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.