The Temlee story does not start with his brilliant race career. It does not start with his staggering stud career. It does not even start when the dog was born in March 1972, one of a litter of four dogs and four bitches.
It starts some years before when Diamond Creek (Victoria) studmaster Tony Marino decided he needed a new stud dog to add to his two stars of the time, Worthing and Clay Moss.
Marino went to Sydney looking for a top young dog, preferably a proven young sire, to take back home. "I made an offer of $3000 for a dog I liked and the woman who owned him agreed to sell," said Marino. "I was staying in Sydney for a while but when I went out to get the dog, the woman told me should couldn't let her dog go. At the same time I saw Tivoli Chief there. He was seven years old and had not been to stud.
"I read up about him, liked the look of him and Paul Cauchi (his trainer) recommended him to me. Paul said he was a very good dog. He had led the Derby field at Wentworth Park but broke down in the hip and did not race again. He had been lightly raced but showed plenty of pace and was obviously a very classy dog. So I bought him and took him back to Melbourne," Marino said.
Now the task Marino set himself trying to promote a seven-year-old dog who had never before been to stud, virtually unknown to Victorians and now standing for a $40 service fee, was a mammoth one.
"I got a few bitches, but everyone kept coming to Worthing and Clay Moss which was to be expected because they were the top sires in Victoria at the time," he said. "I remember Barry Bailey coming down with Temora Lee to have her mated with Worthing. She was a nice type of bitch by Mister Moss from Venetian Babe and had been bred by Tony Duke. Tom Davidson paid $800 for her as a pup. Her dam was a litter sister to Venetian Court a great sire in Victoria.
"Tom died and Temora Lee was given to Bailey to breed with. Anyway, Bailey wanted to put Temora Lee to Worthing but when the dog was brought out to mate the bitch he would have nothing to do with her. I suggested they use Tivoli Chief but Barry didn't want him. So I had to convince him. Temora Lee was one of the first 12 bitches to be mated to Tivoli Chief," said Marino.
Tony Marino's battle to promote Tivoli Chief didn't have long to wait for success. Those first 12 bitches all produced champions, Temlee among them.
"It was the start a studmaster dreams of," said Marino. "He couldn't go wrong and I still say that given the right opportunity, and from the moment he finished racing, Tivoli Chief would have been an even better sire than Temlee. He was an old dog by the time he went to stud."
But, Tivoli Chief proved himself. His stud fee quickly rose from $40 to $500 and Marino was flooded with matings for him. In the meantime, Temlee went from strength to strength on the racetrack. He raced 37 times for 25 wins, smashed the Olympic Park track record, won the Maturity, the National Sprint and established himself a superstar before breaking down and being retired.
Temlee's early life was not without incident, however. He was bought as an eight week old pup for $125 by Ray Hocken a local publican on the advice of Frank Cray a friend of Barry Bailey and Cray was to train the dog throughout his career.
Temlee contracted distemper and hepatitis soon after Hocken bought the pup and he and Cray decided to stick with their choice and the pup pulled through after some thorough vet care. Marino believes the illness came against Temlee at a later age in the midst of his stud career.
On March 25, 1974 Temlee smashed the Olympic Park track record for 511m when he ran 29.67 in the Autumn Trophy final. He held that record for 10 years until Super Max broke it with a 29.66 run. One of his greatest efforts was in winning a heat of the National Derby at Wentworth Park in 30.78 beating the flying sprinter Early Copy by eight lengths. He raced for the last time on November 25 in 1974 when he was found to have cracked a bone in his near side hind leg.
He raced against only the best and his clashes with the champion bitch Zulu Moss were memorable. It was fitting that Zulu Moss was later mated with Temlee to produce champion sire Chief Dingaan (sire of legend National Lass) and Worth Doing's granddam Zimbabwe.
Temlee won at Sale, Traralgon, Olympic Park, Wentworth Park and Sandown,. He raced the best including Zulu Moss, Kwik Metal, Steelflex, Bristol Sue, Roo Power, Early Copy, Sylvan Prince, Scala Red and many others. While Temlee's race career is well documented, he retired to stud at two years and eight months old. He was 1974 Victorian greyhound of the year.
