So the RPGTV Select Stakes retained his jinx. Three runners (Priceless Blake, Roxholme Nidge and Droopys Expert) were withdrawn from the original chosen sextet. Then first reserve Forest Jason failed to reach the track due to traffic issues, the favourite was knocked over the race went to a reserve.

(It was still comparatively incident free compared to 2018, which was also reduced to five runners of which three were KO’d at the first bend).

Despite all the upheaval, there can be no disputing the absolute merit of the winner.

The winner only collected two votes from the press panel on the day – one from pundit Richard Harkness, the other from photographer Steve ‘Nasher’ Nash, but in completing a four-timer, Trickys Dumbo was quite probably the first winner of the event never to have been beaten in his UK career.

Owner and trainer Robert Holt said: “I bought him from Dominic Magnone at Greyhound and Pet World in Ireland. He has won a heat of a puppy competition at Cork, finished second in the semi final but had picked up that kennel bug that was sweeping Ireland at the time.

“Dominic buys a lot of his meat from my father and said ‘I think you should ask your Robert to buy this dog off me.’ He wasn’t an expensive dog by any means, but he has done everything right to this stage.”

TRICKYS DUMBO wins the RPGTV Select Stakes from Ballymac Tas
Nottingham 29th July 2019
Photo: © Steve Nash

In those early races, the August ’17 whelp by Skywalker Puma out of Quivers Duchess was registered as Quivers Dumbo.

The ‘Trickys’ prefix has been around throughout most of Robert Holt’s years as a trainer. He started out at Kinsley, moved onto Doncaster but switched to Sheffield last year.

Robert said: “The first one was I’m Tricky. He was from a litter by Droopys Vieri out of Droopys Sally in 2002. He was born backwards and my first reaction was ‘well you’re tricky’ and I’ve used it ever since.”

In fact, the Tricky youngster went on to become a prolific open race winner with victories including a £3,000 British bred competition at Nottingham.

WAIKIKI LAD (t2) wins RPGTV puppy open from Roxholme Dolly (t6). Photo: © Steve Nash

WOKEEN leads home his rivals in the first of the RPGTV Sprint opens on Select night, completing a quickfire double for local handler Lynn Cook. Photo: © Steve Nash

DROOPYS CARAT (t5) wins the RPGTV Puppy Trophy from Jet Stream Socks (t6). Photo: © Steve Nash

Early battle for supremacy in the RPGTV Standard Trophy between Nidderdale Lark (t4), Swift Taxman (t5) and winner Honour Turbo (t3). Photo: © Steve Nash

Easy win for Lynn Cook’s PLAZA LEP in the RPGTV 480. Photo: © Steve Nash

SALACRES PUNCH (t4) short heads Troy Bella (t5) in the Sprint Trophy, thus reversing the placings by the same margin as their epic buckle on Derby Final night over C&D. Photo: © Steve Nash