It would have been easy to predict the current 1-2-3 of the current stud dog table a year ago, but how has the table changed and how will it look in a year’s time? writes Floyd Amphlett.

1.      Kinloch Brae 109 554 £103,575 230
2.      Ballymac Vic 49 396 £224,250 138
3.      Tullymurry Act 73 477 £70,650 137
4.      Droopys Jet 62 434 £25,400 100
5.      Laughil Blake 41 398 £35,175 98
6.      Droopys Scolari 46 428 £24,825 94
7.      Taylors Sky 33 482 £55,300 87
8.      Scolari Me Daddy 32 473 £68,975 82
9.      Superior Product 45 465 £20,375 81
10.   Droopys Cain 32 552 £37,925 80
11.   Tyrur Big Mike 29 419 £25,600 77
12.   Zero Zen 39 433 £18,400 75
13.   Head Bound 27 492 £16,200 68
14.   Romeo Recruit 21 514 £19,775 51
15.   Sparta Maestro 23 466 £18,075 48
16.   Paradise Madison 22 483 £13,525 46
17.   Godsend 15 506 £13,895 44
18.   Ballymac Eske 24 554 £16,150 43
19.   Aero Majestic 14 572 £15,825 36
20.   Iso Octane 15 465 £12,075 32
21.   Vans Escalade 19 495 £11,725 31
22.   Crash 14 538 £7,475 28
23.   Loughteen Blanco 10 480 £12,375 26
24.   Hondo Black 10 601 £8,575 25
25.   Candlelight King 7 504 £7,075 24
26.   Ace Hi Rumble 11 444 £5,550 23
26.   Mall Brandy 12 520 £14,050 23
26.   Shaneboy Lee 13 419 £4,725 23
29.   Forest Master 7 470 £5,250 22
30.   Makeshift 11 441 £5,250 20
30.   Razldazl George 7 561 £5,075 20
32.   Cashen Legend 7 523 £4,075 17
32.   Greenwell Hawk 8 521 £3,875 17
32.   Razldazl Jayfkay 8 521 £23,900 17
32.   Rio Quattro 12 455 £5,000 17
32.   Royal Impact 4 524 £6,950 17
37.   Definate Opinion 5 456 £4,475 16
37.   Farloe Blitz 9 442 £3,525 16
37.   Leamaneigh Turbo 5 435 £24,975 16
47.   Vulturi 5 553 £4,475 16
41.   Droopys Nidge 7 499 £4,000 15
41.   Sh Avatar 8 502 £3,450 15
41.   Skywalker Puma 8 442 £3,650 15
44.   Confident Rankin 11 412 £3,500 14
44.   Premier Fantasy 11 557 £3,675 14
44.   Tyrur Sugar Ray 9 496 £3,325 14
47.   Elite State 3 625 £3,225 13
47.   Storm Control 8 522 £3,100 13
49.   Drumcrow Obama 7 336 £2,925 12
49.   Quail Hollow 2 536 £3,025 12
51.   Archaton Pine 5 437 £3,700 11
51.   Lenson Bolt 5 461 £12,900 11
51.   Slip The Lark 6 482 £6,125 11
51.   Windy Millar 4 524 £3,050 11
55.   Ballymac Best 7 450 £2,800 10
55.   David Bale 6 548 £2,450 10
55.   Lemon Pumba 3 494 £2,800 10
58.   Droopys Sydney 5 420 £2,275 9
58.   Kc And All 2 320 £3,200 9
68.   Melodys Royal 2 487 £2,350 9
68.   Pinpoint Maxi 4 517 £2,625 9
68.   Razldazl Rioga 2 482 £2,700 9
63.   Ballymac Matt 3 489 £2,425 8
63.   Blonde Snapper 3 486 £2,250 8
63.   Oaks Road 3 493 £3,950 8
63.   Razldazl Billy 4 566 £1,850 8
67.   Ballyanna Foxtrot 2 646 £11,420 7
67.   Coolavanny Bert 2 444 £1,450 7
67.   Top Honcho 4 570 £2,000 7
70.   Boherna House 2 461 £1,300 6
70.   Droopys Alfie 2 464 £1,500 6
70.   Holdem Spy 4 577 £1,600 6
70.   Me Buddy 2 374 £1,575 6
70.   Trade Freddie 2 513 £1,425 6
75.   Adageo Bob 4 421 £1,200 5
75.   Brett Lee 2 494 £1,100 5
75.   Chenzhou Boy 2 411 £1,300 5
75.   Droopys Maldini 1 288 £1,250 5
75.   Jacksajem 3 412 £6,200 5
85.   Magic Sprite 5 435 £1,350 5

Kinloch Brae, the most important import since Top Honcho, continues to dominate the top of the chart, not only in terms of quality, but volume and versatility.

Whether you are looking at pure sprinters like Fridays Sean, middle distance stars like Newinn Missile and Serious Hangover, stayers like Shotgun Bullet, Russelena Reggie, Moreton Madras and Slippy Maggie or eight benders like littermates Maysdreamcatcher and Slippy Maska, Brae is in a league of his own.

Ballymac Vic, Ireland’s most popular sire in 2016/2017, has duly moved into second place. But he is a very different type of stud dog to his dad as the comparative ‘average winning distances’ table shows (396m v 554m).

In fact, on the table of open race winners below 420m reads: 1) Ballymac Vic, 2) Laughil Blake, 3jt) Droopys Jet/Droopys Scolari, 5) Tyrur Mike, 6) Zero Ten, 7jt) Superior Product/Tullymurry Act, 9) Kinloch Brae, 10) Taylors Sky.

Tullymurry Act is gradually slipping down the table, he was runner-up in 2017. He was an exceptional stud dog offering great all round ability with an average winning distance of 477m. Pup for pup, as good an heir to Top Honcho as Droopys Vieri in my opinion.

Stud dogs can only really be judged in hindsight with various factors taken into account, specifically age and opportunities. (How good would Loughteen Blanco had been with a decent number of matings?)

There then follow a group of slightly younger dogs of Scolari Me Daddy is the oldest as an ’07 whelp. Taylors Sky is ’09, Droopys Jet and Droopys Cain are ’10 whelps. Superior Product was born in 2011 and Laughil Blake was whelped in 2012.

Blake (jt 61st last year) looks to have the most potential of the group, though even stud keeper Michael Dunphy would concede that he probably had the highest calibre of bitches of any new sire at the Droopys Stud.

Personally, I rate him very highly, along with Taylors Sky (31st last year) who was afforded nowhere near the similar calibre brood and looks a great heir to the Westmead Hawk spear line.

British breeders are often tempted to Ireland for the top sires, though I can never remember a time when there were more than two or three, usually heavily booked, who were worth the time and effort involved in sending a bitch over the water.

Personally, I am a big fan of Yorkshire based Aero Majestic, in terms of the quality, honesty and versatility of his progeny from very few opportunities. (Check the litter numbers before you judge any dog)

You would also have to acknowledge the brilliant start made to his stud career by Leamaneigh Turbo with Adageo Bob also among the open race winners from limited opportunities.

Among the unproven but top draw hounds currently available to British breeders are Hiya Butt and Dorotas Wild Cat to name but two.