The relationship between fate and fortune is a source of unending wonder in greyhound racing. But nowhere its effect more profound than in breeding.
Regular readers will recall the story of how Dave Firmager felt obliged to rehome all his brood bitches at the outset of a serious health issue. Then, as his health improved, he decided to reacquire Fabulous Artist who had been running in decent grade at Perry Barr.
The story progressed when Artist went on to produce English Derby winner Romeo Magico, and Empress Stakes/British Bred Derby winner Fabulous Azurra from a mating to Magical Bale. Quite a story.
But this is a tale with an extra twist.
Dave said: “I went to the kennels to pick her up and Frank Wright said, ‘are you interested in this other bitch? She won that big race at Monmore*.’ I wasn’t particularly looking for another bitch but I checked her out and I liked her breeding. Her dam was a full sister to Paradise Madison (Shelb. 525 TR), and Mall Brandy. So I decided to take her.”
It proved a wise decision because on Friday night, two of Buckos Lass’s second litter, Romeo Hotshot and Romeo Mission took the forecast in the Romford Puppy Cup.
*’The big race at Monmore’ was the 2017 Summer Stayers Classic where Lass (16-1) prevailed in a three way photo beating the Sheffield pair Geelo Monty and Swift Hansel. One place further back was a certain Jetstream Lynx who would later make a name for herself as the dam of Susie Sapphire)
Dave said: “Lass’s first litter was to Tullymurry Act. They were decent enough including Romeo De Niro (28.17 P.Barr, 29.39 Towcester) and Romeo McQueen (28.28 Monm.) but I wanted to see if I could get a better cross. I had always liked (Aussie sire) Magic Sprite, who is a Brett Lee dog with Spiral Nikita in his dam line, and he had always been good to us. I noticed that Richard Baker had tried a similar cross and it had worked for him. Sprite pups had very good early pace but also had a lot of desire which I think has been transmitted to this litter.”
Two of the bitches contested the earlier rounds of the Puppy Cup but failed to make it through.
Dave said: “They both have ability, but I am not convinced that Romford 400 particularly suits either. I’m sure they will do well on bigger tracks”.
But the Fabulous Artist and Buckos Lass aren’t the only Romeo boys and Fabulous girls who have been flying in recent weeks.
In January ’21, the Dave’s former open racer Drive On Betsy (Fernando Bale-Ballymac Sapla) produced her second litter of pups. The first, by Droopys Sydney, featured Romeo Top Gun (RU Scaffolding Puppy Cup). The second by Dorotas Wildcat, whelped in January 2021 included Romeo Command.
In June, Command became the fastest hound over 550 at Cork since Kilmacdonagh back in 2019. He came over to Patrick Janssens, clocked 29.20 and 29.14 at Towcester, and was destined to go for the puppy competition at Sheffield prior to its cancellation. He has since returned to Ireland and is due to contest the third round of the RPGTV Juvenile and will eventually return for the Puppy Derby at Towcester in December.
Owner/breeder DAVE FIRMAGER and his wife Nicola Photo: © Steve Nash
Also in the van on Saturday night will be Romeo Hanozo, a youngster contesting his sixth race. His two wins to date include a 28.44 at Clonmel and a 28.18 at Shelbourne Park.
“Hanzo is from a litter of six dogs by Romeo Recruit out of Fabulous Mila (Barcia Bale-Lemon Steff). It includes Romeo Atomic, beaten for the first time in Friday’s Peter Meaney Memorial Final at Kilkenny having won his three previous races including a semi final in 28.89 (-20).
Dave said: “After my health clearance I tried to buy some of the imported semen from Fernando Bale and Barcia Bale but it was all gone. So I traced down the matings that came from them and was able to buy Betsy and Mila with the sole intention of keeping them for breeding.
“It is bizarre, when the Mila litter were born, I was desperate that it would include a bitch, but it was one dog pup after another. Fortunately, she has since produced a litter of eight pups including five bitches from a mating to Newinn Taylor.
Neither dog has fared particularly well in Saturday’s draw, though given that 22 of the 24 entries are ‘inside’ seeds with one middle and one wide (imagine the screaming on social media if that had been a UK track!) that can hardly be helped. Confirmed railer Romeo Command (traps four and five to date) has drawn six. Hanzo runs from black. Though that isn’t the breeder’s main bone of contention with the ‘juvenile’ competition.
A third of the runners are September whelps, another four are Octobers, meaning half of the field are already out of puppy status. There are six ’21 whelps still in the event including Command with Hanzo the youngest of the 24 as an April pup.
Dave said: “It is such a big advantage for the older dogs. It is hard enough for pups against other older pups if they are giving away four or five months of maturity and experience but to be giving seven months away is almost impossible. I asked Graham (Holland) why it is now a ‘juvenile’ and no longer a ‘puppy’ Derby and he said it’s because they can’t fill them. But at what point do you make it so difficult for the younger dogs that it is hardly worth them taking part? In England, you can’t even be two years old when the final takes place.”
Looking ahead, Dave and Nicola have three litters of 2022 whelps already registered. In addition to the Mila’s there are some Romeo Recruit/Fabulous Journals and a batch of Droopys Sydney/Fabulous Skylars. But 2022 has already been the Firmager’s most successful year in almost three decades of breeding.
Dave said: “Please don’t make this sound contemptuous of British breeding, but as much as I have loved winning the Produce Stakes over the years, the real buzz this year has been taking on the Irish dogs too. That isn’t undervaluing British breeding, but the pool of dogs is obviously so much stronger. The other thing that Nicola and I have found lovely, and surprising, is how many people have been in touch just to wish us well. That has been a real bonus.”
The magnificent multi Cat One winner Jaguar Macie has produced her first litter of pups on Saturday, by the exciting young sire Magical Bale.
Joint owner Tony Armstrong said: “There were five dogs and three bitchs but unfortunately we lost one dog. But the rest all doing well. Three black bitchs two black dogs a blue dog and a brindle dog. A limited few will be for sale.”
