Terry I love watching him too, he is a real excitement machine

Mark, I wasn't placing Ferdinand Boy in that category at all and good short course dogs don't always get the same amount and quality of bitches as good 500m dogs

However, I guess the question also has to be posed, is if we as breeders only ever use 500m sprinters as sires and not all 500m sprinters that have been given their chance with nice bitches make it at stud either;

Why then the bias against stayers and short course dogs when so few are used extensively?

PS I think Ferdinand Boy has the capability to stretch his speed to 500m, he showed plenty of guts to win The Horizon at Sale the other night

I was comparing their sheer speed

You are the one who drew in the Stud comparison

However, early speed has long been paramount for top racers - eg Head Honcho, Brett Lee onwards.

But there are mixtures .....

Some are good beginners because they jump well from a box.
Others are good beginners because they jump with them and then go like the wind. Their sectionals may well be similar.

Is this a function of a dog's (a) breeding (b) education (c) box draw? Needs well researched answers. NB Ferdinand does not always jump in front.

Leaders are more successful in both long and short races - ie they are not subject to interference (see, for example, both big races at MEA last night).

Mr Fix It succeeded because it consistently begins well. By comparison, Hooked on Scotch from the same 8 box never looked like justifying its silly short price in a big race at that track. He is/was moderate to risky at the jump.

My point is that while track records are broken reasonably often this is not nearly so common for 1st section records.

Secondly, wins are easier to come by when the chasing group are messed up - mostly as a result of the layout of the track or distance (although awkward dogs don't help).

Thirdly, don't do stuff like drop-in boxes near the rail as that fails the first test of any change - ie does it keep the runners further apart?