his direct damline to the cross of Bond in her pedigree. They both trace to Genuine Replica and this is how Group stars True Detective and Lightning Frank are bred.

But, she could also be ideal for a mating to Aston Dee Bee.

Overflow Lisa also has Bit Chili as the sire of her second mother. Aston Dee Bee is working fabulously when he mates bitches with more Bombastic Shiraz (sire of Bit Chili) in their pedigree.

His Group 1 stars Zipping Moose and Zipping Sapporo are bred on this cross.

WHILE Overflow Lisa is carrying the flag for Rippin Sam at Nowra, over in WA his son Domino Mac (Rippin Sam-Illusive Dreama) ran a track record when winning a heat of the Mandurah Derby on Friday night.