SPECTRE II was born in February 1965 at Leo Stack's kennels in Duagh, County Kerry. He was the offspring of a litter that is primarily considered to be among the most extraordinary in the history of track racing. Noteworthy members of the organisation were Tric Trac, who won the renowned English Derby in 1967, and Forward King, who was a winning contender in the prestigious English St Leger in 1968, accumulating a considerable sum of more than £5,000 in prize money. Both of these dogs were among the noteworthy members of the organisation.
There was also Forward Flash, who was a member of the group and, had it not been for an accident, had the potential to be the most notable of the individuals above—the limited period in 1966 that he participated in competitions resulted in his achieving victory at both Wembley and Manchester. The extraordinary accomplishments he had accomplished inspired high aspirations for his future efforts.
An Unforgettable 1967 Debut
The 1967 Derby was the site of several groundbreaking events, including the unveiling of Spectre II and Tric Trac. Owner Nat Pinson of Sheffield and trainer Ron Hookway of Sheffield Stadium accomplished the remarkable accomplishment of sending home the first two dogs in the Derby. It was these two people's responsibility to return the dogs to their owners. This specific detail requires your undivided attention. Until today, no two individuals from the same litter had ever accomplished the remarkable double in a well-known classic event. Never previously had something like this happened, so it was pretty impressive. Even though it was the superior option, Spectre II couldn't compete with Tric Trac because it began with the first trap. The legendary rail runner Tric Trac took full use of his advantageous position and triumphed over his competitors by a wide margin.
Shady Parachute, who had previously appeared in the Derby final in 1968 and once again achieved an excellent fourth place, was one of the greyhounds that highlighted the extraordinary roster of greyhounds who were included in the Derby final. A number of candidates were present, including Silver Hope, a potential sire-to-be, and Ambiguous, a Laurels champion who had already achieved success. However, Tric Trac had a spectacular return to the racing arena the following year and emerged as a winner in the renowned Wimbledon Champion Stakes. After his remarkable victory, Tric Trac was retired for breeding purposes, but he made a triumphant return as well.
Unfortunately, he went tragically very immediately after that as a result of an event that occurred in the kennel. Throughout a number of years, he was the holder of the record for the distance covered at his home track in Sheffield, which was 525 yards.
The Spectre II’s Victories Came One After Another
At Brighton, Spectre II was victorious in the 880-yard BBC TV Trophy. The incredible time of 50.09 seconds was used to secure both of these triumphs. As the year came to a close, Spectre II continued its winning record in important tournaments. His retirement to stud in 1968 was the beginning of his meteoric rise to prominence as a track racing industry greatness as a sire. His legacy will go down as a watershed moment in the history of the sport. In 1971, Laurels, one of his early descendants—Andrew the Dark—and one of his little offspring came out on top. He was also descended from him in the early days.
Notable Spectre II descendant Tartan Khan won the Derby and the St. Leger in 1975, achieving considerable success. This incredible achievement, similar to Dolores Rocket's success, brought in a large amount of £23,000 for the links that year. Notable dogs from the past include Glin Bridge and Stormy Spirit, who won the 1977 St. Leger.
Shamrock Sailor, Rita's Choice, and Paradise Spectre are just a few of the outstanding offspring of Spectre II. It was in 1973 when the black dog Rita's Choice, who bore a striking resemblance to his sire, was crowned finest Irish track greyhound. To do this, he triumphed in several prestigious long-distance races.
Forward King, another exceptional member of Leo Stack's remarkable litter, triumphed in both the St Leger and the Scottish St Leger, making him the sole canine to achieve this amazing feat. In addition, he claimed victory in the prestigious Wembley Gold Cup and the highly coveted Stewards' Cup. Impressively, out of a total of 70 high-level competitions, he emerged triumphant in an astounding 50% of them. However, he may have never made it to a racecourse in the first place. At the tender age of 12 months, he managed to break free from his confines and embarked on a daring adventure in the untamed expanse of the Yorkshire moors. For countless weeks, he embraced a life of untamed freedom, roaming the vast wilderness before eventually being apprehended once again.