Thirty Talks soon to be a grand sire

By Isaac Murphy

It was only five years ago that Tony Brett was completing a historic Group 3 Ipswich into Group 1 Brisbane Cup double with champion sprinter Thirty Talks.

However, five years is a long time in greyhound racing as the dog prepares to become a grand sire in 2021.

“It’s a cliché but time really does fly, with the Brisbane Cup coming up it doesn’t seem like that long ago I was getting Thirty Talks ready to win the race and suddenly we’re talking about him being a grand sire - it’s crazy,” Brett said.

“Talking to Grant Clegg it’s going to be a serious litter as well, Cool Talk’s (Thirty Talks/Bralyn Casey) in pup to Barcia Bale and they’re expecting 14 pups in around two weeks’ time, which would be a fantastic result for all concerned.

“Hopefully it’s the beginnings of a really successful line, I know I’ll get a real kick out of it down the track when you see dogs racing that trace all the way back to one of the best chasers I’ve ever trained in Thirty Talks.”

Cool Talk was one out of the box, the first and only progeny of Thirty Talks to win over the 700 metres.

“Cool Talk is probably the perfect bitch to take the line forward, she was the first of the Thirty Talks pups to show she could be an out-and-out stayer and is a half sister to Big Bad Bob, so you’d hope she’d produce some really strong pups,” Brett said.

“We had good success with Thirty Talks at stud, but he never really threw anything as good as him or up to Group level, but sometimes the success can come further down the line.

“I know it was similar with Glen Gallon, he didn’t do much himself, but his progeny was the dam of Flying Ricciardo who was a freak and is now beginning his stud career - you never know what could happen.”

Even though he’s about to become a grand dad, Brett is still getting plenty of interest around Thirty Talks himself, in large regard to his niece Sarah Johnson.

“While Thirty Talks hasn’t thrown that Group 1 litter yet, we certainly aren’t done trying. My niece Sarah is keen to put him to Bubbles and Brie to him, shes's been a great little race bitch for her and one of these days it might click,” Brett said.

“Sarah has been a huge part of getting Thirty Talks' stud career off the ground, she was all over the social media and advertising campaigns that were run when we first got him started and he wouldn’t have bred anywhere near as many city winners without her help.

“The more pups we get out there the more chances we have to link them back to him and that’s something you are pretty proud of having raced the dog too.”

Brett said Grant Clegg was the right man for the job with the impending litter, and was hoping the long-time Thirty Talks supporter would get some serious talent.

“The game is about surrounding yourself with good people as much as anything and when you’ve got someone like Grant Clegg heading up a litter like this, you know they’re going to do everything to the book and you’re in very safe hands,” Brett said.

“He’s been there and done it before with previous litters, you know they’re going to get every chance as they go through their progressions to get to the track.

“With 14 on the way I’d be very surprised if they don’t get at least one very handy dog and I’d be rapt if they got to train the first champion out of Thirty Talks.”