By Isaac Murphy
Oh Mickey was the dog that put Clint Kratzmann on the map, and after two decades investing in the sport he’d found his champion.
The dual Group winner who’d rack up over $200,000 in just 33 starts, but ask Kratzmann where it all started and he goes straight Oh Mickey’s dam Iona Champion who has him set up for years to come.
Iona Champion sadly passed away last week, but her impact on Kratzmann and the breeding industry is only just getting started, with her owner explaining everything she’s achieved on and off the track.
“It was a sad day when I heard she’d passed, it’s hard to put into words what she’s done for me, but after nearly 15 years in the sport she was my breakout chaser as an owner and little did I know what she’d go on to do as a broodbitch,” Kratzmann said.
“I’d had a couple of city winners as an owner before but never anything like her, the highlight probably being her Winged Runner Trophy win in 2016 where she beat a field that included Cyndie’s Magic, Cash in Motion and Lady Abigail to name a few.
“What she achieved as a 15-time winner - often in Best 8 company at Albion Park - sometimes gets forgotten, she’s more widely known for being Oh Mickey’s dam, but she is so much more.”
Even before the race, she was instrumental in forming one of Kratzmann’s closest relationships and has produced plenty of talent outside Oh Mickey as well.
“She created one of my most treasured friendships as well when I bought her off Troy Donaldson, we became great mates and obviously achieved the ultimate winning the Group 1 National Derby with her progeny Oh Mickey at Wentworth Park,” he said.
“She’s thrown a lot of other really handy dogs too, Born to Run with Scott Gould is a jet, Smokin’ Wits is a 29.8 dog at Albion Park.
"Land Down Under ran 22.43 over the 395 last start and is first reserve for the Brisbane Cup Heats and Emmaville Star who I’m hoping can be her heir apparent when it comes to breeding was a classy race bitch.
“She never had much luck with injury Emmaville Star but on her day, she was anything, making a Group 1 final, adept over multiple distances - there’s a lot of Iona Champion in her.”
Kratzmann said he gets chills watching replays of Iona Champion’s Winged Runner Trophy win and Oh Mickey’s National Derby win, so comparable they are.
“The similarity in style and looks with her and Oh Mickey was uncanny, the way they raced they both liked to just get out and go," he said.
"She went 5.42 at Albion and was just outside Fernando Bale’s first section record at Wentworth Park.
“Mickey inherited that unmatched early speed, but where he was the better race dog was that he could sustain it for longer.
“She came through a remarkable era of good bitches and for her to be the one who produced the champion was incredible when Cash in Motion, Outside Pass, Cyndie’s Magic, Mitcharlie Mia, Our Lady Abigail and others all went to the breeding barn as well better chasers, but she emerged the top broodbitch.”
As an owner, breeder and trainer Kratzmann is a student of the greyhound game and knows it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her legacy.
“Kennels are built on finding a good broodbitch and continuing that line, she might be gone but now I’m left with Emmaville Star who touch wood can be the cornerstone of everything I do with breeding and racing going forward,” he said.
“Steve Kavanagh has always been a mentor of mine and I always remember him saying the key to his success over the years was having a broodbitch you can rely on.
“I can’t wait to look back in however many years’ time with all the dogs going around and say Iona Champion was at the root of all of their success.”