UPDATED: POWERFUL BREEZE ‘SHORT HEAD’S’ REGENCY THRILLER

On 7 May 2015 Billys Bullet broke a hock in the first round of the Coral Regency. On 4 May 2016 Billys Bullet won the Regency Final.

On 3 May 2017 Aayamza Breeze was KO’d in the final of the Regency. On 13 July 2017 Breeze broke her hock at Hove. On 25 April 2019, Aaymza Breeze won the Regency Final.

Mark Wallis might have trained more than 60 Cat 1 winners, but few will have meant more than seeing the four year win one of the most exciting races likely to be seen in 2019.

As expected Sheldan trapped decently and soon accelerated into an early lead from Roxholme Poppy. The pair went clear and had led for more than a circuit before the race began to unfold.

Arthurs Impact and Goldies Hotspur were ‘on the premises’ as the field started to compact by the fifth bend.

An action packed finish looked to be on the cards and the Goldies Hotspur supporters raised their voices as the field began the long run to the winning line. Almost unnoticed, Aayamza Breeze, who had trailed the field, put in a flying late surge and got home by a short head.

AAYAMZA BREEZE (t1) gets up to short head Goldies Hotspur (t3) in the Coral Regency Final. Photo: © Steve Nash

It was a finish befitting the calibre of the field with the winning clocking a very respectable 41.42 (-15). Roxhome Butt’s FOY is 41.34 (N).

Trainer Wallis said: “What a race! At no point until the final stride did she look as though she could win it. It was a magnificent final, filled with class dogs, none less than Goldies Hotspur. What battles that pair have had this year.

“The Aayamza Boys have been great supporters of the kennel and owned a lot of fast dogs, but this is their first Cat One win. I am delighted for them.

“Daniel Doherty did a magnificent job on the hock and she was off the track for nearly nine months. It took her a long time to find her best form and then we couldn’t get races for her.

“She is flying at the moment and I would like to keep her going. She doesn’t really have a lot of miles on the clock, that was only her 41st race.

“Ideally, I would like to run her in a few marathons but there is so little about. We would also have the option of Yarmouth (for the George Ing St Leger).”

If two greyhounds represented the battle between their respective trainers it would be Goldies Hotspur and Aayamza Breeze.

They met in the Greyhound Star Marathon at Henlow with Hotspur coming out on top. Breeze turned the tables at Monmore and the pair were then separated by a short head at the same track, with Droopys Gina beating the pair of them.

The gap in the trainers championship is now just 15 points.