Temlee

pre·po·ten·cy n 1. The unusual ability of an individual or strain to transmit its characteristics to offspring because of homozygosity for numerous dominant genes. [Lat, Pre - before, Potens - powerful]

- Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary

In every species or breed, there are individuals or families that possess the rare ability to pass on to their progeny preferable traits to a far greater degree than those with whom they are mated. Indeed, in Origin of the Species, Darwin described prepotency as one of the engines of Evolution, that it is not only important for mutation to occur to effect change in a species, but a prepotent individual must pass that desirable mutation on to further generations.

In domesticated animals, breeders have known this for centuries and through selective breeding to prepotent individuals have improved the performance and productivity of their animals. Long before Gregor Mendel came along with his theory of dominant and recessive traits, breeders used Linebreeding, a powerful tool that crossed closely-related animals to intensify the traits they wanted to perpetuate.

For many years, sires intensely linebred to the Australian sire Temlee have had enormous success. Ireland, in particular, is an example of sires intensely linebred to Temlee being introduced into a population entirely devoid of his blood with tremendous success. Examples include Roanokee*, linebred to Temlee 3x4x4; Smooth Rumble*, 3x4x4; Honcho Classic*, 4x4x5x5x5x6x6x6; and the all-conquering Top Honcho*, 4x4x4x4x5x5x5.

Temlee was whelped in March of 1972 and was a replacement pup for one that had died. In his first race Temlee ran .02 off the track record at Sale, then won the Juvenile at Traralgon, and returned to Sale where he equaled the track record. He followed that with a track record at Olympic Park and capped it off by winning the National Sprint Championship in 1974. In the 1974 National Derby final at Wentworth Park he drew trap six and his inexperience showed as he was unable to overcome early traffic. In the final of the Melbourne Cup at Sandown Park he broke his leg and was retired to stud, just two years of age.

At first glance, his career as a racer was no more or less remarkable than other top stars. Many dogs before and since won more races and set more records, but speaking to those who saw him one quickly realizes that he was far and away the fastest dog of his era and rated as one of the best there ever was in Australia. In the breeding house he is indisputably the most influential sire of the past 50 years, and perhaps in Australian history. In barely more than two decades since his death, he is found, often numerous times, in the pedigree of nearly every Australian greyhound.

His pedigree is remarkable. His sire Tivoli Chief is by the Irish import Tivoli Dreamer*, a son of the great Pigalle Wonder, who possessed unnatural speed—his times on grass 50 years ago would be fine accomplishments for greyhounds on today’s faster surfaces. Tivoli Dreamer’s dam, Racing On, is by the fine damsire Man Of Pleasure out of Millie’s May, foundation dam of arguably the finest female line in all of racing. In the U.S. alone, we have felt its influence through the likes of Fortress*, Oswald Cobblepot, Dodgem By Design, WW Apple Jax, Trojan Cruze, Bart’s E Mail, Minaki Zeke, My Unicorn, Wild Breeze, Yellow Printer* and many others. Tivoli Chief’s damsire is Top Linen, a tremendous racer in his own right, and a highly successful stud, numbering the great Black Top among his progeny. Tivoli Chief’s third and fourth damsires are the superb Dream’s Image and Chief Havoc. Dream’s Image is best known to U.S. breeders as the sire of Cleveland Lad*, the topline sire from which HB’s Commander and He’s My Man descend. Chief Havoc, who is enshrined in the U.S. Hall of Fame, exerts his influence on U.S. breeding through his maternal grandsons Tell You Why* and Metal Jet*, to whom we shall return later.

Temlee’s dam, Temora Lee, is by Mister Moss out of Venetian Babe. Mister Moss, winner of the National Derby, is a son of another Irish import, Which Chariot*. Mister Moss is the full brother of Max Moss*, damsire of Hall of Fame racer and sire K’s Flak. Their dam, Elsie Moss, by Magic Babe out of Maggie Moss, won the New South Wales St. Leger. In addition to Mister Moss, she produced two New South Wales Greyhounds of the Year, Rose Moss and Pearl Moss. Magic Babe is the full brother of Tell You Why* and Metal Jet*, whose influence on U.S. breeding is profound beyond description. Venetian Babe is by Brenda’s Babe out of Venetian Rose. Brenda’s Babe brings in another cross of Magic Babe and his dam Brenda’s Daughter is a litter sister of Top Linen. Venetian Rose brings in a second cross of Dream’s Image and her damline descends from the great Frances Colleen, foundation dam of a line that produced, in addition to Temlee; Gorgeous Babe, Frightful Flash*, Token Prince, Just The Best, Iceni Princess, Flying Amy, Paua to Burn, Modern Assassin, and Elsie Moss.

Temlee’s success at stud was immediate. His first generation of pups was impressive in its greatness and depth. It included such stud greats as Tangaloa, Little Blade, Satan’s Legend, Nation Parade, and Roy Trease, and had breed-shaping broods like Osti Lee, and Promises Free, dam of Australia’s "litter of the century." His dominance was such that within a few generations it became clear that linebreeding back to Temlee was not only necessary because of the proliferation of his blood, but desirable because of the results! Current stud sensation Brett Lee carries Temlee 4x4x4x5. Perennial top sire Token Prince, only 4x5x5. Just The Best, 4x5x5x5x5x6. Awesome Assassin, 4x5x5x5x5.

Curiously, Temlee’s reach has not yet extended to the U.S. like it has to Australia, Ireland and the U.K. His son Billy Bale* had some initial success, but left little to remember in American pedigrees. A number of lesser race dogs, grandsons and great-grandsons of Temlee, never produced. These were dogs that most likely would have attracted no attention at stud Down Under. The mercurial How’s The Fort* arrived with tremendous race credentials and fanfare, but proved incompatible with most American broods. A rare exception was the fine racer Star Chariot*, 3x4 to Temlee, who produced the fantastic litter of Jimbo Scotty, Jimbo Okie and Jimbo’s Chelsie. He was clearly underutilized and his son Jimbo Scotty has attracted the attention his sire could not. It is pretty clear that Temlee’s rare opportunities on these shores were either through unsuitable progeny, or were underutilized.

Fast forward to 2003 when the first vials of Brett Lee arrived. Unlike his many Australian cousins over recent decades, his pups were not short over our standard course of 550 yards, the American breeder’s primary worry when breeding to foreign stock. Brett Lee proved that Temlee, introduced through a prepotent source, is compatible with American bloodlines and will stay the full 550 yards and beyond.

It’s also clear that Temlee’s pedigree, outlined above, is very compatible with ours. He is very closely related to K’s Flak. Any cross to American blood dosed with K’s Flak linebreeds to the potent cross of Rocket Jet x Gorgeous Babe and to Which Chariot* x Elsie Moss, herself a product of the Rocket Jet x Gorgeous Babe cross that produced Tell You Why*, Metal Jet* and Magic Babe. Important elements of Temlee's pedigree spawned the great HB’s Commander and Fortress*. Dillard*, a Newdown Heather son, figures strongly in the pedigree of Molotov, who carries Temlee relations in nearly every corner of his pedigree. It is inconceivable that any American pedigree won’t carry multiple elements of Temlee’s forbears.

Ready or not, Temlee is here. A number of Brett Lee sons are already available. Australian-Irish crosses featuring multiple crosses of Temlee abound. It will be up to the observant American breeder to calculate which of Temlee’s many progeny will meet our needs. As history has shown, some will produce tremendous early speed, but short. Others will offer that tremendous foot speed for which his get are famous. Brett Lee has shown that the American breed of greyhound is ready for Temlee. Are you?