"The owners approached me to take Temlee at stud and I jumped at the chance," said Marino. "He was already in demand by the time I started to advertise him. He was a freak greyhound. He weighed 73lbs (33kgs) while racing but was a big dog for his weight, very leggy, He was not bulky, built more like a bitch, or like a racehorse I suppose. He had a long neck, long body and very long legs. He looked as though he needed another pound or two on him during his racing career but he raced best light."
By the time Temlee went to stud, Tivoli Chief was the boom sire. He was leading sire three years in succession in Victoria.
"I started Temlee at $300 service fee and the phone never stopped ringing," he said. "In fact, that is the reason his fee went to $1000 because the phone never stopped ringing for service to him. It was nothing for us to get 30 phone calls a day from breeders want to book bitches in to him. It was a constant course of embarrassment for us. We would get phone calls at 6am from a breeder but would have to tell him that someone had rung at 5am and booked in their bitch.
"Allan Wheeler always rang us at 2am to book in his bitches. It was usually the time Allan and his family were arriving home from race meetings and on checking the broodbitches they would find they were on season. He would ring me immediately."
Marino pushed Temlee's fee to $400 and still the phone kept ringing. He eventually went to $600, then $800. "I thought that would stop them, but it didn't. I put him up to $1000 within 18 months of him going to stud but that phone kept ringing."
Marino was a pioneer with artificial insemination in Victoria. "Winifred Bale and Promises Free were produced that way. We were doing it for years. Wheeler was particularly worried about it. Temlee would not serve Emiline Bale (dam of champion Winifred Bale) at all so we got her in pup with A.I."
Temlee's career started off sensationally. Satan's Legend was his first real champion and he smashed the Harold Park 457m record, the world record, and Temlee was made. Then along came Tempix and Tangaloa and there was no looking back.
"It didn't matter what bitches went to him," Marino said. "He crossed with every single line in the country. He worked particularly well with Waverly Supreme bitches and vice-versa. But that was to be expected because Waverly Supreme was an outstanding race dog himself. Temlee's own grandsire Tivoli Dreamer was from Ireland and his bloodlines were superb."
Tivoli Dreamer was a son of Pigalle Wonder one of that country's most influential sire lines. Tivoli Dreamer's dam Racing On was a daughter of Millie's May the greatest Irish coursing bitch seen. Tivoli Dreamer, who had 17 starts for nine wins and five placings and included victories in the 1964-65 Ulster Coursing Cup at Ballymena, boasts a double cross on the third remove of Bella's Prince the greatest coursing influence in Ireland.
Marino was staggered by the demand for Temlee and the efforts some people made to get pups by him. "I was even getting offers of $2000 for a service to him but I always worked on the principle that first in was first served," he said.
Tony Marino has always stuck with several hard lines when looking for stud dogs. "They must have early pace. Look for a dog that could lead 550 yard races by eight or 10 lengths after 400 yards. hey might not necessarily be still in front at the finish, but they will put that speed in their pups. Never breed with a staying dog or staying bitch. Those are just my thoughts and I have seen them work out for so many years," he said.
Marino, who admits to being very lucky in his choice of stud dogs, claims he purchased most of his dogs on breeding alone. "NSW sprinting ability was my main criteria. Harold Park speed dogs make the best," he said.
Temlee was rising 13 when he died at Diamond Creek. Marino sold the 15 acres which is now housing development. "It was a sad day for me personally," he said. "Temlee was a very dear friend. Few people know that he was totally blind from the time he was seven. I had to do everything with him. We got pretty close. The day he died, I retired and I've never had another dog since."
His years with Temlee were hugely successful. "At one time in Victoria a survey was done and 65 percent of the dogs racing at that time were by either Temlee or Tivoli Chief. We had offers of $100,000 for Temlee about three times during his early days at stud but he was never for sale."
Tony Marino took Temlee to NSW for two years towards the end of the dog's career at stud. "I had a run-in with the officials here and vowed never to race a dog in Victoria and I haven't. Temlee was virtually finished by the time he got to NSW and in the last 18 months there he was missing too many bitches.
"It was my fault because we pushed him too hard when he was young. He came back to Victoria and was retired. He died soon after our return."
By the time Temlee went to NSW, most of his bitches were coming from there anyway. "And we had flooded the market in Victoria by that time. I also had Satan's Legend at stud at the time and he wasn't getting a go in Victoria because everyone wanted to go to his sire Temlee. Satan's Legend stayed in NSW when my wife and I came back to Diamond Creek."
