Sunset Spitfire To Fly High At Stud

DAVID Brasch delves into why the immensely talented sprinter Sunset Spitfire has the ingredients to make quite an impact in the breeding barn.

DURING World War II, the RAF put their faith in the Spitfire to defend the skies over Britain, a faith rewarded with victory.

Over in WA, Dave Hobby and his band of kennel loyalists did the same with a young dog by Mepunga Blazer-Sunset Jessie by Fabregas. They named him Sunset Spitfire because they knew he was something special.

SUNSET SPITFIRE AT STUD

Sunset Spitfire got to race only 17 times but showed his greatness with 14 wins and a second placing for $93,000 in stakes. From the moment he set foot on a racetrack, Sunset Spitfire was “special”.

He went 29.45 a maiden class record at Cannington … his racetrack debut.

Just to prove that was no fluke, he ran exactly the same time the following week and then went 29.61 at his third outing.

He won 12 straight including a 29.56 win in the Group 3 WA Young Star Classic and also won the Listed Anniversary Cup.

In the meantime, his litter brothers Sunset Nuclear and Sunset Toxic proved their worth.

Nuclear (7 wins, $61,000) won the Group 2 WA All Stars, while Toxic (19 wins, $147,000) landed the Listed Sandi's Me Mum, was placed in the Young Star Classic and a finalist in the All Stars Sprint, Mandurah Cup, Winter Cup and Spring Gift.

All eight of the litter have been winners.

Sunset Spitfire also has a 29.58 FFA victory over WA legend Tommy Shelby to his credit, but eventually injury got the better of him.

He becomes the first son of leading stud dog Mepunga Blazer to go to stud and he takes with him record breaking racetrack ability and a pedigree of the highest order with a huge number of ways he can be mated to provide breeders with success.

His sire, Mepunga Blazer (Barcia Bale-Mepunga Nicky by Premier Fantasy), was a Group 1 winner, Albion Park track record breaker and now a top five sire.

His dam, Sunset Jessie (Fabregas-Go Jessie's Girl by Collision), won nine races and $17,000 for the Hobby kennel who raved about her genuine pace. Her sister Sunset Mouse won 33 races.

Second dam, Go Jessie's Girl, won the G3 Nowra Puppy Classic, was third in the G2 Dapto Auction and a finalist in the G1 National Futurity. Her litter sister Go Mini Mouse won 21 races.

Go Jessie's Girl is also dam of superstar sprinter Pantera Nera (38 wins, $290,000).

Go Mini Mouse is the dam of Dam Slippery (22 wins, $201,000) the Queensland greyhound of the year and Rock On John (G1 NZ Cup, 2nd G1 NZ Cup, finalist G1 Hatrick Classic).

BUT, also from this direct damline is WA legend Tommy Shelby.

Sunset Spitfire's third mother Go Mighty Mouse is a half sister to Tommy Shelby's third mother Token Melody … both out of Smokey Melody.

Now that Sunset Spitfire is retired to stud, he gives broodbitch owners a variety of options to use his bloodlines.

The fact Tommy Shelby is by Fernando Bale from a daughter of Bit Chili but significantly from the same damline as Spitfire, means broodbitch owners with daughters of Fernando Bale MUST see the proven cross to be picked up.

The Hobby family should be desperate to get daughters of Fernando Bale to Sunset Spitfire.

And, it will not be lost on those who study bloodlines that Spitfire's damsire Fabregas too has a fabulous proven “nick” with Fernando Bale.

It has been written before, but if Sunset Spitfire mated only daughters of Fernando Bale during his entire stud career, then that would be a recipe for him to become a successful stud dog.

Bitches with Bit Chili also should be tested to Spitfire. Tommy Shelby's damsire is Bit Chili.

The Bombastic Shiraz cross in Spitfire's damline allows for a reinforcement of him. Daughters of Aston Dee Bee could provide an ideal option even though he is by Barcia Bale the grandsire Spitfire. Champions New Tears, Ginger, Amerigo Man etc are bred on a 3×2 cross of champion sires just as this would provide.

Fabregas, too, has worked well with Worm Burner's direct damline and his daughters should be tested with Spitfire. Worm Burner is bred along very similar lines to Fernando Bale.

Fabregas, damsire of Spitfire, carries a cross of Larkhill Jo and we all know he does spectacularly well when he meets up with his half brother Sonic Flight. He can be found in the pedigree of Bekim Bale and Allen Deed.

The Collision cross in Spitfire's damline allows for bitches with Cosmic Rumble, Kinloch Brae and Token Prince in their make-up to be utilised. Collision also has a proven “nick” with Fernando Bale.

Spitfire is line bred 4×4 to Hallucinate. This means he is a virtual must to mate bitches with Where's Pedro. Daughters of My Bro Fabio, but particularly My Redeemer should be ideal to bring in this cross. Redeemer bitches will be special for Spitfire.

The fact Queensland greyhound of the year Dam Slippery is by Dyna Double One and from Spitfire's direct damline, means we can also test bitches with Double One in their pedigree with Spitfire.

Yes, Barcia Bale will be duplicated 3×3 along the direct sireline in such matings … but this theme is proven anyway.

The Premier Fantasy cross in his sire Mepunga Blazer too allows for potential matings for Spitfire with daughters of Bernardo to duplicate and balance Premier Fantasy.

Sunset Spitfire, from the moment he started doing his thing for the Hobby kennel, was a very, very special greyhound. He deserves his chance at stud and gets it.

Line up all those Fernando Bale bitches.

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