The BGBF British Breeders Stakes got underway at Nottingham’s Colwick Park stadium on Monday evening.
Heat one went the way of Robert Smith’s Amka Rofe. A quarter finalist in the recent Star Sports Bookmakers & ARC English Greyhound Derby this son of Blackstone Marco also reached the final of the 74th 2yr Old British Bred Produce Stakes at Swindon in September.
After trapping well Rofe looked all set to turn the first bend in front, slightly hesitant going into the bend resulted in him being caught up in first bend crowding, the lead temporarily being given up to Jill Llewellin’s locally trained Eastie Beastie.
Rofe was back in command heading into the third turn however and it was race over as this strong running white and black dog powered home for a 2 1/2 length success over Kevin Hutton’s Boca Junior in 29.88. Junior was carrying a middle seed for this race, it’s a move that should serve the greyhound well going forwards, he just failed to make the bend, initially missing the kick slightly he showed excellent pace to the turn, after becoming embroiled in crowding at this point he stuck on well to comfortably qualify in second position with Barry Denby’s local Fredsters Court staying on from last place around the outside of the track to qualify in third.
Heat two went to Liz and Rab McNair’s Queen Dolly. A daughter of Leamaneigh Turbo x Queen Asia, this was a supreme performance from Dolly who destroyed her rivals with fully 7 lengths and 1/2 length back to Kim Billingham’s Afan Hunkster and John Mullins Romeo Rumble respectively.
Dolly crossed the line in a sensational 29.27. This run equalled the previous best time ever recorded by a bitch over course and distance, similarly done so by another McNair superstar in Queen Beyonce back in May 2019.
Luke Morrison’s Signet Hawk put up a battling display in heat 3 to hold off Liz McNair’s King Cash by a short head in 29.94 with 2 3/4 lengths back to Anna Thompson’s Dark Ocean.
After missing the kick Hawk paced up well to soon go clear. He was all out at the finish to hold off Cash in a close photo finish,maintaining the winning margin all the way to the pick up. Signet Hawk is a talented greyhound, sired by Ballymac Vic out of Dorotas Irena, his pace being highlighted perfectly when going unbeaten through the BGBF Scurry over 238m at Harlow in 2019.
He’s very lightly raced in the past 12 months however with this being just his second win since emerging victorious in that final. Hopefully he can string together a run of races as his ability isn’t in doubt.
Heat 4 was billed as the match of the night between Agincourt Xena trained by Mark Wallis and Kevin Ferguson’s Acomb Winston (Hiya Butt x Acomb Ruby).
Xena had run superbly well to land the Westmead Legacy In Memory Of Natalie Savva Trophy on English Derby Final night and was looking to cement the 1 3/4 length superiority she held over Winston on that night here. The anticipated match didn’t materialise however as Winston took the field apart with fully 9 lengths back to Michelle Brown’s Signature Finlay who held off the strong late challenge for second spot of Kevin Hutton’s Screen Dancer by a head. This was a stunning performance from Winston who crossed the line in 29.51. After missing the break Xena could never get competitive, held up at many stages between the start and the time she headed onto the back straight, eventually running on for fourth. There will be better days ahead for her.
King Louis looked one of the strongest bets on the card, sent off a warm order 4/7 favourite to take heat 5, Liz McNair’s full brother to earlier heat winner Dolly gave supporters many moments worry on the initial run to the first turn.
Extremely slowly away he looked in an ominously poor position crossing the line first time for a greyhound most people anticipated would lead clear. Kevin Hutton’s Denmark looked in a good position as the greyhounds headed around the first turn. He’d trapped well and held a good advantage but after running the second bend poorly he gave up the lead initially to Kevin Ferguson’s Acomb Hugo before Louis swept on by that rival heading into the third turn.
It was some show of pace from Louis between bends one and three and he powered home for a 3 length success over the rallying Denmark in 29.77 with 2 1/4 lengths back to Hugo in third.
Acomb Lillian took the sixth and final heat of the night to give Kevin Ferguson a double for his August 2018 litter by Hiya Butt out of Acomb Ruby. Lillian came into the race without the benefit of a trial but after trapping well and comfortably leading to the turn she showed excellent pace throughout and ran the track perfectly well. A finalist in the recent BGBF Sprint at Newcastle Lillian was also a finalist in the BGBF British Bred Oaks staged at Doncaster in August.
A talented bitch who has stamina to match her early pace, she crossed the finish line in an excellent 29.43 with 3 3/4 lengths back to John Mullins Saving Mullpark and a further 6 3/4 lengths back to Kim Billingham’s Deeteedee Merlin who encountered a troubled passage throughout and showed battling qualities to qualify. On a night where Liz and Rab’s greyhounds run superbly well at Nottingham, King Axle disappointed somewhat when finishing a laclustre fourth.
