‘Group 1’ grabs Sequana pup

April 29, 2022

Caption: Sequana (Zambora Brockie-Lilly Sur Seine) – the winner of 26 races and $144,000 (Photo: Box 1 Photography)

Each month Chase will highlight the story behind Queensland’s most recent complete monthly breeding statistics: February, 2022

By DAVID BRASCH

THAT Mick Zammit never misses an opportunity.

‘Group 1’ as he is best known, and his wife Selena, put the polish on that wonderful race bitch Sequana (Zambora Brockie-Lilly Sur Seine) the winner of 26 races and $144,000. She came from a super litter and the Zammits also put the polish on G1 class Stinger Noir (25 wins, $146,000).

Sequana was luckless in big race finals, but chased home superstar Sennachie in the G2 Golden Ticket and he had to produce a 29.39 to beat her. Sequana went 29.48 running second.

Now Sequana has produced a litter of two dogs and nine bitches by Fernando Bale and ‘Group 1’ has nicked in and bought the only dog for sale.

It’s a wonderful, and highly proven cross, because Sequana has Barcia Bale in her damline and that’s a proven recipe for success with Fernando.

I wonder who will get to train the pup?

Calum Andersen is a devotee of pedigree analysis.

He has just whelped five dogs and five bitches with his Group class bitch Marseille (Kinloch Brae-Embellish) to Mepunga Blazer.

Marseille won five races and $30,000 in 25 starts for Calum, but she proved her class with a second in the Brett Memorial Maiden at The Creek and was a finalist in the G2 Golden Sands over 600mn behind Mepunga Isla.

Marseille is from a great family. Her mother Embellish won 26 races and was a finalist in the G3 Townsville Cup.

But what Calum noticed was the fact daughters of Kinloch Brae have worked so very, very well when mated to Mepunga Blazer. Three different Blazer litters are bred on this cross and all have produced Group performers.

It is the Murlens Slippy/Fortress cross also found in Kinloch Brae’s champion UK sprinter Ballymac Vic now a highly proven stud dog. Murlens Slippy and Fortress are almost brothers, so close is their pedigree.

Nikki Nettle (Paw Licking-Dayseas Astra) also has proven herself on the racetrack with 15 wins and $75,000 in stakes. She came from a litter which included Claude and Norma Dacey’s great sprinter Corykodi (35 wins, $137,000).

Nikki Nettle has just produced a litter of three dogs and seven bitches by Tommy Shelby.

The bitch was second in the G3 Vince Curry Maiden and a finalist in the G3 Casino Cup and a Young Guns at Albion Park.

But, Nikki Nettle’s litter sister Jeannie Dreaming has already produced a high class litter by Tommy Shelby’s sire Fernando Bale. It includes Nando Dreamer (17 wins, $78,000) etc.

I’ve got to hand it to Steve Williams and the faith he has in his own bloodlines.

He stuck by his former sprint star Jury (Cosmic Chief-Velocity Sheba) to produce super sprinters like Sentenced.

Now Steve has whelped four dogs and five bitches by Jury from Velocity Agnetha (Fernando Bale-Velocity Sofia). The dam won 16 races and came from a litter that also included G1 winner Velocity Liberty (8 wins, $103,000). All eight in this litter were multiple winners.

Hara’s Penny (Fernando Bale-Hara’s Annie) proved herself on the track with 11 wins and $36,000 winning a 710m at Albion Park on a Thursday night for Tony Glover.

Her claim to fame is that she is a litter sister to Tony’s great sprinters Hara’s Clyde (22 wins, $110,000) and Hara’s Panda (19 wins, $103,000).

Both were Group class, Panda giving the late Mike Stephenson his greatest achievement as a trainer when winning the G3 Townsville Cup.

Hara’s Penny has just whelped four dogs and four bitches by sprint star Equalizer (KC And All-Captivating).

Matt Bourke can get a hold of a well-bred bitch for his kennel and that was the case with Dustification (Kayda Shae-Four Secrets), the winner of nine races and $38,000.

Dustification has whelped four dog pups by Hooked On Scotch. The mail on Hooked’s first progeny to the breakers is strong.

Dustification comes from a fabulous damline. Her dam, Four Secrets, is a litter sister to G1 Easter Egg winner and handy stud dog Moreira. This is the direct damline of that sensational, but luckless, sprinter Nolan.

Putting Dustification to Hooked On Scotch brings in a powerful reinforcement of the famed ‘Portrait’ damline, a highly proven recipe for success. When Hooked On Scotch’s mother Nicki Fields was mated to Fernando Bale to reinforce this family, it produced superstars Poke The Bear and Out Of Range.

Those Elsons can churn out a tough greyhound and Travis’ Nam’s Magic (Magic Sprite-Summer’s Senor) was just that. In 73 starts, she won 21 and was placed 25 times for stakes of $68,000.

Nan’s Magic has whelped five dogs and six bitches to her mating to Fernando Bale.

Nan’s Magic is bred almost identically to Billy and Cyndie Elson’s great bitch Cyndie’s Magic. And we all know her litter to Fernando Bale was wonderful.

Ed and Dan Makowiecki knew just how good Split Sound (Dyna Lachlan-Split System) was during her race career.

She proved it from 161 starts for 13 wins and 49 placings for $73,000 in stakes. She could sprint with the best of them and stay to 700m. She is bred on the same Dyna Lachlan/Surf Lorian cross as Johnny McCarthy’s great litter that included Slick.

Split Sound has just whelped four dogs and four bitches by Sennachie.

Qld breeding statistics – February 2022

Whelping Date Sire Dam Bitches Dogs

3/02/2022 Mepunga Blazer Marseille 5 5

3/02/2022 Fernando Bale Sequana 9 2

4/02/2022 Tommy Shelby Nikki Nettle 7 3

6/02/2022 Jury Velocity Agnetha 5 4

6/02/2022 Dyna Steal Urana Vee Eight 4 4

6/02/2022 Ando’s Mac Lulu Forty 2 6

6/02/2022 Orson Allen Naturally Gifted 2 5

9/02/2022 Equalizer Hara’s Penny 4 4

12/02/2022 Whiskey Riot Kerrigan Coaster 5 5