NEIL Lyford was a long-time greyhound man, initially in Queensland where he partnered with then training great Tom Paterson with great success, and then on his own at a property in NSW.

Neil died tragically a year ago and unfortunately never got to see what “could” be his crowning glory.

That’s a bitch called She’s A Bumpy (Aussie Infrared-Bumpy Black by Barcia Bale) who on Friday night runs as a likely favourite out of box one in the Group 2 Townsville Cup final for my old mate Nathan Goodwin.

Neil Lyford had been ringing for a while discussing pedigrees and the Aussie Infrared-Bumpy Black mating was one we designed together.

He’d rung as they were being reared and then educated with glowing reports.

As we have already said, the fact Neil; has not been able to be part of that success is a tragedy.

The mating of Bumpy Black (Barcia Bale-Izzy Marlow by Lochinvar Marlow) to Aussie Infrared was a natural and SO, SO proven, it just had to happen.

That’s because Aussie Infrared had already worked to Group 1 level with daughters of Barcia Bale.

If you look closely at the sons of imported stud dogs, and legend Fernando Bale is a perfect example, the best results achieved by these dogs is through intense in-breeding to the sire’s female line.

This is exactly what has happened, almost 100 percent of the time, with Aussie Infrared a son of the US race great Bella Infrared and Ebby Miss (Head Bound-Senza Nome by Southern Champ).

Almost all of Aussie Infrared’s best progeny are in-bred to his mother Ebby Miss.

And, the link to Barcia Bale is so obvious.

Ebby Miss and Barcia Bale both have Head Honcho as their grandsire.

Ebby Miss traces directly along her damline to Paris Match that breed shaping broodbitch from the Pringle/Hallinan dynasty.

Barcia Bale has Paris Match in his damline as well through his Bobniak (a son of Paris Match) in his damsire Hallucinate.

But, Bumpy Black also has a cross of this family in her direct damline as well, tracing directly to Pilgrim’s Star (Brother Fox-Osti’s Shadow by Admiral Lynch).

Pilgrim’s Star, as we all know, is a litter sister to Paris Match.

When Marty Hallinan combined Pilgrim’s Star and Paris Match in a mating he did in 2006, it produced champion Mantra Lad (Pure Octane-Al Fresco by Royal Pilgrim). It brought in Paris Match and Pilgrim’s Star 4x3 and placed to HUGELY impact upon the resultant offspring.

Way back in 2010, I was approached by Paul Quarrell in Qld asking about a potential mating of his mum Margaret’s handy performers Premier Chief and Kathy’s Recall. He was keen on the mating and asked my advice.

Mantra Lad had been a champion … in everyone’s face for a few years as he cut through all the feature staying races around the country.

Putting Kathy’s Recall to Premier Chief also brought in Pilgrim’s Star and Paris Match 3x5 … and it worked to produce a great litter and a multiple Group performer in Pharmacopia.

Back to She’s A Bumpy, and her better than handy littermates.

This mating also brings in a 3x5 of the famous half relations Head Bound and Brett Lee.

To say we have negated the US influence of Bella Infrared and brought in the most proven of Aussie bloodlines strengthened to produce great success is an understatement.

It had to work, and it has. The proof was already there for us all to see. Group stars like Catch The Thief and his brother Playlist are bred on an identical pattern.

And, then there are greats like Lala Kiwi, Big Energy, Ebby Infrared, Tim Zoo, Matt Loch, Aussie Rocks … the list of stars bred on this cross is almost endless.

Neil Lyford would have been impressed.