The Breeders Series: Pat Dalton (Part 1)

Well I can only describe this as an honour, the opportunity to throw a few questions at Pat Dalton, universally recognised as a legend of our sport. His name is synonymous with many of the prepotent damlines in our sport, so much so that may people simply refer to them as 'Dalton's lines', and he has tasted huge success in Ireland and the USA. I hope you enjoy reading this.

Hello Pat. First can I say thank you ever so much for giving me some of your time. I know you are a very busy man, what with your operations on both sides of the Atlantic.  

That's no bother at all John, only too glad to help.

OK. So an easy and blunt question straight up! What age are you Pat, and how long have you been in this great game?

Well I am 73 years old and I have been in this sport all my life.  I owned my first greyhound when I was a boy of 13.  I have been working full time at the dogs for over 55 years,  since I was 18. My father was in the sport - track and field - and it was a natural route for myself and my brothers to follow.  And my sons have also followed me into the sport.

How do you see the sport today Pat?

Well it's a lot different today than in the past.  In Ireland, it is becoming more and more the case that tracks need to have good facilities - and by that I mean they need to be able to cater to the non-doggy people.  Greyhound racing is, rightly or wrongly, becoming a weekend activity as opposed to a midweek evening sport.  If we continue down this road I am not sure where it will lead us.

In America, where I have operated kennels for a long time now, tracks are closing every year.  Some of it is down to finances but some of it is political.  Since I first visited the States nearly 50 years ago, there have been several changes to the sport.  One of the most significant changes to the track environment was the gradual transformation from a greyhound stadium to a casino/slot machine parlour...with a track attached.

Yes Pat. I actually copied an interview you gave to Floyd Amphlett in 1991 onto my blog.  I remember you were very sceptical about the way things were changing(here's the link to the article by the way).

That's right. Well I may have been sceptical but I have been proved right.  You only have to look to Rhode Island and the Lincoln track where I have been licensed for many years, recently closed with debts of $546millon.

Wow!

It is no surprise the track closed down when you consider the State of Rhode Island was taking 61.5c out of every dollar. 

I suppose it comes down to the fact that greyhound racing, for whatever reason, is not and will never again be as popular as it used to be.  We need to realise that and work accordingly. Greyhound racing needs to be safeguarded. 

So would you say the recession, or depression as some are calling it, is affecting the greyhound world.

Undoubtedly it must be having an effect. Personally I wouldn't have said it has affected me in a big way, although saying that, I have been cutting down my operation for quite a while.

In the past I could have anything between 450 and 600 greyhounds between my facilities in Ireland and the States.  That figure is vastly reduced now.  In fact here at home, although you can see many greyhounds, I actually only own a handful of them.  I only bred a couple of litters this year.

My son Michael owns the majority of them and is basically running the place- breeding and racing.

Michael was on hand to give me a good tour of the place.  Michael is actually worthy of his own 'Breeders Series' interview.  You will no doubt be very familiar with the Express prefixed dogs with which Michael has achieved huge success in the last few years.  His bitch Airport Express won the IGB Brood Bitch Of The Year award on an unprecedented two occasions - 2006 and 2007.

Michael was bang in the middle of feeding time when I arrived but was more than happy to talk to me about some of the current racers and schoolers, litters in the field, and of course, Airport Express (affectionately known as Ber).

Before I go on, I must mention the style of kennels in operation in Golden.  The US crate system is not everyone's cup of tea.  4 banks of double decker crates flank the main kennel area and although it takes the dogs a few days to get used to being kenneled this way, they soon adapt.  And it's not as though the dogs are kept locked in all day long.  They are let out 6 times a day, via a covered concrete yard, out into grass pens.  I would venture to say they have more freedom (per day) than the majority of greyhounds kenneled in more conventional 'European' style kennels.  The dogs were very relaxed and  it was obvious they were very content and happy with their lot.

So first up I asked Michael what it was he was feeding.

Nuts and meat with veg and soup.  They all get the same diet - broods, pups, racers, retirees.  We find Kasco is the best nut on the market.

Michael was moving along the kennel block with a trolley of grub, with scales on top.  I noticed that each kennel has the greyhound's weight written on the front next to the dog's name, age and breeding.  It was a job for me to keep asking questions as I took in the information on the front of the kennels. Hondo Black x Express Wish; Hades Rocket x Express Vintage; Kiowa Sweet Trey x Express Mist; Westmead Hawk x Express Wish; Tyrur Ted x Airport Express. Does it get any better?

I asked about the Tyrur Ted litter out of the kennel queen.  Michael was understandably excited about the next crop from the dual Brood Of The Year, but it was too early to say.

I then went outside to the runs.  The word 'runs' does not do justice to the paddocks at Daltons.  A long row of concrete kennels with individual concrete yards, leads onto huge paddocks.  These dogs do not want for exercise. In fact I would say they want for nothing.

 

There were litters by Killahan Phanter, Hades Rocket, and I was particularly interested in a litter by Droopys Maldini out of Airport Express (pictured) as I have a litter of Maldinis out of Bantiss Jymmi - who would be a cousin of Express Mist (being out of Airport Express' sister Expert View). 

Anyway, back to the Daltons.  Michael got some of his kennel stars and future champs (perhaps) out on leads for me - Express Officer and Express Rock both recovering from serious injuries - and they were as laid back as any greyhound could be.

