Caption: Trainer Paul Brown with Rejuvenate.

(April, 2023)

WHEN a “hot” young dog like Victorian speedster Rejuvenate comes along, every breeding enthusiast no doubt will delve into his pedigree to get a grasp on what makes him tick.

You will all be aware of Rejuvenate.

He’s the son of Hooked On Scotch and Zall Good (Stagger-Noaki Pace), and who almost broke the Shepparton track record on debut, then did just that a few weeks ago when winning the Shepparton Classic.

In between times he ran 29.47 (YES! 29.47) at The Meadows to make his way into the Group 1 Silver Chief. He has since won the G3 Northern Districts Cup also at Shepparton.

What steps right out at you in Rejuvenate’s pedigree is that he is line-bred 5×4 to the litter brothers Knockabout Wok and Puzzle Prize (Solve The Puzzle-Princess Rema), who were superstar speedsters on one-turn tracks in Victoria during their careers.

Take extra special notice of their position in the pedigree of Rejuvenate, and his scorching litter brother Hot Scotch, because it is a position to greatly impact.

And, we must also look closely at his direct damline. It is that of the famed National Lass coming down through the branch that has left such greats as Betty’s Angel (and her littermates) as well as Magic Sprite, Oaks Road and numerous examples too great to mention here.

Darren Puleio, breeder, owner and studmaster for Hooked On Scotch, has plenty to brag about with the early success at stud of his former racetrack star.

And that “brag” extends to New Zealand where Postman Pat (Hooked On Scotch-Birdie Tee by Fabregas) is the boom youngster having won 10 of 14 starts, a Group 3 and run a track record at Ascot Park.

He’s on his way to Australia to be trained by Jason Thompson in Victoria.

Those breeding enthusiasts, mentioned above, will have noticed that Postman Pat and Rejuvenate are virtual brothers.

No, they don’t both have then Knockabout Wok/Puzzle Prize intensity, but their dams are bred on an identical pattern.

Zall Good and Birdie Tee are both from the Black Shiraz sireline.

Nifty Niamh (in Postman Pat’s damline) is bred along similar lines to Spiral Nikita (in Rejuvenate’s damline).

But it is hard not to notice that the third dams of both these superstar sprinters are Miss Mini Mouse (Postman Pat) and Leprechaun Pace (Rejuvenate) and they are litter sisters by Brett Lee-Leprechaun Yap.

Their litter sister was legend Betty’s Angel.

Postman Pat also has a strong double and balance of Larkhill Jo.

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WHICH brings me to several recent racetrack stars with very interesting pedigrees.

First, there is G2 Summer Distance Plate winner Ritza Piper (Ritza Lenny-Ritza Vonnie by SH Avatar).

She is one of the very first to achieve to Group level with a close-up double of Barcia Bale. That she carries 2×3 at the top and bottom of the pedigree.

But she also has a powerful 4x3x4 of Hallucinate (twice) and Where’s Pedro.

Ritza Piper is from the same direct damline as Queen Lauryn.

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THEN there is Multi Matt (Mepunga Blazer-Mepunga Molly by Fernando Bale).

He’s been a finalist in the G1 National Derby, G3 SA Derby, the Geelong Derby and a fast winner at The Meadows and Angle Park.

I have always thought daughters of Fernando Bale would suit Mepunga Blazer.

Blazer is line-bred to the Wheeler family’s famed Gail’s Beauty damline. Blazer has a cross of Indiana Bale in his direct damline.

This is the same direct damline as Fernando Bale.

Multi Matt is not the only Group class dog bred on this cross. Korda is as well and he’s a multiple Group finalist stayer.

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DAUGHTERS of Fernando Bale are working so well with Aston Dee Bee.

One of the first to show out from this cross was G2 Qld Derby winner Just A Sort, second to Orchestrate at G1 level last year.

But since then such classy types as Mia She’s Fast (second G2 Gosford Cup, finalist G2 Richmond Oaks) and Reflections (third G1 Paws Of Thunder, finalist G2 Richmond Oaks, G3 Gosford Cup etc) are just a couple of standouts bred on this cross.

Which obviously means daughters of Fernando Bale will ideally suit Aston Rupee whose dam is a litter sister to Aston Dee Bee.

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RECENT G2 Warragul Cup finalist Matt’s Hope (Cosmic Rumble-Hope’s Thunder by Primo Uno) has an interesting pedigree.

He carries a 2×4 of the famous half-relations Spiritual Rumble and Collision.

This is a cross that will appear more and more in the pedigree of quality race dogs as they get pushed back into the bloodlines.

In the early days of Cosmic Rumble’s stud career he was mated to several daughters of Collision and it had mixed results often because of unsoundness worries.

But back in the pedigree is proving a success.

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THOSE great Queensland-bred littermates Knocka Norris and Elite Oriental (Elite State-Oriental Angel) are proving themselves when combined in pedigrees.

Check out the pedigree of Victorian speedster Oriental Amber.

More recently, Money Owes (Beast Unleashed-Stars And Lights by Spring Gun) is a finalist in the G2 Warragul Cup.

He is line-bred 3x3e to Knocka Norris and sister Dragon Angel.

As great speedsters, Knocka Norris, Elite Oriental and their sisters are sure to be reinforced into pedigrees to bring in pace.

Those breeding enthusiasts should take special notice of the pedigree of Money Owes and his absolutely fabulous litter brother Zigzag Cabang. There is not an outcross in five generations … but lots of pace.