Which stud dogs are currently dominating Irish racing and which are likely to dominate in the coming year?
We studied 11,846 race winners from January 1 through to October 10th and found that over half 6,162 (52%) were won by 2020 whelps. The full breakdown (whelps/winners): 2016-38 (0.3%), 2017-178 (1.5%), 2018-1382 (11.7%), 2019-3,569 (30.1%), 2020-6182 (52.2%), 2021-517 (4.4%).
In addition to the breeding stats, there might be some other interesting points too. For example, of the 38 races won by 2016 whelps, and 178 races 2017 whelps, the total number of individual greyhounds (20+98) was just 118. That doesn’t look like too great a re-homing issue (albeit there will have been some veterans who raced but didn’t win).
But what of the breeding?
Droopys Sydney – 1449
It will come as no surprise to see Droopys Sydney come out as the leading sire. Almost two thirds of his 1,449 winners, were 2020 whelps.
The Droopys Sydney breakdown: 26 (1.8%) – 2018 whelps, 402 (27.7%) – 2019 whelps, 952 (65.7%) – 2020 whelps, and 69 (4.8%) – 2021 whelps.
Arguably the most impressive litter in terms of depth were the 10 different winning offspring out of Mags Image. The litter included Galloping Sydney (28.30 Cork) and Florentis (28.31 Shelb). The July ‘19 cross between the same parents included One Time Only (28.09 Cork).
There was also a very decent `Sep ’20 litter out of Droopys Dance with 20 wins from six offspring including Droopys Request (28.23 Shelb) and Droopys Nice One (29.50 550 Shelb). 11 months earlier the same cross had produced Toolmaker Zipper (28.34 Shelb). ‘Nice One’ of course reached the Irish Derby Final where he was joined by the Liam Dowling bred littermates Ballymac Finn and Maries Wedding (out of Ballymac Petsy).
That theme of Sydney’s top stars being from exceptional litters is common. Sub 28.00 Shelbourne winner Swords Rex heads a litter out of Starry Display that have won 21 races. A Bobsleigh Jet litter have 20 wins, Coolavanny Hoffa and comrades out of Coolavanny Ella were worth another 20, Lamestep had a litter with 21 winners.
Although Sydney’s matings are now being restricted, his influence will be around for some time. In 2021 alone, he sires 200 Irish bred litters.
Laughil Blake – 1156
Although Blake is three months younger than Sydney his stud career flourished much earlier as the result of a more successful track career. As a result, his 2022 winners tend to be older. From his 2016-2018 progeny, Blake threw 202 winners v Sydney’s 26. But his combined 2019-2021 crop produced 954 wins, compared to Sydney’s 1,423.
Blake is noted for the early pace of his progeny. 21% of his winners were over 400 yards or shorter, compared to 11% of Sydneys. The most financially successful of the 2020 litters was out of Brownstown Tango featuring Irish Sprint Cup winner Hawkfield Ozark. In terms of volume of wins, there were 20s for litters out of Carefree Grace and Vickis Lady.
A couple of young litters to look out for. A Jan ’21 bunch out of Fast Hurling. They have five wins to date including Sogna In Grane (28.48 Tralee) and Whisky River (29.00 Tralee) and even younger repeat mating out of Loher Baby. The first litter won over €40K in prize money. Quickest of the March ’21 whelps to date is Are Malikian (28.66 Tralee).
Ballymac Best – 851
The Derby winning sire is the third most prolific producer of winners this year. He is now nine, which is approaching a peak for a stud dog. To put that into some perspective, it is worth remembering that his first crop of three litters were only born in 2016 and included the brilliant Ballymac Anton and Ballymac Araminta who didn’t hit the track until the middle of 2018.
Although Best is not in a position to challenge Droopys Sydney, he has produced 54 winners already from his 2021 crop, second only to the top sire.
There is a particularly interesting litter out of Dysert Anna. The star is Dowling Memorial winner Coolboy Rusty, who along with six littermates have won 33 races between them this year. While eight members of the Corduff Flame litter have 28 wins between them.
Best is a noted sire of early pace and around 20% of his winners are over 400 yards or less, though that may be skewed by the number of young dogs among them who haven’t yet been tested over the standard distance.
Droopys Jet – 786
The former champion sire has long since gone to meet his maker and is due to be superseded by his sons. The first to emerge was Droopys Roddick though others are following including Skywalker Barry, Lenson Bocko and Bockos Jon Jo. Jet had 64 litters registered in 2020 and just 16 last year.
Pat C Sabbath – 418
American import Pat C Sabbath sired 47 litters in 2020 with the most prolific being the 30 winners out of Asher plus another 20 out of Slaneyside Mandy. But those figures look set to trail off with only a handful of litters born in 2021.
Good New – 333
Dorotas Wildcat – 313
Droopys Buick – 296
Droopys Cain – 282
Droopys Roddick – 266
Next week we will look at some of the younger sires who will be raising their profiles in 2023.
