Breeding Ground - 29 May 2025

Breeding Ground - Milner and McNair

“I never thought for one second that we would be there with Maverick. In fact, if anything, I thought Goose, who loves Towcester, would be the one to go furthest, with Maverick going for the Pall Mall. So it’s a dream just to be involved to be honest. I have no illusions about the task facing us.” 

Dave Firmager’s Romeo Empire and Keefill Maverick remain the last two British breds in the Derby but while ‘Romeo Dave’ already has one winner under his belt, this is a new experience for breeder trainer Phil Milner. 

A chiropractor by profession (“a third horses, a third people and a third dogs, mainly flyball”), the Nottinghamshire based breeder/trainer admits that behind his Derby quarter finalist is a ‘luck’ story where fate played as big a part as planning. 

He originally wanted to breed with a bitch he had bought from Geoff Parnaby (the man who sourced Top Honcho some 30 years ago). 

But when she refused to come into season, he asked Geoff for a litter sister, Tarsna Atlanta. 

Phil already had another brood in the kennel, Keefill Grace, but when failed to go into whelp after three unsuccessful attempts, he decided to get his own stud dog. 

He said: “I was a massive fan of the Droopys Hilda line. Check it out, the level of success is incredible.  

“So I decided that I wanted one of her sons and I really liked Droopys Addition, which also meant I was getting the Little Diamond UK line (through his sire Droopys Jet) so I phoned Gemma Evans and she arranged it.” 

Tarsna Atlanta was already a proven brood having thrown Sunderland Classic finalist Keefill George in her first litter by Skywalker Logan. 

Phil says: “We lost him after a short career, but George’s litter brother Keefill Danny was definitely faster and probably the best dog we have bred so far. 

“The litter by Droopys Addition was Addition’s first and Maverick was his ‘first born son’. Overall the litter was exceptional.” 

Nine of the litter have won races, including five who won opens and a sixth, Keefill Iceman who could certainly have done so but for injury. 

Since then, Atalanta has produced an Oct ’23 litter by Ballymac Cashout who might be described as ‘a bit sprinty’ and she has just produced her final litter by King Sheeran. 

As for Addition, he has gone from strength to strength. His next litter, out of Nah Then Bella, featured British Bred Derby winner Keefill Rocky. 

Since they were produced, Addition has joined the ranks at Droopys Stud in Waterford. 

Phil said: “He hasn’t been massively busy but we didn’t expect he would be. But he will get a chance, has a great record already and is an outcross for many of the Droopys Sydney bitches. 

“The lads have supported him and put Droopys Alyssa to him, the dam of Droopys Patriot. 

“I have a litter here by him out of George and Danny’s litter sister Keefill Pepper who I like a lot.” 

While Droopys Addition is still awaiting a breakthrough Irish winner, King Sheeran seems to have cracked it. 

On Saturday night, Magical Luka completed an unbeaten run in a €2,000 novice stake at Dundalk clocking 20.86 for the 400 yard final. 

His litter sister Magical Millie is unbeaten at Galway having clocked within 11 spots of the fastest sprint of the year thus giving the litter a six-from-six win record.  

They are August ’23 whelps bred and trained by Pat Guilfoyle out of his 2022 Cesarewitch winner Magical Mary (Droopys Jet-Mystical Moll).  

Rab McNair said: “I spoke to Pat a few weeks ago and he was telling me how excited he was about the litter. Apparently there are another three dogs in the litter who Pat also holds in very high regard. 

“It was funny. I asked him about their temperament and he said that they were so laid back that you wouldn’t sure they would chase until they got on the track. 

“I told him that it was a family trait. Sheeran was the same and so was his dam Skate On. If you stood with them on a lead and didn’t move, they would be liable to lay down and go to sleep. 

“The other thing is, they are not ridiculously big. (Luka is 75lbs/34kg). There are so many (Droopys) Sydneys that are 37 or 38 kilos which is far from ideal. Many of his daughters are huge too” 

Meanwhile last year’s Derby Plate winner Queen Joni has been mated to Droopys Flytline, though given the nature of breeding, it will be the 2027 Derby before the offspring could be considered at their peak. 

Thankfully, the KSS Syndicate may have options a little closer to the present. 

They include a 13 month old bunch by Fromposttopillar out of Links Maverick’s litter sister and Puppy Collar runner-up Havana Allablaze. 

There is also an eight week old litter by King Capaldi out of St.Leger winner Havana Lover. 

But if he had to choose one litter among those in the paddocks, Rab McNair says: “The pups by Postie (Fromposttopillar) out of Queen Beyonce (dam of Memphis, Capaldi etc) are without doubt the best looking litter we have ever had here. 

“They are seven months old and absolute stunners.”