2018 English Derby

THERE was a time, many decades ago, when the greyhound world got all excited when an imported dog arrived to stand stud duties.

How times have changed, and all for the better. Frozen semen has seen to that allowing the very best from all parts of the world to intermingle.

Take the recent running of the time-honoured Group 1 English Derby.

It was won by Dorotas Wildcat (Ballymac Vic-Droopy's Danneel by Rumble Impact) who led throughout to down Droopys Verve (Loughleen Blanco-Droopys Cyclone by College Causeway). The winner's litter brother Dorotas Vic finished third.

The other three finalists were Bruisers Bullet, Bombers Bullet and Whoops Jack.

My great Kiwi mate David Byrn did some homework on the six finalists and pointed out three trace directly to Skipping Chick and another to Maythorn Pride, each of which were whelped in the 1970s and founded a dynasty ... obviously still thriving today.

But, the pedigree of all six Derby finalists are prime examples of just how small the world is today. Each of them have pedigrees with that intermingling of bloodlines from the world over.

Let's take a look.

Dorotas Wildcat (and his third placed litter brother Dorotas Vic)

I've been waiting for his sire Ballymac Vic to stand up and produce something worthwhile. Vic is a son of Kinloch Brae but is bred on the very strong cross of genetic brothers Fortress and Murlens Slippy (found strongly placed in the pedigree of Premier Fantasy).

In Australia, Fortress is damsire of Velocette, Slater and Gable Lafourche.

Ballymac Vic's dam is by Queenslander Elite State.

Dorotas Wildcat (and Vic) have as their dam the Aussie saturated Droopys Danneel. Her sire Rumble Impact is the Steve Kavanagh-bred son of Collision who is incestuously in-bred 2x2 to the half relations Rumble spirit and Smooth Rumble.

Aussie Top Honcho is found as the sire of the Dorotas' brothers fourth dam.

Wildcat and Vic are fabulous race dogs with multiple Group performances already on their scorecard.

Droopys Verve

The Derby runner-up has an amazing pedigree. He is in-bred 2x1 to the virtual brother and sister Droopys Scolari and Droopys Cyclone.

Droopys Scolari is by Droopys Kewell whose litter sister Macy Gray just happens to be the third dam of the Derby runner-up.

But, Droopys Scolari is out of a daughter of Spiral Nikita whose sister Minnies Surprise is found in the damline of the Derby runners-up's damsire College Causeway.

College Causeway sired champion Milldean Panther to a bitch by Spiral Nikita.

Bruisers Bullet and Bombers Bullet (4th and 5th in the Derby)

I will link this pair because they are both by Droopys Cain from a daughter of Ballymac Maeve. But, what is even more interesting is that they bring in Aussies Top Honcho and Go Wild Teddy along their damlines.

But, even stronger, their dams also carry litter brothers Some Picture and Some Gamble (Slaneyside Hare-Spring Season).

They are virtually brothers.

Their sire Droopys Cain is a son of Steve Kavanagh's Ace Hi Rumble the winner of the Warrnambool Classic and a litter brother to Spiritual Rumble the dam of Cosmic Rumble.

AND, Droopys Cain, just like Rumble Impact in the pedigree of the Derby winner and third placegetter, is in-bred to Rumble Spirit and Smooth Rumble.

Droopys Cain, too, is bred on a cross of the famous half brothers Sonic Flight and Larkhill Jo ... just like previous Derby winner Taylors Sky, and closer to home that fabulous litter bred in South Australia by Cameron Butcher and headed by 39-times winner On Fire.

Which brings me to Whoops Jack.

To Aussies, his pedigree, by Jacksagem-Whoopsadaisy by College Causeway is a bit obscure.

But it is far from that.

Jacksagem is by Head Bound (sire of sensational Queenslander Outside Pass) the half brother to Brett Lee and Big Daddy Cool.

But, Whoops Jack's dam is by the Irish Derby winner College Causeway (a son of Aussie chase influence Go Wild Teddy) and she is out of the Surf Lorian bitch Full Of Beans.

Whoops Jack is line bred to Staplers Jo through a son and daughter. He is also, as one would expect, bred on the same reinforcement of the Minnies Luck cross that produced College Causeway's star Milldean Panther.

This time it comes via sisters Minnies Chance and Minnies Surprise (Phantom Flash-Minnies Luck). Both are sisters to Spiral Nikita and Irish Derby winning bitch Tina Marina.

The double of Phantom Flash in Whoops Jack's dam is balanced via the cross of his genetic sister Westmead Flight in his sire.