I don’t know if there is a list of litters containing three different category one winning offspring. If there is, it won’t be a long one writes Floyd Amphlett.
One that sticks out in my mind is Nick Savva’s litter by Larkhill Joe out of Mega Delight, included three big race winners in Westmead’s Joe, Aoifa and Olivia. Ten of the litter won opens.
Ian Greaves came very close in the mid 70s with a Frightful Flash litter that included Cat 1 winners Toms The Best and Million Percent, but missed out on the hat-trick despite having another two litter sisters in the ’78 St. Leger Final including runner-up Lady Flyaway.
But the Kildare based Geordie has probably produced his best litter in 30 years with a bunch by Makeshift out of Swift Erin.
So what makes them so good?
There was nothing in the first two litters, by Hometown Boy and Vans Escalade to suggest anything special was due. The first lot never made the track, perhaps surprisingly, the Vans Escalades contained only two minor open winners in Skyward Paddy and Swift Sean.
But the third litter, whelped in September 2012 have been a revelation. The big brother of the litter is Swift Hoffman (Monmore Gold Cup/Scottish Derby). His little sisters are Golden Sprint winner You Never Listen and Oaks winner Domino Storm.
They are supported by Puppy Classic finalist Be Up Front, double Gold Cup finalist My Real Mutley and Brighton Belle finalist Swift Kidman.
Kidman and former Crayford S2 runner Swift Hepburn were the only two girls who kept their original film star names. You Never Listen was first registered as Swift Garland, Domino Storm was Swift Streep.
Interestingly, the jury is still out on sire Makeshift. The former Dolores Ruth trained Easter Cup/Champion Stakes winner, and half brother of Razldazl George and Jayfkay, has done okay without setting the world alight.
Dam Swift Erin, who was in a similar boat prior to her Makeshift litter has since produced marathon star Ribble Atom, by Godsend.
Unraced Erin (Kinloch Brae-Great Madam) is a litter sister to Aero Gaga, who left Romford A5 in his wake to become a prolific marathon winner and double TV Trophy finalist.
Great Madam’s (Top Honcho-Clodeen Magic) other well known offspring include St. Leger fourth, Swift Messenger (by Hondo Black) and Test/Stewards Cup winner Aero Blackjack (by Blackjack Tom).
Madam’s dam Clodeen Magic (Polnoon Chief-Lovely Lucinda) won the 1997 Coronation Cup for Brian Clemenson and went on to produce Solid Magic (Olympic/Regency/Cesarewitch) for Greaves.