(N.B. Temlee suffered from pannus.)
Although always in prime condition, Temlee suffered by being blind. "He was blind since he was seven. We tried everything to get his sight back even to the stage where we approached all the leading human eye specialists in the country. He was a fantastic pal to me."
Marino points to the success of Temlee through some of the great names in greyhound racing in the country today. "Look at Wheeler. He had ordinary success until he crossed all his bitches to Temlee or his son World Acclaim. And, the Pringles' lines are all full of Temlee. Temlee put a lot of people on their feet in this game."
Temlee's success at stud was staggering. His first runners hit the track in 1976 and he produced just seven city winners. By 1977 he had 68 and was third on the city tracks' premiership. He was top sire in 1978-83. In 1979 he sired the winners of 220 city races (a record). He earned $750,000 in stud fees. His first city winner was Temlee Girl at Olympic Park on September 10, 1975.
His dominance is evident in the fact he served 800 bitches and at one time had 32 sons at stud.
His list of stars includes: Satan's Legend, Riviera Tiger, Tangaloa, Tempix, World Acclaim, Chief Dingaan, Little Blade, Billy Bale, Roy Trease, Gannet, Winifred Bale, Monica's Mist, Drop Of Wine, Gwendalyn Bale, Beaumaris Sue, Promises Free, Relle Louise, Zimbabwe, Kate'a A Scandal, Dynalace, Osti Lee, Jane's Replica, National Lee, Rinaldi Lass etc etc etc.

Great read ;-)

LEGENDARY greyhound trainer Paul Cauchi learnt his lesson way back in the mid 1960s and it has stayed with him ever since.
He NEVER makes a comment about anyones greyhound breeding plans NEVER.
He learnt the hard way, and it almost cost him one of the best greyhounds he has trained, the great 1970 galloper Pied Rebel (Tivoli Dreamer*-Waitawhile Lou) who was bred and owned by Queensland greyhound great Paddy Rynne.
I first met Paddy Rynne at the Grafton carnival in about 1967, said Cauchi.
He was in the caravan right next to us. He had a bitch called Plumed Right with him. Paddy and I hit it off right away. He would come down to Sydney and stay with us all the time after that.
Cauchi remembers Plumed Right heading to Sydney and running in a Classic final at Harold Park. I think she might have run second or third. But Im not sure, he said.
During one visit to Cauchi, Paddy Rynne mentioned he was planning on putting his bitch Waitawhile Lou to the recently imported Irish dog Tivoli Dreamer*.
Cauchi nearly choked.
At the time I was running the trialling tracks at Kellyville, said Paul. We would trial between 1000 and 1200 dogs around the circle every Sunday, and between 500 and 700 up the straight track.
One of the dogs who trialled there all the time was Tivoli Dreamer.
Lindsay Stewart had imported him to Australia and he was planning on racing him.
Tivoli Dreamer was very, very fast over 300 metres up the straight, but he could not go any further than 400 metres. Lindsay decided never to race him here because of that.
Cauchi, well aware of the deficiencies in the stamina of Tivoli Dreamer*, advised against Paddy Rynne using the dog over Waitawhile Lou.
Tivoli Dreamer* had been a coursing star in Ireland winning the 1965 Ulster Cup.
Paddy told me he had looked at the pedigree match up and liked it so he ignored my best advice and went ahead with the mating, said Cauchi.
Come October 1967 and Waitawhile Lou whelped a litter to Tivoli Dreamer*. It would include a white and brindle dog Paddy would call Pied Rebel.
He was a sensation.
While in Queensland Pied Rebel won the 1969 Queensland Cup at Beenleigh where he held the track record for 580 yards. He also equalled the 520 yard record at Lawnton.
Cauchi admits he took no notice of Queensland greyhound racing in those days but when Paddy asked him to take Pied Rebel, he did.
He was a beautiful dog, a great kennel dog, he remembers.
When he first came to me he ran 26.6 at Harold Park weighing 68 pounds. But eventually he filled out to weigh 72 pounds and broke the track record at Wentworth Park and ran 26.4 around Harold Park.