And I also got to meet the great Express Ego - Racing Post Juvenile 2007 winner, Irish Derby 3rd in the same year and Irish Derby Consolation winner last year.  Ego is standing at stud, based at home, and whilst he will not be one of the busiest sires available, he is ticking over nicely and there can be few greyhounds bred better.  Half brother Express Comet (by Honcho Classic as opposed to Top Honcho) is also here 'at home'.  Comet is also available at stud and has served a few bitches recently.  Michael admits it's a very hard business to succeed in

All we can do is give him the opportunity. We are putting nice bitches to Comet and Ego - we have actually acquired some broods from other lines as we have several bitches all from the same line. Who knows? Hopefully he will throw some good ones.

What would you say has been been Airport Express' best litter to date Michael? 

Well her first litter which was by Spiral Nikita was good.  But it is her next litter by Honcho Classic that I think is the best -  Express Comet (Bar One Irish Sprint Cup (Classic) at Dundalk; Tinys Bud Open 550 at Cork; Waterford Guinneas), Express Wish (IGB Open Unraced; Youghal Champion Stakes; Newbridge Champion Stakes; Thurles Champion Bitch Stake; Tyrur Champion Bitch Finalist), Express Route (Lee Strand at Tralee) etc.  The Top Honcho litters have also been excellent - Express Ego, Express Tune (Newbridge Oaks; Cork Oaks; Southern Oaks at Youghal; Vodafone Open Bitch 525 at Harolds Cross; R-Up Munster Oaks; Tyrur Champion Bitch Finalist),  Express Smasher (Diarmuid Coffey Open Unraced at Youghal; Shelbourne Open Puppy 525; R-up Southern Oaks at Youghal; R-Up Cork Oaks).

She missed to Brett Lee but we went back for a return and got a small litter.  She had another Top Honcho litter, and then the Tyrur Ted's are the next crop.  There is also a litter by Droopys Maldini in the runs.

It's funny as I recall when we sent Ber up to Michael Dunne, we wanted Top Honcho, but as he was so busy we were offered Honcho Classic which we were happy enough to take.  In the end the Honcho Classic litter won more than the Top Honcho litters.

You would have to be very hopeful that one of these champion bitches - and that is what they are - would be able to throw more stars for you Michael.

Yes we would, although it doesn't always work that way unfortunately. We would have to have an above average chance though - great lines, well performed, and they will be reared well.

Tell me about Airport Express Michael. You must be delighted how she has turned out as a brood bitch. She was some racer but has matched and possibly surpassed that with how she has performed in the breeding paddocks.

For sure. To be honest we turned down what I considered to be huge money when she won at Harolds Cross in 28.15.  That was a track record and a national record, and still stands as the track record at Harolds Cross. She is the fastest bitch of all time and the time looks safe for a while yet.  I was stunned that night at the Cross when they called the time out.  That was the semi final, and she was bumped in the final where she started as favourite.  It was a disappointment but nothing compared to what was about to happen.

I can't remember what stake I was preparing her for, but it was a big one.  Ber was in great form and we decided to give her a spin around our track here in Golden.

I remember it vividly. Just before the trial there was a very heavy shower - I'm not sure that had any bearing on what followed - and the track was in brilliant condition. Perfect almost.

We set the hare in motion and she trapped well and went about her business in good style, but as she went around the bend she broke down.  My heart stopped and as we caught her it was clear she was seriously injured.  I was very upset.  It transpired that Airport Express had suffered a career ending injury, breaking the calcaneus (in the hock) in five places.  In hindsight it probably has helped her in the breeding paddocks as she was retired early which meant we could breed her sooner than planned, and it also meant she was lightly raced which, I am told, is 'a good thing'.

I could see that it still upset Michael to talk about 'the old girl's injury. Michael took me outside again, this time though we visited the brood kennels.  And the first door we opened was that of Airport Express.  I can't believe this greyhound is ten years old - she is as fresh as a 6 year old.  But then again it is something I have noticed when visiting the kennels of those who are successful - their broodbitches are always in tip-top condition.  I suggest if we are looking for a 'holy grail' when it comes to breeding, perhaps we could start by looking close to home - and how well we look after our broodbitches.

Next up I got to meet Express Wish, followed by Express Tune and Express Smasher.  Imagine having just one of these bitches in your kennel - let alone all three of them!  And there were more of them.  I was very envious meeting these bitches.  A special mention must go to Express Smasher who looked as though she could race that evening. She had fabulous definition and was straining at the leash. Full of beans she was.

 
Pat returned fresh from galloping a few dogs so I continued with what I had intended to do in the first place - unearth the 'holy grail'...yeah right.

Part 2 of my Breeders Series Interview with Pat Dalton will appear here later this week.

Comments

[angus mark]

pure quality m8

[Ken]

Cracking read Johnny

[Johnny Moyles]

Thanks lads

[robert moyles]

good stuff bro,
look forward to reading on

[martin]

bantiss man magnificent stuff again, not for me to tell you how to do your job, but the almost people would be a good addition to this series

[tizzy]

Just playing catch up with a cuppa, and would like to say yet another enjoyable read...Thanks Johnny! Keep up the good work with your site..its a rare breed !! A true Derby winner !!