Droopys Buick – one of the greatest greyhounds of his generation – was put to sleep today following an unsuccessful battle with cancer.
Former trainer Jimmy Wright said: “He was suffering from cancer in the shoulder, the same problem that affected his sire Yeah Man and there was no option. I have had many outstanding greyhounds, but Buick was among the very best. It is a very sad day after a terrible year.”
Buick made his name in the 2015 William Hill Puppy Plate. He finished third in the Puppy Classic and won the Puppy Derby and Lawrence Jones Memorial later in the year. He was voted 2015 Newcomer of the Year.
In 2016 he equalled the Shawfield 480 track record and clocked 28.04 for 480m at Wimbledon but was withdrawn off colour from the English Derby. In a difficult year, in which he only went to traps on 19 occasions, he went unbeaten in the Eclipse and Olympic and was voted Greyhound of the Year.
He returned to Shawfield in 2017 and broke the 480m track record twice before being beaten from trap five in the final. “He never really ran Towcester” said Jimmy, though Buick finished fourth in the 2017 Derby semi having clocked 28.85 earlier in the event.
He was beaten half a length by ‘The Wildcat’ in the Select Stakes but clocked 27.63 on his way to winning the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Monmore. A 28.12 winner at Newcastle, he won a heat of the Laurels in 28.20 but broke down in the semi finals and never raced again.
Although not seven years old until November of this year, Buick made a sensational start to his stud career. His progeny this weekend alone include Romford Puppy Cup finalist Bramble Oliverj and the brilliant Boylesports Irish Derby finalist, Newinn Taylor.
Gold Cup winner Droopys Buick with Angela Harrison and Jimmy Wright.
Monmore 17th August 2017.
Photo: © Steve Nash
