LITTER SHOWING GREAT PROMISE

Press, 7 August 1976, Page 18

LITTER SHOWING GREAT PROMISE

By 808 SCHUMACHER When the Loburn trainer, Bill Gill, was taking possession of his new greyhound a little more than three years ago, the comment was made that the tiny bitch would make a great mother. Gordon Kingston, who had bred a litter by the Australian sire, The Smoother, from an Australian bitch, Moss Patches, sent two pups to Sydney and retained one for himself. The remaining two bitches he sold for slso—- — high price at that time when the sport had only a limited band of followers. Howard Brown secured Smooth View, a bitch which was to become one of the country’s finest open class chasers. Gill took the other and. was not concerned that he was left with a Very diminutive youngster. He was told by Kingston that, even if she did hot measure up on the track, her bloodlines were such that she would be invaluable as a matron. So the youngster Smooth Flight, became the third racing dog to be kennelled on Gill’s 16-acre property amidst the fruit orchards of Loburn. The royally-bred Smooth Flight paraded at Marshland Domain for the first time at the New South Wales St Leger meeting in August, 1973. Her debut was highly successful. Her lack of size meant nothing as she galloped to effortless victories in both maiden flats. That day the limelight focused on the South Island final of the St Leger and the winner, Red

Baron, was later to have a marked influence on Smooth Flight’s future. Unfortunately, Smooth Flight’s racing career was curtailed prematurely. At the next meeting she struck interference in her heat of the Lord Shannon Cup—a race for which she was one of the favourites —and damaged her back in a fall. “She was never really right in the back after that fall. I would be walking her along the road and she would sit down to rest it after short distances,” he recalled. The little fawn bitch — she is now four years and a half — did not come into season until she was three. Gail chose to mate her with the 1974 New Zealand

champion and twice South Island champion, Red Baron. The stud fee was $5O. The results of that mating have provided one of the main talking points at meetings at Queen Elizabeth II Park since May. There were nine pups in the litter, although one died at birth. The other eight thrived on a wholesome diet of meat, eggs, and vegetables. All eight youngsters have qualified and have competed at Queen Elizabeth II Park. Six of them have won at least one race and another. Miss Gamble, has had three thirds from as many starts. In all, the litter pups have had 30 races and they

have done the family proud by gaining 12 wins, five seconds and six thirds. The only longtail not to have contributed to the outstanding total is Norah Der (Red Baron spelt, backwards), but Gill is confident that he will improve with age and experience. Miss Gamble, the only bitch from the litter, is raced by Gill himself. He retains an interest in the classy Bright Byrne, but the remainder he sold for $lOO. He still trains half of them; Outa Bounds. Bright Byrne, Miss Gamble and Norab Der race fron his kennels. Bright Byrne and Ou’ Bounds have both w< three races and seem de lined for the best con.

pany. Bright Byrne started against the older dogs in the Lord Shannon progressive cup and was a gallant second. In winning his second of three puppy races, he set a new open record for the sprint over 340 m. The four longtails which joined outside kennels — Red Patches. Just A Smoothie. Hidden Diamond and Fiddler's Arms — have all been successful. Red Patches has looked an excellent prospect in his last three runs, which have brought him two wins and i second to Outa Bounds. At present. Gill has 16 ups ranging from four <onths to a year, six racing >gs. and five brood bitles as well as Red Baron - his property. He consul*

ers that team sufficient for him to handle. One litter of pups which has presented him with no difficulty in finding owners is the second offspring from Smooth Flight. The sire of the eight pups — now six months old — was another Irish import. Ballykilty. Gill intends to return Smooth Flight to Red Baron when she is next in season. The picture shows Gill holding the successful sire, Red Baron. His wife, June, has the matron. Smooth Flight. Two of the top-class > youngsters, Outa Bounds (left) ?,nd Bright Byrne, flank their parents. Holding the pups are Gill’s daughters, Deborah . (left) and Janine.