Pied Rebels best performance in Sydney was in December 1969 when he ran 30.8 at Wentworth Park to equal the 580 yard track record. He won 10 races there including the 1970 Captain Cook Memorial Cup, a special event worth $7000 to the winner with the field made up of runners from all over Australia.
He also won eight at Harold Park.
Pied Rebel ran third in the 1969 National Sprint at Harold Park and the 1969 NSW St Leger at Wentworth Park and was a finalist in the 1969 Vic Peters Memorial at Harold Park.
In Melbourne he beat a top field to win the 1970 Charity Sprint at Olympic Park, ran second in the 1970 National Sprint also at Olympic Park and was a finalist in the 1969 Melbourne Cup at Sandown.
In all he had 79 starts for 36 wins and 28 placings.
I had Ragsie not long after and it shows you the difference luck can make for a dog, said Paul. Ragsie made every final he went in and got all the luck and won most of them.
Pied Rebel got no luck in any of the big finals he was in.
Cauchi remembers him breaking a toe in the Melbourne Cup final.
While Paddy Rynne was famous in Queensland for the toughness of his dogs and the roughness of his rearing etc, Cauchi liked him and liked him a lot.
He would come and stay with me all the time, sleeping in the flat down at the kennels, he said.
I would go down there in the morning and Pied Rebel would be out of his kennel and sleeping in the flat with Paddy. Paddy loved a nip of rum. There would be two saucers, one with rum for Paddy and one with rum for Pied Rebel.
Cauchi also trained a bitch called Players Risk, a litter sister to Pied Rebel.
She came to me with a shoulder problem, but we got her right to win a race at Wentworth Park by eight lengths beating a very good dog of Bob Doaks.
She had won the Lawnton Cup before heading south to Cauchi.
Players Risk would become a broodbitch sensation.
Cauchi stood Pied Rebel at stud but admits he was not as popular as Ragsie, but outperformed him easily.
His progeny included Dynamic Dean (1975 Victorian GOTY, 1975 Melbourne Cup, 1975 Rylah Sapphire Classic, 1975 and 1974 Harpers Chow Tphy) and the great Queenslander Rebel Attack (1977 Qld GOTY, 1977 Qld Derby, 1977 Brisbane Cup, 1977 Lawnton Cup, 1977 Mt Isa Cup, TR Gold Coast 560m, Mt Isa 552m).
Pied Rebel also had a reputation as an excellent broodbitch sire.
I sent him home to Paddy when he was 11 years old and he died of cancer at 12, said Cauchi.
Cauchi is ever reluctant to compare greyhounds of different eras.
But he makes one point.
In the days of Zoom Top, Pied Rebel etc, the top grade races every week had eight dogs who could win, and they were so hard to win, he said.
Dogs like Sammie Sparrow, The Smoother, Phantoms Heir from Victoria all great dogs.
Pied Rebel was so reliable. We backed him for a lot of money at 25-1 when he won the Captain Cook. But there were 60 to 70 bookies at Wentworth Park in those days.
It was how we made a quid. I was only charging 30 cents to trial a dog in those days and put it up to 50 cents just before we closed. Expenses were huge.
Pied Rebel can be found in pedigrees today mainly through his daughters.
Plumed Right had a litter to him and produced Lauries Joy, one of the freaks of greyhound racing in the early days of the Gabba. He went on to be a handy local sire mainly through his daughters producing.
His daughter Dainty Susan produced National Derby winner Lord Tegimi whose sister fearless Payout was the dam of champion Pretty Fearless.
Paul Cauchi remembers only too well that day he almost talked Paddy Rynne out of using Tivoli Dreamer*. He would have been costly indeed.

This is most of an article run in the then Queensland Greyhound Monthly in February 1980.

WAVERLY SUPREME
The versatile brindle was bred in February 1972 by Seamus Mulvaney and John Flanagan at Laurdella Kennels in County Dublin, Ireland.
After winning his first three grading trials at Kilkenny, Waverly Supreme was beaten at his first two race starts before scoring his first win at Shelbourne Park in 29.75. At 17 months of age the brindle was set the formidable task of contesting the Irish Derby and although he didnt win the heat he performed admirably to get to the semi-final.
After being eliminated in the semi, Waverly Supreme put up a superb performance to win the Derby Consolation in 29.30 and although this was eight lengths slower than Bashful Mans 28.82 in the 1973 Derby final, Bashful Mans clocking still stands as the fastest time ever recorded in a final of Irelands premier classic.
