Why The Feral Will Be A Huge Hit At Stud

BROODBITCH owners can be a picky “damn” lot putting up a host of requirements that need to be fulfilled before they will use a stud dog.

It's been like that for decade after decade.

Not too big, not too small. Great chaser. Record breaker. By a great sire, from the best of families. Group 1 race record, ultra consistent. From a great litter.

Gee, very few of those who retire to stud go even remotely close to getting ticks in all those “right” boxes.

That is, unless the dog in question is Feral Franky!

Lyndall Mcintyre knew what she was doing when she picked that name. It meant the dog would gain a cult following right throughout his race career.

Only a dog of Franky's calibre would be able to live up to what was expected.

So, does Franky pass the acid test?

Not too big, not too small. TICK, he's 31.5kgs.

Great Chaser … TICK, you only have to look at his record or replays of every single race he's been in to see he gets a tick.

Record breaker … TICK, Gunnedah 29.62 track record, not to mention a host of scintillating metropolitan and provincial winning times, including that remarkable 29.08 at Sandown. 

By a great sire … TICK, champion Collision and few are better.

From the best of families … TICK, Hall of Famer Paua To Burn's immediate family and a branch still “killing 'em”.

Group 1 race record … TICK, winner of the Vic Peters, placed in the Topgun, National Derby, Maturity, Gold Bullion and a multiple Group winner as well.

Ultra consistent … TICK, 24 wins from just 44 starts and placed 16 times for $482,000.

From a great litter … TICK, brother to Good Odds Harada ($1m Chase and G1 Dapto Megastar winner), Good Odds Buddy (2nd G2 Black Top, G1 finalist), half brother to Little Digger (multiple G1 placed) and Off The Leash (G1 finalist).

Feral Franky is something else … as that brief exercise in his traits, bloodlines, and track career quickly indicates.

His litter has won $2 million. 

Feral Franky will retire to stud at a fee of $1650 and broodbitch owners will certainly be clambering over themselves to put their bitches to him.

One such breeder is Shayne Stiff who has nothing but the highest wraps on Feral Franky.

“I tried to buy him after breaking in but he was not for sale,” said Shayne.

“But I have watched him rise through the ranks and have been in awe of the chase the dog has and the incredible times he can reel off.

“All the guns trial their fast dogs around Dubbo but few if any can run the times Feral Franky regularly does.”

Shayne has been in greyhound racing for many decades handling such greats as National Lass and Brother Fox in their legendary days. He says Feral Franky is the hardest chasing greyhound he has seen since those greats.

“Breeding is almost always but the best to the best and hope for the best,” he said. “But with Feral Franky there are so many options for him to succeed, he just has to be a good thing at stud.

“He will be absolutely ideal for daughters of Fernando Bale.”

Feral Franky has been the real deal, an Aussie real deal, all his life.

His pedigree has not one outcross ancestor within its first four generations. And, only two crosses of Irish-bred Waverly Supreme can be found on his fifth line.

So, what does this mean for Feral Franky's stud career?

The fact his dam Solar Pak has already mated Fernando Bale to produce multiple Group performers means everything. Fernando's daughters are a MUST for Franky.

Even more so when you consider Franky's damsire is Mogambo. His sister Flemenco was mated to Wheeler-bred Turanza Bale to produce champion My Bro Fabio.

That's a natural as well.

Mogambo links with numerous bloodlines, and a great number of US and Irish lines as well.

Mogambo's damline is that of the Spanish Dance family and Marty Hallinan is having great success by doubling and tripling it among those he breeds.

Also, those star Tassie sprinters including Hobart record breaker Raging Ralston are in-bred to Mogambo and Flamenco.

Doubling Bombastic Shiraz is already starting to prove a success (it always was going to) and more of this legend race and stud dog should be tried when mating to Feral Franky.

Feral Franky has only one cross of Brett Lee and that comes well back in his pedigree through a son in Where's Pedro. Bitches with Brett Lee (and his half brother Big Daddy Cool) coming via daughters will be ideal for Franky.

Brett Lee himself has done very well with the Paua To Burn damline (i.e. Black Bear Lee). And, it has also done well with Brett Lee's other half brother, Head Bound.

Bitches by Barcia Bale, who is out of a daughter of Hallucinate and thus able to link with his litter brother Where's Pedro in Franky's damline, will also suit Franky.

An interesting mating could be bitches with Velocette in their make-up. That's because he is a virtual brother to Tifi the second dam of Franky.

There is no doubt as a Group 1 winner, record breaker and with a dominant pedigree, Feral Franky can mate any number of bitches by US stud dogs to allow him to dominate them.

The sky is the limit at stud for a dog like Feral Franky.