Staying Great Due To Whelp To Aston Rupee

STAYING great Super Estrella is due to whelp her first litter of pups, by superstar Aston Rupee, on December 2.

And breeders-owners, Michael and Michelle Jones at Nabiac on the mid-north coast of NSW, could have some for sale.

“Depending on how many she has, we could have some of them for sale,” Michael said.

“She looks like she will have a good sized litter.”

Super Estrella (Fernando Bale-Esparza) retired after 70 starts for 33 wins and 28 placings, earning $451,000.

The Wentworth park distance track record holder, she won the G1 National Distance and G2 Sydney Cup and was placed or a finalist in nine other Group races during an amazing career.

Michael said he “liked the way the mating worked” to Aston Rupee.

“The thing about mating a bitch like Super Estrella is that you should really find a dog that was as quick or quicker,” he said.

“There's no doubt Aston Rupee was a very quick dog.

“And Super Estrella has a wonderful temperament. She's a people's dog.”

Super Estrella was trained throughout her career by Dave Smith who has also just whelped a litter of two dogs and two bitches by Aston Rupee from Dave's own group 1 winner Classy Ethics. He will keep them all.

Ray Borda, breeder and owner of Aston Rupee, says his dog's oldest progeny are now 17 months and about to hit the racetrack.

“He has now had 350 matings and in recent times I've been selling semen to New Zealand and the UK,” said Borda.

“Reports on his first pups are extraordinary.

“In fact I got a call recently to say one had broken in as fast as their father.”