PRODUCE STAKES - 1ST ROUND - Greyhound Star | News from the Greyhound Industry

Our Boy Jack, who missed out by a short head for a place in the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby final set the standard in the first round of the 74th Two Year Old Produce Stakes at Swindon – writes Floyd Amphlett.

Trained by Ely based Rob Copping, the 8-1 chance led at the first bend and pulled away to win by four and a half lengths from Boca Junion.

The winner, an April ’18 son of Holdem Spy and Unique Lilian began his racing career in A6 company at Peterborough where Rob and greyhound partner Debbie Manning originally raced.

Rob said: “We once had around 30 racing dogs but have cut right back now. I am a fencing contractor, Debbie looks after the dogs. We only have three now. Jack, Onthego Blue, who has been featured on RPGTV having won hat-tricks at three different tracks, plus a little bitch who is semi retired. She was a bit inconsistent and we thought we had cracked it, but it turns out she doesn’t like crowds. We also have four retired dogs.

“Jack was bred by Maxi Alden and went to Ireland for rearing and schooling. Finding races has been tough. He doesn’t really run Yarmouth, he didn’t run Peterborough particularly well either, but he went well at Swindon.

“We had a great day, they were so welcoming, for trials too. Peter Geeves (general manager) has been on a phone a few times checking everything was okay. We arrived down there yesterday, and there he was serving up some breakfasts. I can’t speak highly enough of the place.”

The biggest shock of the day was the elimination of British Bred Sprint winner King Drake. It was a particularly pleasing day for Kevin Hutton who saw all six members of his Taylors Sky/Terminator litter make it through to the second round.

Despite a lack of interest in the event from the media and the betting industry as a whole, the 10 heats did not produce the series of ‘walk over’ odds-on winning favourites that had been predicted.