HAVE you ever wondered when studying the pedigree of a successful race dog why didn't the mother's previous, or later, litters prove just as successful.

There is an old saying, and we have all heard it. It talks about great broodbitches and goes something like "she's such a good producer, she would throw champions to a Labrador".

Well, that is not true in many cases and, in my opinion, it all has to do with pedigree design.

In some cases (and I emphasise this), no matter how good a broodbitch is, she may not continue tossing up high quality greyhounds unless she is mated "correctly".

So, what has prompted me to write this?

Group 2 Richmond Oaks winner Mumma Josie (Barcia Bale-Charming Louise by Knocka Norris) is just one example.

Bred and raced by Vince Borg at Exford in Victoria, the bitch is trained by Jeff Britton and what a fabulous job he has done with her. Mumma Josie has started 60 times for 19 wins and 17 placings for $117,025 in stakes.

Vince did a fabulous job producing her. Mumma Josie has also been a finalist in the Bendigo Cup and a multiple Sandown and Meadows winner.

Her mother Charming Louise raced 22 times for six wins and seven placings. She was placed at The Meadows but was a winner at Geelong, Traralgon and Traralgon. Next dam Charming Miss won over 725m at The Meadows in her three wins.

In March 2013, Charming Louise produced a litter of two dogs and a bitch by "flavour of the month" El Grand Senor. Senor Benny won one race, Argenta won seven, and Senor Vee Bee won five. All of them were no better than country shortcoursers.

Since her Barcia Bale litter in April 2014 (3 dogs, 2 bitches), she has produced a dog and a bitch to Fabregas in March 2015, and three dogs and three bitches to Cosmic Rumble in November 2015.

Why then is Mumma Josie a special greyhound, a Group winner and multiple city winner?

Pedigree research could provide the answer.

Charming Louise, her mother, is line bred to Goddess Of Fire and her full brother Lilli Pilli Lad.

A factor very interesting in her pedigree is the fact her fourth dam Royal Ages is by Whisky Bale-City Carousel.

Anyone the least bit interested should look at the pedigree of Whisky Bale the 1990 winner of the Coca-Cola Cup at The Gabba and the Richmond Derby.

Whisky Bale was by Daniel Bale-Licorice Pop. Sire and dam are virtual brother and sister. Daniel Bale is by Temlee's son World Acclaim and out of Mercia bale a daughter of Dynabolt. Licorice Pop is by Temlee from Nutmeg Beauty, a half sister to Dynabolt.

Which brings us back to his daughter Royal Ages. She is by Whisky Bale from City Carousel whose grandsire is the great Aussie race dog Billy Bale who eventually went to stud in the US.

Billy Bale is a litter brother to legend Wheeler champ Winifred Bale.

Mumma Josie is a daughter of the Wheeler-bred Barcia Bale so it is a pretty good chance that there would be line breeding to that famed foundation bitch Gail's Beauty in the pedigree of Mumma Josie our latest Richmond Oaks winner.

And it comes via the direct damline of Lansley Bale (sire of Barcia Bale's second dam). Lansley Bale runs directly to Winifred Bale.

So Royal Ages brings in three crosses of Gail's Beauty in her pedigree to link up with the Gail's Beauty cross in Barcia Bale. Also, Barcia Bale's direct tail female line runs to Namor Star who is bred on an identical cross to Gail's Beauty (and Temlee for that matter).

The mating of Charming Louise to El Grand Senor, Fabregas and Cosmic Rumble do not carry this intensity of the Wheeler blood. It will be interesting to see if the up-coming Fabregas and Cosmic Rumble litters can match the racetrack performances of Mumma Josie.

And it will also be interesting to see where Mumma Josie goes to when she is retired to stud.

FOR almost half a century now, John Reimer has been a great of greyhound racing in Queensland. I've known him for many of those decades and he is as passionate today about his dogs as he was when he trained Garron Court, Miss Perlita, Winged Runner etc etc etc.

John has been battling cancer for years now and rarely goes to the track leaving that to his son-in-law and grandson.

Last Thursday night at Albion Park, J.R. landed Amber Marie (Oaks Road-Red Rum by Trewly Special) a 29.93 winner. She has won two of four starts.

Take a "gander" at her pedigree.

It brings in a 2x2 of Leprechaun Pace and Trewly Special who are both by Brett Lee and carry Leprechaun Miss in their damline. But Amber Marie also saturates the Skipping Chick family via Curryhills Fox and Sunnyside Girl.

AND, while on Albion Park last Thursday night, take a look at the pedigree of 29.88 winner Spare Cash (Paw Licking-Proper Lucy by Regal Brett). Paw Licking's dam Kingsbrae Di is a half sister to Proper Jessica the dam of Proper Lucy.

Spare Cash is incestuously in-bred 2x2 to half sisters. But the mating also brings in identically bred Spark Again and Awesome Assassin.