SAVVA – TOP 20 RACERS – PART 1

There have been many champions associated with Westmead and we intend to profile but 20. They dogs are presented in rough chronological order.

A couple of thoughts though. First notice the colour evolution from a strain than was predominantly fawns and brindles developing into blacks.

Secondly – here are just a few of the runners who didn’t make the cut (and we have also excluded the great racers who became dams – eg Westmead Move, who will be remembered in their own section)

From the top 20 we will be missing: Westmeads Pride, Bound, Manor, Claim, Havoc, Suprise, Spirit, Darkie, Aoifa, Woofa and Maldini. Plus, Drynham Star, Westown Adam, Balligari, Right Move, Olivers Wish, Tralee Crazy, Elbony Rose, Annies Bullet, Dilemmas Flight, Dilemmas Lad, Sarah Dee and Droopys Merson to name but a few

 

WESTMEAD COUNTY

  f d (Clonalvy Pride-Cricket Dance, Jan 70)

Westmead County was 19 months old when he made his NGRC open race debut in the Eclipse heats at Hall Green.

Before the end of the year, he had contested 11 races and had won the consolation final of Cesarewitch in a quicker time than the final. He had also finished down the field in the West Ham’s Junior Cup Final having won the fastest semi.

The fawn hit the ground running in early 1972 winning five of his first seven opens, clocking 29.36 for Wembley’s 525 yards in a semi of the Evening Standard Trophy. He finished third in the final at Wimbledon.

He stayed at Plough Lane for the local Produce Stake where he finished runner-up (5-4f) to Deneholme Chief.

The fawn’s next date was the English Derby. He won his first two heats, clocking 28.76 in the second round but contested ‘the heat of death’ in round three.

County finished fourth behind the brilliant Super Rory, whose 28.36 was the fastest of the night by more than four lengths. Scintillas Gem took second with the last remaining place going to a dog called Patricia’s Hope. County went on to finish third in the consolation behind Suburban Gent.

But the Savva trained runner then returned to his beloved Wembley for the £250 Summer Cup in which he beat Silver Skipper in a time of 29.56.

He re-appeared two weeks later in the £350 Select Stakes where he is taking on the second-fourth from the English Derby final. But they had no answer to County’s pace as he produced the performance of his career to win in 29.23 for the 525 yards.

It would be his last run over the standard. He made a six bend debut next time out winning by nine lengths.

County started as ante post favourite for the 1972 St Leger and dominated the event with fantastic runs in the first round (39.76) and semi (39.77), before breaking a hock in the final when well clear.

Nick says: His hock went just in front of the Wembley tunnel. To make matters worse, I could see he was lame but the crowd started booing him.

“I think that was the lowest point I have even experienced in greyhound racing. I felt hollow inside. But journalist Alan Lennox came to console me. He said ‘Don’t worry, it will turn out for the best. I am convinced he will do exceptionally well at stud.”

County’s leg healed, but didn’t mend straight. Nevertheless Nick decided to bring him back for the following year’s St Leger.

In fairytales, County would have come back to win the race at the second attempt. In real life, County reached the semis but split a web.

Nick says: “He was a dog without a fault. If I had to choose the dog most like him that I’ve trained it would probably be ‘the Hawk.’

“It was only after he was injured that I really realized what I had lost. He is the main reason that our interest grew in breeding.

“I was very much an amateur when County came along but he still performed brilliantly no matter how many mistakes I made in his feeding and training.

“He had great track craft and backstraight pace and won the Select Stakes coming from the back of the field. I still believe that he and Move are the best stayers that we bred.

“As a stud dog he passed on so many of his good traits to his offspring. In my opinion, he was an outstanding stud dog. He died of a heart attack as a ten year old on April 21 1980 and is buried in the garden.”

County sired the winners of two Scottish Derbys, three TV Trophies, two St Legers and two Gold Collars.

He was particularly good to his own breeder – three of his offspring, Westmead Power, Special Account and Westmead Champ are profiled in this publication.

