Six Irish breds will line-up for Saturday’s Star Sports/ARC/LPS Greyhound Derby Final – two from Tipperary, a couple from County Limerick, a seemingly inevitable Kerry runner and yet another Cat One finalist from the Droopys kennel of Sean and Michael Dunphy – writes Floyd Amphlett.
A quick glance at the six pedigrees and the eye immediately falls on the half brothers Magical Bale and Skywalker Logan.
Littermates and half-littermates are not as uncommon in Derby Finals as might be anticipated.
Last year, we had first and third in Dorotas Wildcat and Dorotas Vic. Half brothers Westmead Hawk and Westmead Joe both contested the 2006 final. Then there was Master Hardy and Fearless Action in the ’86 decider.
The only comrades to complete the Derby forecast though were Tric Trac and Spectre II in 1967.
Dam Sizzling Sarah is of interest for various reasons, the first being her ability to throw superstars over different distances.
It is one of the great mysteries of breeding how a dam can throw a dog with three of the fastest ‘first half’ sectionals in the Derby, but also a multiple track record breaking marathon star in Roxholme Magic (by Definate Opinion).
I also love the way nature has shared out the blessings between track and paddock for the ‘decent’ racer Sarah, and her brilliant litter sister Skywalker Queen.
The amazing exploits of Emer Guilfoyle’s super brood can be found here.
Magical Bale is a son of the lightly raced 39 kilo colossus Zero Ten. UK punters did not get the chance to see Ten in action – he only had 9 races, 3 wins, all in Ireland.
More interesting than any race though was possibly a Shelbourne Park sprint trial of 18.57. Until Ardnasool Jet’s double strike on the track record, it stood at 18.41.
Prior to Magical Bale, Zero Ten’s best known UK runner was undoubtedly the champion sprinter Walshes Hill.
Skywalker Logan is by a lightly used but well bred, Tarsna Havana.
Like, Zero Ten, Havana was lightly raced with 6 wins from 15 races. The victories included a 28.17 defeat of Lenson Sanchez at Shelbourne Park on a cold January night.
Logan is a litter brother to Irish Leger winner Skywalker Rory and is from a dam line that produced the talented based stud dog Small Fortune and Produce Stakes winner Backseat Billy.
Ballymac Tas is from a dam line the Dowling family have nurtured for what I calculated to be at least 10 generations, certainly more than 60 years. Further along the pedigree are some outstanding broods including Blonde Slippy, Killeacle Blonde and Minus.
How good are they? Well, I could genuinely list 50 or 60 top open race stars to have emerged from the line. I will try to keep it to a dozen ‘Ballymacs’: Ace, Kewell, Maeve, Marine, Matt, Pet, Pires, Ramsey, Razl, Swift, Vic, and William. To which you can add in, less obvious products of the Dowling dam line: Bockos Alfie, Bodell Clare, Calzaghe Boyo,, Killeacle Phoebe, Lenson Cody, Louis Saha, Mill Jolson, Precisely, Quietly, Target Harris, Walshes Hill etc etc.
Tas, is from a great litter that includes Juvenile Classic second and third, Ballymac Syd and Ballymac Devon. Their sire is Droopys Sydney, a dog with one race on his card prior to injury (1st 28.45 Cork) and continuing with the Zero Ten theme, he did 18.64 in a trial for the Shelbourne sprint. A litter brother to double Golden Jacket finalist Racenight Jenny, Sydney is a half brother to stud dog Droopys Cain (sire of 2018 finalists Bombers/Bruisers Bullet). Sydney is best known as the sire of Eclipse winner Bubbly Bluebird.
Priceless Blake is a son of 2014 Irish Derby winner (and 18.40 Shelbourne sprint trialist!) Laughil Blake.
Dam What A Diva was unraced and still a pup when she produced her first litter. Her most noted pup to date was probably the Laurels/Steel City Cup third, Some Turbo (by Farley Turbo) with brother On Alert winning a second round heat of the 2015 Derby.
What A Diva is from the ‘Dalcash’ dam line so successful for the Meade family over many generations, particularly in Ireland and the USA. Dalcash Diva’s offspring include Irish Leger winner Paradise Silva and Irish Oaks winner Dalcash Divinsky.
Droopys Expert is a son of the former Pat Flaherty trained Greenwell Hawk, who, as seems to be part of a ‘lightly raced’ theme here, only had ten races in Britain and one in Ireland.
He is from a decent litter which included Coral Puppy Cup winner Maireads Hawk. Two of Greenwell Puma’s litter by Daves Mentor reached the 2013 Scottish Derby Final. The bitch, Greenwell Lark, ran up to Droopys Danneel in the 2013 Oaks Final and repeat of the Westmead Hawk cross produced Ladbrokes 600 winner Greenwell Hulk.
Expert’s littermates included RPGTV Puppy Finalist Greenwell Simba. Rhiona also threw Anns Little Bugz (18.47 for the Shelbourne sprint). Droopys Lotto ran third in the Ladies Trophy at Hove but is best known as the dam of Droopys Loner who was a finalist in four Cat One events and is currently the UK’s leading open race dam. Other Lotto progeny of note include beaten Olympic finalist Droopys Norris.
Clonbrien Prince is a son of Confident Rankin, whose son Clares Rocket started favourite for the 2017 Derby Final but also produced the 2018 Irish Derby winner Ballyanne Sim. Rankin is a son Premier Fantasy, who was Derby favourite when breaking a leg at Wimbledon in 2004.
Interestingly, Rankin’s grand dam Gifted Woman – who was bred by Ian Greaves – ran mid-grade at Reading and Hove but was a younger full sister to one of the unluckiest Derby runners of recent years, the great Top Savings.
Prince is from a very decent litter that of course included another decent Derby animal in Clonbrien Swift. Another littermate, Mongys Boy has 28.44 Cork/28.54 Limerick winning form. Their dam was a decent stayer with wins over 600 and 750 yards at Limerick.
When Trout Or Salmon was mated to Razldazl Jayfkay she produced Clonbrien Hero – winner of the 2017 Produce Stakes, Irish Laurels, Irish St.Leger and Night Of Stars 550.
