2015 GREYHOUND OF THE YEAR – SWIFT HOFFMAN

As anticipated by the majority in the room, Swift Hoffman collected the 2015 Greyhound of the Year award in London last night writes Floyd Amphlett

Owned by Paul Scott, trained by Pat Rosney and bred by Ian Greaves, the brindle had secured the prestigious “Standard” award for the top middle distance hound (won in 2014 by kennelmate Newinn Yolo) and had been widely tipped as the number one choice following a brilliant return to form.

A brilliant pup, ended 2014 and began 2015 under a cloud with three consecutive defeats. But early in the Spring, Rosney revealed he had found a deep-seated muscle injury which he had treated. Hoffman never looked back.

He clocked 28.78 in a Shawfield trial, and after a narrow defeat in the Scottish Derby first round, he won the final in impressive style. Rosney expressed his doubts about the wide runner being suited to Wimbledon and despite two fast trials, he was wiped out at the Plough Lane first bend in the second round of the English Derby.

After two sensational trials at Nottingham (17.43-305m, 28.93-500m) Hoffman beat Eden The Kid by almost five lengths in the Betfred Select Stakes clocking 29.20. He then went unbeaten through his second Category One event, the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Monmore clocking 27.70 for the 480 metres.

The year ended with a couple of defeats and an injury, but enough heads had been turned to secure the reward.

Most of the leading fancies for the Stayers Award finished the season on the injured list including Millwards Teddy (broken hock). Nevertheless victories in two Monmore 630 competitions, the Select Stayers and a questionable second in the Regency, were enough to land the six-bend accolade and second place in Greyhound of the Year. Third was Derby winner Rio Quattro who retired soon afterwards.

The Top Sprinter award was fiercely contested and won by a dog who didn’t win his first two-bender until late October. However the sheer brilliance of the Dave Pruhs’ trained Scolari Sound including 10 wins in his last 12 outings was enough for the judges.

Irish trained runners are seldom considered for the awards, but such was the superiority of Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Bonnie in the TV Trophy, that the judge’s clearly felt she was entitled to the Marathon Greyhound of the Year title.

The awarding of the prize for the top hurdler was much more of a challenge for the judges’. While this writer opted the Ricky Holloway’s Grand National winner, the panel opted for the Champion Hurdle victory Jetstream Reason.

Hoffman’s litter sister Domino Storm secured the Bitch of the Year title after a fine enduring season highlighted by her Oaks win.

The Best British Bred title was fiercely contested by three Category One winners with Eden The Kid backing up his mum’s (Cabra Jade) gong as Dam of the Year.

Jimmy Wirght’s Droopys Buick won three competitions, headed by the Northern Puppy Derby and was a comparatively straightforward choice as Newcomer of the Year.

2015 winners:

Bitch of the Year – DOMINO STORM (2, Forest Twilight, 3 You Never Listen)

Sprinter – SCOLARI SOUND (2 Walshes Hill, 3 Daytime Flyer)

Standard – SWIFT HOFFMAN (2 Rio Quattro, 3 Do It For Twiggy)

Stayer – MILLWARDS TEDDY (2 Fizzypop Buddy, 3 Tough Tackle)

Marathon – BALLYMAC BONNIE (2 Bubbly Time, 3 Roxholme Magic)

Hurdle –JETSTREAM REASON (2 Con Te Partiro, 3 Reculver Ozzie)

British-bred – EDEN THE KID (2 Adageo Bob, 3 Do It For Twiggy)

Newcomer – DROOPYS BUICK (2 Eden The Kid, 3 Droopys Roddick)

Greyhound of the Year

 SWIFT HOFFMAN (2 Millwards Teddy, 3 Rio Quatro)

RED MILLS CONGRATULATES PAT ROSNEY