Others County progeny include Westown Adam, ‘Decoys’ Duke, Ranch, Ranger,and Sovereign, Cormacruiser, Weston Blaze, ‘Westmeads’ Bound, Bounty, Melody, Gem and Ruby plus Keep Moving and Drynham Star.

 

WESTMEAD LANE

bd d (Clonalvy Pride-Cricket Dance, Jan 70)

The 77 pound brindle and white made a successful open race debut in a 640 yard event at Slough when still only 17 months old.

He returned to four bends to run fourth in the 1971 British Breeders final over 440 yard at Catford.

1972 was a busy year for Lane who contested 34 opens, winning 12 on nine different tracks. He reached a string of major finals including the Midland St Leger, Gold Cup and Gold Collar.

The strong galloping dog finished fourth in the Collar final, just 24 hours after winning a heat of the Wimbledon British Breeders Stakes.

Towards year end, the new Brighton 785 yard record holder was finally put over extended distances and landed the kennel its first classic, the 880 yard Cesarewitch at Belle Vue. That was soon followed by victory in the Test over the Stow’s 880 course.

1973 would prove disappointing. Lane built up a big winning sequence but was beaten in London Marathon Championship by litter brother Westmead Pride and was then retired through injury.

He went to stud in England but was in the shade of brother County and eventually went to Ireland when he died prematurely at Jack Mullan’s Newry range.

Thankfully, before he left, he produced a litter out of Hacksaw that included the great Westmead Satin.

Nick says: “I’d forgotten running him in the Gold Collar the night after running at Wimbledon, but I was very indiscriminate in those day. I’d had him flapping from 12 months of age.

“Whatever Lane achieved was down to natural ability, and very little to do with the trainer.”

 

WESTMEAD MYRA

bd b (Myrtown-Westmead Silver, Jul 74)

Very few bitches are able to compete with the top middle distance dogs. Westmead Chick did it – but Westmead Myra did it first.

The brindle gave her first glimpse of a special ability when, at 22 months old, she ran away with a Wembley open in 29.24 for 490 metres on grass. The track record was 29.12.

She was still a pup at the start of the ’76 English Derby but surprisingly scraped though to reach the final.

A 20-1 outsider, she ran well to finish third, albeit six lengths behind winner Mutts Silver.

Her career seemed set for further and she duly went on to land the 600 metre Essex Vase by just under four lengths as a short priced favourite.

There was a renewal of hostilities in the Select Stakes next time out when the slightly nervy brindle again ran third to the Derby winner.

Connections reckoned they could have given Phil Rees’ dog a much closer run but for being impeded at the traps by Two PM.

The challenge was accepted by the Derby winner’s connections. There would be a two runner match over 484 metres at Southend with each side pledging £2,000.

Mutts Silver went to traps at odds on but was led up by Myra. The favourite hit the front at the second bend but couldn’t shake off the 6-4 chance.

Off the last bend Myra drew alongside and then pulled away for a famous three quarter length win in a new track record of 29.47 (-20).

Two nights later, she went to traps at Shawfield for the first round of the Scottish Derby, and won again. By the time of the final there was two unbeaten finalists, Myra and Flip Your Top.

The latter had nine spots in hand on semi final form and duly franked it in the decider.

The pair met again in the quarter finals of the St Leger and Myra had her revenge. Unfortunately she went lame in the semis.

Following a three month lay-off she returned to comfortably win the £1,000 British Breeders Championship at White City.

She finished the year with 12 wins from 29 races and fourth on the prize money table. She raced briefly into 1977 but was sold to Australia and died before she had chance to produce pups.

Nick said: “Over the years I haven’t produced too many who have been so highly strung as Myra.

“She was a bit ‘iffy’ as a pup and had a brother Westmead Romeo. He was every bit as fast as Myra and never actually did anything wrong. He could catch any dog in the competition and I think he could have made the final.

