Spotted: Phoenix Runner-Up Produces First Litter

IN a timely whelping just weeks out from the second running of The Phoenix, 2021 runner-up Spotted Elk has whelped her first litter of pups.

The Queensland bitch produced four dogs and five bitches to her mating to exciting young sire Hooked On Scotch which is making big waves at stud.

Spotted Elk (Paw Licking-It Gets Better) led into the back straight only to be nailed by superstar Wow She's Fast in the inaugural running of The Phoenix but she held on gamely for second.

Bred and raced by Graham and Leanne Hall, the bitch had won the Queensland Flame to get into The Phoenix.

Ironically, the 2022 Queensland Flame gets underway at Albion Park on Thursday night, just 48 hours after Spotted Elk produced her highly anticipated first litter.

In a career that spanned 40 starts, Spotted Elk won 17 and was placed 11 times for stakes of $238,000.

“Fabulous mum,” said Graham today.

“We didn't take the risk so she had them be cesarean . But she took to them instantly.

“They are a great sized litter.

“We are still deciding, but there might be a couple for sale at three months. We have not made any firm decision on that.”

Hall was high in praise of both studmaster Darren Puleio and Paul Westerveld who were behind the mating.

“We were a bit picky about how we wanted it done,” said Hall.

“I drove her to Victoria and Darren agreed to mate her AI two days in a row.

“But, he got Paul to do the insemination. Wow, how on top of things are the Westervelds. Amazing.”

Spotted Elk's litter sister, Extra Malt (14 wins, $246,000), is due on in the next few months but the Halls have made no choice of prospective sires.

The mating of Hooked On Scotch and Spotted Elk is an example of intense in-breeding.

It introduces a 2×2 of Barcia Bale and It Gets Better who are bred on the same Go Wild Teddy/Hallucinate or Where's Pedro cross, and also brings in a 3×2 of Knocka Norris and Paw Licking who are both bred on the Elite State/Solve The Puzzle cross.

The litter to Spotted Elk comes hot on the heels of Hooked On Scotch's fabulous entry onto the stud scene in recent months.

Producing a raft of winners both locally and in New Zealand, the group 1 winning sire is proving hugely popular with breeders and is set for a bumper breeding season in the months ahead.

On Friday, exciting pup False Confidence scored at The Meadows in a fast 29.96 following on from the powerhouse win by Rejuvenate in the Group 3 Northern Districts Cup Final (450m) at Shepparton.