By DAVID BRASCH

JANUARY produced some fascinating whelpings in Queensland to start the New Year.

The standout of course had to be the three dogs and three bitches by Fernando Bale from Queensland greyhound of the year Dam Slippery (Dyna Double One-Go Mini Mouse).

Dam Slippery was something else. She won 22 races and earned $201,000 and her litter of eight had seven winners most with plenty of ability.

The bitch won the Richmond Oaks, State Of Origin, a Young Guns and was second in the National Futurity and Queensland Futurity.

Two aspects of this mating are intriguing. The first is that Dam Slippery is from the very same direct damline as champion Tommy Shelby (by Fernando Bale). Thus, putting her to Fernando Bale goes some of the way to recreating the pedigree of a champion.

But, Dam Slippery raced around 24.5kgs and it will be interesting to see what size the resultant six Fernando Bale pups achieve when they get to the racetrack.

Kevin Bryant is as astute a greyhound man as there is.

So, when his bitch Nurse Peg (Fernando Bale-Fair Of Face) whelped seven dogs and four bitches to her mating to No Easy Beat, it was a mating that needs scrutiny.

Nurse Peg raced just once for a third at Albion Park. She comes from a litter that includes seven winners. Their pedigree shows a saturation of the famed ‘Portrait’ female family.

Putting her to No Easy Beat, Kevin’s potential superstar by Zambora Brockie-Lilly Sur Seine, brought in a 3×3 of Barcia Bale is a very dominant position.

Miss Amelia (Paw Licking-Wise Forecast) was a better than handy bitch for Reg Hazelgrove, winning 17 races and $38,000. She is a litter sister to Group star Wise Misty (33 wins, $239,000) etc.

Miss Amelia has whelped six dogs and two bitches by Tommy Shelby.

EVERYONE is raving about the first pups by Shima Shine. Gerard Bowe has six dogs and two bitches by him from Jo Jo (Fabregas-Crazy Sexy) the winner of 16 races and $33,000.

What is interesting about this mating is that Shima Shine is by Barcia Bale and Crazy Sexy’s best litter is by Barcia Bale including Group star Crazy Cool (14 wins, $169,000) and record-breaking Canya Cruise (21 wins, $136,000).

Norma Dacey’s proven producer, Jeannie Dreaming (Paw Licking-Dayseas Astra) has whelped one dog and three bitches by Zipping Garth.

Jeannine Dreaming is the mother of a Fernando Bale litter which includes Nando Dreamer (16 wins, $77,000), Dreamy Dan (13 wins, $44,000) etc. She is also a litter sister to the Dacey’s star sprinter Corykodi (35 wins, $137,000).

It hasn’t taken Darren Johnstone long in greyhound racing to pick up on the aspects of bloodlines.

His speedy bitch, Daisy Dreams (Fabregas-Stay Warm) won 24 races and $54,000 during a sprint career. She has whelped six dogs and two bitches by champ Sennachie.

Her mother, Stay Warm, was mated to Sennachie’s sire Fernando Bale to produce Maggie Moo Moo (19 wins, $176,000), one of the best stayers of her time.

Clint Kratzmann bred Emmaville Star (Kinloch Brae-Iona Champion) and she suffered a few injuries along her racing path but still managed to run fast times in her six wins for $35,000 when trained by Tony Zammit. She was a finalist in the Garrards Gold Cup at Albion Park and ran 30.50 and 37.30 at Ipswich.

Emmaville Star has whelped four dogs and two bitches by Fernando Bale. When her mother Iona Champion was mated to Fernando Bale it produced Qld GOTY Oh Mickey.

Yes, I reared Emmaville Star, know what a fabulous bitch she is, and asked to be able to buy a couple of the pups. No such luck.

I’ve known John McCarthy since he burst into the limelight via the deeds of his great sprinter Dagenham. Yes, Dagenham won the very first running of the G2 Qld Derby at Albion Park. Yes, Johnny and I are that old.

John’s bitch Pearl Za Diamond (Dyna Double One-Pearl Za Zinger) won six raced and $26,000 and she is a sister to Pearls Are Us (15 wins, $52,000).

Pearl Za Diamond, an Ipswich Young Guns finalist, has just whelped two dogs and three bitches by Dyna Lachlan.

Back in 2015, John mated Pearl Za Zinger to Dyna Lachlan, got four pups all of them city winners, and rode a successful couple of years with Slick, Rather Dapper and Aza Zeus. No wonder he ‘took the punt’ on Dyna Lachlan (a 2007 whelp) again.

Qld Futurity winner, Zipping Cosmo (My Bro Fabio-Zipping Meg) was something else on the racetrack winning 13 and earning $111,000.

She has whelped six dogs and three bitches by Fernando Bale … the proven Fernando/Fabio cross found successfully up to G1 level.