31/08/2026
CAN GENETIC BREEDING PREDICT THE FUTURE?
On 29 August 2020, a thread appeared on Greyhound Data titled “Breeding Guru’s Challenge.”
The premise was simple:
“We are all breeding geniuses in hindsight.”
Pick a litter, explain before the event why you thought it would be successful, then come back in three or four years and see who got it right.
I accepted the challenge.
On 2 September 2020, I put forward my own Fabregas × Pennybacker mating and documented the genetic reasoning behind why I had made it.
There was just one rather important difference between predicting this litter and analysing one afterwards…
THE PUPS HADN’T EVEN BEEN BORN.
Pennybacker was still pregnant and, as I wrote at the time, was “about to whelp in a day or 2.”
So there could be no hindsight. No puppy selection. No reports from rearers. No trials. No race performances.
Just the pedigree and the genetic theory behind the mating.
Then we waited for the racetrack to mark the homework.
THE RESULT
5 racers.
273 starts.
69 wins.
Every dog won at least 10 races.
Group 1, Group 3 and Feature-class performers.
Approximately $440,000 in prizemoney.
ALL from a little 22Kg bitch (who won her maiden at 21.2kg) — whom people laughed at me when I said I was going to breed from her — they weren’t paying attention to her chase through a brick wall ability and exceptional temperament that I was observing.
Anyone can explain why a great greyhound was bred after it becomes a great greyhound.
The real test of genetic breeding analysis is whether you can identify the ingredients before the result exists — put your reasoning on the record and allow time to determine whether you were right.
In September 2020, I did exactly that.
The prediction came first.
The puppies came next.
The results came last.
— ASK THE BREEDER
Looking beyond the pedigree. Understanding what makes it work.
For mating plans:
DM
M: 0438 639 599
E: [email protected]
Analyse the female. Understand the family. Find the match