Waverly Supreme then appeared in the Burmah Castrol Puppy Derby at Harolds Cross and after wining his first round heat, he finished third in the second round before winning his semi-final in 30.12. The brindle had no luck in running in the final of this prestigious Puppy Cloassic and finished fourth, seven lengths behind Blessington Bopy (Monalee Champion-The Powder Pot) in 29.68. However, the son of Supreme Fun had made an impression on Matt Bruton and Cyril Scotland and the partners purchased Waverly Supreme for a substantial sum.
The following season the brindle returned from a winter spell with three starts over 525 yards at Shelbourne Park with his best effort being a third, but he was already giving indication that he would be better suited over a bit of ground.
Waverly Supreme lined up for his next start over 600 yards at Shelbourne Park and was victorious defeating his rivals in 34.20. The following week he saluted the judge again in 34.12 before returning a 33.88 the following week for a treble in the space of 15 days.
The classy galloper next appeared in the Cambridgeshire and after being placed in the first two rounds, struck trouble in the final and finished fourth, ten and a half lengths behind Laroline (Monalee Champion-Nelsons Farewell) in 33.68.
Having already reached the finals of the Puppy Derby and Cambridgeshire, Waverly Supreme was entered for the Guinness Leger over 550 yards at Enniscorthy. In the first round he was compensated for his ill luck in the Cambridgeshire final when odds away to score by six lengths from the favourite in 31.10, the second fastest time recorded in the first round. Incidentally, the fastest time in the first round was 30.95 to the credit of Greenane Duke (Monalee Champion-Fly Spray) who was also imported to NSW for stud.
Waverly Supreme gave nothing else a chance in the second round when he began brilliantly and led all the way to score by six lengths from Supreme King in 31.15. After being beaten three-quarters of a length in his semi-final, his bad luck continued in the final when he finished eight and a half lengths behind Millies Express (The Grand Silver-Gaultier Millie) in the decider in 30.70.
Just when it appeared that Waverly Supreme was destined to never win a major feature event he was tried beyond 600 yards for the first time and was entered for the Bord nag Con TV Trophy over 750 yards at Shelbourne Park. This time the result was never in doubt and the brindle won his heat in 43.41 before returning a scintillating 42.39 in the final a new track record which is still standing today.
His next seven starts were over 525 yards at Shelbourne Park and Waverly Supreme was two opens in 29.48 and 29.64 before contesting in the Irish Cesarewitch over 600 yards at Navan. The son of Supreme Fun finished second in his first round heat and semi-final and won over 550 yards at Shelbourne in 30.92 between the semi and final, but the Shelbourne run had taken its toll and Waverly Supreme was unplaced behind Ballinattan Boy (Myross Again-Arklow Bay) in the Cesarewitch final in 34.06 on a track rated half a second slow.
The brindles final mission was as one of Irelands representatives in the Carrolls International over 550 yards. After defeating Monalee Expert (English derby winner Jimsuns litter brother) by a length and a half in his semi-final in 30.92, Waverly Supreme went into the Irish final in a field that included Carrowkeal Red and Bower Flash (laer Bower Streak) who both finished up at stud in Australia.
Waverlly Supreme started at 6-1 in the final but could only manage fifth, some 11 lengths from the winner Tommy Astaire (Ivy Hall Flash-Miami Star II) who broke the existing track record with a brilliant return of 30.35. This [ared .02 off the previous record of 30.37 which was held by Tommy Astaires sire Ivy Hall Flash.
The next venue was White City London for the English leg and the brindle was eliminated in his semi-final when he finished third, seven and a quarter lengths from the winner Lady Devine in 30.03.
Waverly Supreme bounced back to win the Consolation final when he stormed home to catch the early leader Unos Test (USA) in the shadow of the post in 30.34 on a track rated slow.
This was to be Waverly Supremes last start as he broke a hock shortly afterwards in a solo trial at Shelbourne Park. In a career that spanned 17 months from May 73 to October 74, this brilliant racer contested 44 races for an overall tally of 16 wins and it takes a good dog to win a third of his race starts in open company in England and Ireland.
