Breeding Ground - 25th June 2025

Breeding Ground

It is ironic that at a time when the sport is staging its highest ever percentage of sprint races that there remain so few top class contests for the two-bend stars.

Last year, there was only one Category One final, the £12,500 Kent Silver Salver at Central Park.

All the rest were ‘Cat 2s’: the Northamptonshire Sprint and Gone To The Dogs Sprint (Towcester 270m both £3,000), the Coral Sprint (Hove 285m £3,000), the Scurry Gold Cup (Perry Barr 275m £7,500), the Betgoodwin Maiden Sprint (Oxford 253m £3,000), the BGBF British Bred Sprint (Harlow 238m £3,000) and the National Sprint (Nottingham 305m £7,500).

On Sunday, six of the most explosive hounds in training go to boxes at Central Park for what is now their biggest contest of the year.

From a breeding perspective, is there anything significant in their bloodlines to suggest that these were always born for this speciality? Or was it more random?

Given the bigger riches are over four bends, it might be suggested that most specialist sprinters are failed middle distance runners. 

Though it isn’t always that simple. Sometimes, injury management plays a part where trainers are reluctant to push a previously injured dog too far too soon for fear of a recurrence.

Some may be best suited to the 380-420 metre trip but struggle to adapt to the smaller circuits where those races are staged over the standard distance.

Temperament can also play a part, particularly with young dogs, whose concentration levels dip over a full lap of racing. 

Looking around this field we find a beaten Monmore Puppy Derby finalist in joint favourite Ballinakill Liam. While it is true that at that stage of his career he failed to stay 480 metres, he was spending most of his energy compensating for his slow trapping.

Similarly, as a pup, Rioja Oisin clocked a 28.22 on .20 slow for Monmore’s 480 metres. He also had decent open race winning form over the Oxford ‘450’. He will never look like a Derby dog but he’s not slowing down after 277 metres.

Third favourite King Presley might be the only specialist sprinter in the field. The track record holder finds the Romford ‘400’ on the tough side.

Kennelmate King Jackson is the genuine middle distance runner in the field. With a calculated 28.66 on his card for the 491 metres. He looked very green in his early races but has matured. You would have to be thinking East Anglian Derby (462m) in the medium term.

Pavilion Team (13/2) reached Northamptonshire and Golden Sprint Finals. He may be somewhere near his optimal trip having led and been picked up by Cooliogold over 400 metres at Romford.

Outside Beaming Isla has 28.88 winning form over 525 yards at Limerick and although she barely got home, will presumably soon continue her four bend career.

In fact, history shows us that very few hounds are ‘bred for sprinting’. 

A point proven by taking into account the exploits of the rest of the litter. Entire litters of specialist sprinters are very rare. In fact, cross a sprinter with another sprinter and you will probably end up with stayers.

Why? Dunno. It just happens that way.

The ‘most sprinty’ hound in the Silver Salver line-up must be King Presley who displays the sort of early pace associated with his King Elvis, both as a racer and stud dog.

Although a front runner, it is worth noting though that the former Greyhound of the Year still stayed well enough to share the Yarmouth 462m track record and clock 27.89 for Monmore’s 480m.

It is an interesting insight to breeding because four of the six littermates have won sprint opens, including Queen Sinead though she stepped up to win the £10K BGRF Puppy Final over 450m at Oxford. Another sister is a middle distance grader at Central Park and another, Queen Ruby, has won S2  (664m) suggesting the Queen Asia line still has an influence.

King Jackson also has the multiple sprint track record breaker (Wimbledon, Nottingham, Yarmouth) Skate On as a dam but also has the influence of the strong running Eden The Kid as a grandsire.

Beyonce previously threw Kings Memphis, Capaldi, Sydney and Combs plus Queen Shakira by Droopys Sydney. 

By comparison the Bale litter have been disappointing – though it was a very high bar. Jackson’s brother King Pavarotti is also a sprint open racer and went out in the Salver semis. The best of the sisters is Queen Cilla who finished fourth behind Queen Sinead at Oxford.

Rioja Oisin’s sire Droopys Sydney is yet to win a Salver though he has had a couple of previous finalists in Ballyard Shawny and Romeo Crusade.

Dam Oisins Choice was a 28.66 525 yard winner at Limerick and her Sydney litter which includes another couple of hounds who are equally comfortable in sprint or short middle distance open race company: Slick Serenity and Tiermana Lucky, with sister Dunquin Sarah being an A1 regular at Newcastle.

Sydney’s son Coolavanny Hoffa is one of Syndey’s most exciting young sons with a growing reputation for throwing early pace as per Kirby Memorial winner and runner-up Faypoint Ranger and Sole Mio.

Ballinakill Liam’s most able littermate is probably the 29.47 Central Park A1 winner Cronody Zuma. There is nothing particularly ‘sprinty’ about the dam line. Dam Cunnigar Spice was a decent class middle distance bitch who threw Gold Cup finalist Cunnigar Yousir by Droopys Sydney.

When Sydney covered Irish Puppy Oaks winner Boom Time she produced the former Janssens trained Laurels/Olympic finalist Lautaro.

But look deep enough and you will find an early paced connection. So who better than Boom Time’s litter brother Romeo Steel who broke the 400 yard clock at Dundalk?

Beaming Isla has interesting breeding in that her two grandsires are half brothers with Laughil Blake already a proven Salver sire with winner Flashing Willow. 

Isla’s dam Beaming Rosie was a 28.60 (525) winner at Dundalk but also a litter sister to Irish Oaks finalist, and Dundalk 525 yard record breaker, Swanley Chick. Their dam, Killinanan 

Baby reached a string of top class finals and was runner up in a Champion Stakes Plate (550). 

Pavilion Team is a son of one of the leading sires of sprinters and early paced runners. Ballymac Best specialist two benders include Quartiera, Bombout Bullet and Broadway Murty. 

Team is from a litter that includes recent Laurels finalist Armagh Daihti. Unraced Pavilion Pearl is a daughter of double Irish Laurels winner Rockybay Foley out of Irish Oaks/Dundalk International winner and Derby finalist Killmacdonagh.

The conclusion? While bloodlines are relevant, you don’t breed top class sprinters -  you unearth them.