Caption: Elite Machine strides out at Albion Park (Photo: Box 1 Photography)

ALBION Park held centre stage during the winter months and not just because of the money on offer … and what money it was, with the very first $1 million greyhound race being run in Queensland.

First, there was the fabulous all-the-way win by Elite Machine in the Brisbane Cup.

The son of Aussie Infrared-Pat’s Lass by Dyna Tron had a real Queensland flavour even though he is a WA-based sprinter.

Elite Machine, you see, traces right back to Phil and Gerda Rudall’s grand staying bitch Bentley Babe (Head Honcho-Malawi Blue by Malawi).

The Rudalls were Townsville based and spent many a long year racing a small team up there. The best of them, like Bentley Babe, were sent to Victoria.

Bentley Babe is the fifth mother of Elite Machine.

She was a racetrack star, winning the Sandown Cup, Hume Cup, Dillon Memorial, Sale Cup and was multiple Group placed or finalist.

Elite Machine is just what his name says, an elite greyhound as his wins in the Brisbane and Perth Cups prove.

But check out his pedigree and it will surprise you.

His sire, Aussie Infrared, went to stud unheralded and has become a star.

Elite Machine’s mother, Pat’s Lass (Dyna Tron-She’s Our Caviar) was unraced.

Next dam, She’s Our Caviar (Superman-Black Abby) was the winner of nine races and she was intensely in-bred 3×4 to Malawi Blue the second dam of Superman and the dam of Bentley Babe.

But Black Abby (Primo Uno-Shirdon Nome) was unplaced in four starts and her mother Shirdon Nome (Just The Best-Bentley Babe) was unraced.

While Elite Machine was stealing the thunder of his G1 rivals, the Winter Carnival left everyone in two greyhound racing countries gaping at the ability of Kiwi-bred Postman Pat.

The son of Hooked On Scotch-Birdie Tee by Fabregas is awesome and he certainly put the shivers up the spine of rivals.

To run 29.39, the third fastest time ever at Albion Park, at his first start on the track and only his second 500m race in Australia … well normal greyhounds just don’t do that sort of thing.

But Postman Pat has been doing awesome things from the moment he hit the track, running a track record and winning a Group race back home, before being sent to Jason Thompson for an Aussie campaign.

Obviously, with ability like that, and a reputation to rival such legends as Brother Fox, Brett Lee, Fernando Bale and the like, he is unlikely to ever leave these shores.

A stud career beckons.

He’d fill his book right now on what he has shown broodbitch owners.

So, what makes him tick.

Darren Puleio, breeder, owner and studmaster of his sire Hooked On Scotch, no doubt will reckon that’s what has made him so fast.

But Postman Pat is the result of some judicious line breeding and a proven cross, but he is also from one of the really great female families.

His damsire, Fabregas, is bred on the Black Shiraz-Larkhill Jo cross.

Have a look at the pedigree of Misty Fields, second dam of Hooked On Scotch, and you will see she is bred on the same Black Shiraz-Larkhill Jo cross … but in reverse.

And Misty Fields and Fabregas are a fabulous “balance” for each other.

It is way too early in the stud career of Hooked On Scotch to garner what is going to make him great, but already there is proof bitches with Fabregas in their make-up are exactly what he needs.

Look at the pedigree of Fabregas’s champion son, Dundee Osprey (G1 Topgun, G1 Sale Cup), and you will see he too was in-bred, and balanced, to Larkhill Jo.

It is interesting that Jason Thompson should get Postman Pat to train. Jason won the G1 Melbourne Cup with speed star Black Magic Opal.

BMO was intensely in-bred to the family of Awesome Assassin, a Thompson-trained legend.

And so is Postman Pat.

The Mad Midge family, that of Awesome Assassin, is found in the direct damline of Hooked On Scotch’s damsire Knocka Norris, found through Awesome Assassin in the direct damline of Fabregas, and also has common ancestors through the Leprechaun Yap-Miss family in Postman Pat’s damline.

Postman Pat’s direct damline is that of the legend National Lass, but it is also the direct damline of Betty’s Angel and also successful stud dogs Magic Sprite and Oaks Road.

There is no doubt Postman Pat will go to stud, more than likely with Jason and his family, and anyone with a daughter of Fernando Bale will be waiting for that moment with great expectation.

I would also expect him to do well with bitches with more Barcia Bale.

And I would also expect him to do well with bitches with Kinloch Brae to link up with that cross of Premier Fantasy in Pat’s pedigree.

The opportunities are endless.

All greyhound racing is watching him.

He’s not letting us down and when he goes to stud, with that 29.39 type speed, he’s likely to continue to do so.