Waverly Supremes winning average was better than 30% and he won over all distances from 525 yards to 750 yards. Apart from winning the TV Trophy, he made the finals of two classics, Puppy Derby and Cesarewitch, as well as reaching the finals of feature events the caliber of the Cambridgeshire, Guinness Leger and Derby Consolation.
Waverly Supremes litter is Laurdella Fun who had a great season during 1974 in England where he won the Midland Puppy Derby at Waolerhampton, the north of England Puppy Derby at Brough Park and the Manchester Puppy Cup at Belle Vue. Laurdella Fun also finished third in the Yorkshire Puppy Derby at Leeds and was a finalist in the Puppy Derby at Wimbledon won by Tory Mor. Laurdella Fun is now at stud in Ireland. He is siring excellent stock the caliber of the 1978 Irish Oaks winner Hail Fun.

The article also mentioned Waverly Supremes dam Octum. It said:
Octum has been an excellent broodbitch in Ireland and her dam Clerihan Heather produced the 1972 Guinness Sweepstakes winner Clerihan Venture.

WHEN Don Hazzard struggled to his feet behind the starting boxes for this years Sandown Cup and accidentally released the field before the lure had arrived, a prominent Queensland trainer knew just how he felt.
Roger Green was watching at home on Sky Channel when Hazzard sent the greyhound world spinning by sending the Group 1 field on its way.
The Cup was declared a no race and the stakes split between the eight finalists.
Green knows only too well the pressure veteran trainers come under in the heat of a big moment.
He was right there at Goulburn on November 16, 1969 when Hec Watt infamously boxed legendary bitch Zoom Top with her raincoat still on.
Green had Wild Raid engaged in the invitation race against Zoom Top and Stan Cleverleys champion stayer Bunyip Bint who had only just broken the Harold Park distance track record.
We were only making up the field for Zoom Top and Bunyip Bint, but it was the biggest crowd Id seen for years there, said Green.
It was drizzling as we went to the boxes and old Hec made sure Zoom Top stayed out of the rain by parading her in a raincoat.
Where the problem was, the steward leading the field to the boxes did not go all the way with us. He normally would check the muzzles at the starting boxes as they were about to be boxed.
Hec was very much a man who felt the pressure, and he copped a lot of pressure with Zoom Top.
He shoved her into the boxes and shut the door and immediately realized what he had done.
He immediately said Oh Christ. I asked him Whats happened? and all he could say was Oh Christ again. By that time the lids were opening and Zoom Top charged off down the track with the raincoat flapping around her like a parachute.
She tailed the field in. Green said Watt was devastated.
He slumped over the outside rail for 10 minutes and someone from the track had to go down to the starting boxes and get him.
Bunyip Bint, who shared favouritism with Zoom Top at even money, raced to an easy win and equaled the track record. Greens Wild Ride finished second.
But more drama was about to unfold.
There was a huge crowd around the catching pen and as Zoom Top was led off the track, someone in the crowd kicked her in a hind leg. It brought up a huge bruise in her, said Green.
Hec was immediately fined $200 for his mistake.
Green says Zoom Top is the greatest greyhound Australia has ever seen. But on times today, she would not win a race, he said.
Look at the opposition she was racing, the class of dog that was around in those days. It was spectacular.
Green said Hec Watt suffered from the pressure he was under guiding the career of such a public idol as Zoom Top.
It was nothing for people to hang over the running rail and tell Hec he was killing the bitch with all the racing she was doing, and that the RSPCA should be onto him, said Green.
But he loved her and wanted the public to see her. He would go anywhere he was asked with her.
Hec was paranoid about security with Zoom Top. He would put his own padlock on her kennel at the races, and would always have someone watching her kennel all night before she raced.
He had a muzzle made for her for the kennels on race night that had fly wire all around it so nothing could be given to her.
Green is still in awe of Zoom Top.
I raced her a lot. Never came close to beating her. There will never be another Zoom Top.

TO talk to Steve Kavanagh, you would not pick him as a sentimentalist.
But deep down in that blas exterior must beat the heart of a greyhound trainer who remembers his roots.
Steve was being melancholy just after Hot To Rumble burst away from a hot field of youngsters to win a rich Young Guns at Albion Park recently.
Hot To Rumble ran 29.90 to become the first dog Steve has trained to break the 30-second barrier around Albion Park. It was a milestone not lost on Kavanagh.
Ive had this damline since I got Miss Rumble right back in the late 70s, he told The Journal.
Miss Rumble, the fifth dam of Hot To Rumble, was sired by a flying sprinter from country NSW called Hot Rumble. Thats how Steve named his latest sprint star.
Hot Rumble was an absolute flyer around the Mudgee area, said Kavanagh. Gary Cook raced him.
I really liked that dog and because Miss Rumble has produced such a wonderful damline, I decided to name this dog (Hot To Rumble) after the old Mudgee dog.
Miss Rumble has left a legacy of which Steve Kavanagh can be proud.
Steves late mate Ron Brown (he trained Acacia Park), prepared Miss Rumble for Sydney bookie Fred Stapleton.
She was a flying machine on the track, said Steve. From memory she won the Armidale Cup, and a top sprint at Richmond called the McCallum Sprint Championship in 1978.
Steve remembers the bitch well because she brings back some bad memories as well.
Ron and I took five dogs from Sydney to race at Capalaba, he said. It was the old days when they still raced 10 dogs in a field.
Wed chartered a nine-seater plane from Bankstown, but none of the five won. I remember the trip home like it was yesterday.
Ron had Miss Rumble running at Wentworth Park that same night and we were desperate to get home to back her. But a storm had blown in over Sydney and the plane had to circle around for ages.
Miss Rumble won at 25-1. I can still see Ron blowing up in the plane as Miss Rumble led throughout at those big odds.
Miss Rumble was given to Kavanagh as a broodbitch and the then Dubbo-based Steve put her straight to the imported Waverly Supreme* to get some stamina in the pedigree and some outcross.
He needed to because her sire Hot Rumble has to be one of the most in-bred greyhounds ever born. Hot Rumbles sire Fire Lane was a son of Thunder Lane, and so was his dam Lady Thunder. But to make matters worse, Madam Lane (dam of Lady Thunder) was a half sister to Thunder Lane.
The mating of Miss Rumble to Waverly Supreme* produced Coonamble and Dubbo track record breaker Foxy Blonde but among the litter was a high class bitch called Wave To Mouse.
She won 12 races from not a lot of starts, said Steve. She won over 400m and 500m in the bush, but won a 457m at Harold Park before she did a hock.
Steve put her to Malawis Prince to double-up the Waverly Supreme* influence and got a bitch called Follow Through.
She was a flying machine, said Steve. She won nine of 21 starts but Steve remembers constantly patching up problem toes on Follow Through.
She won a heat of a big race at Dubbo as a pup and her brother Fox Express won the final in a track record, he said. Fox Express then went on to win five at Wentworth Park and a Cannonball at Richmond.
Follow Through was a winner at Tweed, Dubbo, Beenleigh, Newcastle and Bulli before running 30.70 to win her final race start at Wentworth Park.
She broke a toe and I decided to retire her to stud, he said.
Follow Through became a crackerjack broodbitch influencing bloodlines on both sides of the globe with Smooth Rumble being a huge stamina influence and a constant top five sire for most of his stud career in Ireland.
Also among her progeny was a bitch called Gypsy Rumble who Steve sold to Jeff Cumming at Wolffdene. Jeff prepared her to win the Cairns Cup and numerous city wins at Albion Park.
A mating to Black Shiraz produced Vintage Rumble who won from 411m to 747m, won the Stayers Cup at Coonamble and once ran an incredible 12.42 final section when winning over 520m at Albion Park.
Hot To Rumble and fellow Young Guns finalist Rumble Fire are from Vintage Rumbles first litter.
She has another seven pup litter just four months old by Brett Lee.
Kavanagh, who admits to be somewhere in his 60s, has been putting together great broodbitch lines for decades.
He has firm policies when it comes to breeding with bitches.
If there was just a tenth or two between two bitches on the racetrack, then the one I would prefer at stud is the one with the best nature, he said.
No barking, no bed ripping, no noise just a very sensible bitch.
And I generally, as much as I can, prefer to mate them to stud dogs that have a similar temperament.
Most of the short course dogs generally dont have a good temperament, that why they dont run on.
He restricts his choice of broodbitch to city winners.
Or those who would have been a city winner but didnt because of injury, he said. And I wouldnt breed with a runt.
Its been a good policy, a successful one, and one that has stood the test of time.
Hot To Rumble is the perfect example.