“But he was giving racing manager Bob Rowe absolute kittens with the fear that he might ruin a race and so I withdrew him in the latter stages. I blame his breeding for the ungenuine trait. In my opinion there was definitely in a kink in the Myross Again sire line.”

 

WESTMEAD CHAMP

f d (Westmead County-Hacksaw, Apr 74)

After beginning his career in graded company at Hackney, Champ was soon on the open race scene contesting the likes of the ‘76 Wood Lane Stakes (runner-up) and Pall Mall.

His first major win for trainer Pam Heasman was in the Regency at Brighton when he beat local champion Glin Bridge in a new 670 yard track record of 39.78. (He also had a 29.08 on his card for the 500 metres- TR 29.03).

A dog of true class, within a month he was contesting the ‘76 English Derby Final where he won the fastest semi in 29.35, but finished fifth behind Mutts Silver in the final.

Back over six bends he landed the ‘76 St Leger. Then just 19 days later, he won his second classic, when going unbeaten through the Gold Collar, where he smashed the 555 metre track record in the second round.

The best dual distance dog of his era, he had won 20 of his 35 races in 1976 and was voted joint Greyhound of the Year with Mutts Silver.

The blue fawn Champ had originally been sold for £250 to owner Steve Constanti and in his early days showed little promise in graded races for Miss Heasman.

Nick says: “I only had Champ up to the schooling stage before he joined Pam Heasman. He was beaten in his first few races at Hackney and I was very surprised and disappointed.

Nick says: “I knew he was better than his Hackney form and I said as much to Pam. I don’t know what she did to turn things around, but suddenly Champ found his form and never looked back.

“I always thought Champ would be a stayer so I was surprised when he reached the Derby Final. Late on of course he beat me in the St Leger Final where I had Drynham Star who finished second beaten half a length.

“There was also a litter brother who was bought by Freddie Warrell at the Hilton auction. He looked very good in schooling but was injured soon afterwards.”

A year or so after he had left the kennel, Nick was in the racing paddock when he was spotted by Champ.

Nick said: “He was quite a shy dog, but he went beserk when he saw me, wagging his tail and pulling on his lead to get to me. It was a nice moment, I’d assumed he might have forgotten me.”

Champ went to stud but was not particularly popular with breeders – his sire Westmead County was still at stud. He nevertheless threw Cesarewitch winner Linkside Liquor.

 

WESTMEAD POWER

f d (Westmead County-Westmead Damson, Aug 75)

Westmead Power, a bit like the modern Hawk, was a dog who took a little while to show his true class.

He started off over four bends and made his open race debut at Henlow at 20 months old. He soon won a small final over 430 metres at Bletchley.

Overall though, he won just 10 of his 36 opens in 1977. He broke the track records at Leeds (650m), Hall Green (606m) and Ipswich (620m) but failed by a neck to reach the St Leger final.

His only major victory was the Gold Collar at Catford where he beat a field that included Black Legend and El Cavalier in 34.98.

The following year he was beaten a short head in the Ebor at Leeds, and ran third in the Gold Cup

But he was awesome in the St Leger going unbeaten through to the final where he beat Rhu by three lengths in 39.67 for the 655 metres.

He also added to his track record tally with the 600 metre clock at Romford (twice).

Following retirement, Power went to stud, though like Westmead Champ, would be in the shade of his sire.

He nevertheless threw a number off decent open racers, most notably the early paced Oakfield Tracey and Golden Bonzo.

Nick says: “We started him off at Milton Keynes but he was totally unsuited to the track. He went to Geoff De Mulder at Hall Green and took off and then came back to me.

“I think he was a typical ‘Westmead’ in many ways with plenty of stamina and a very genuine temperament.”

How genuine? On one occasion, Nick wanted to give Westmead Power a run around his track but didn’t want him to extend himself so he arranged a trial behind the trolley but without the lure attached.

Not only did Power record a sensational time, he chased the trolley until it stopped and then attacked it.

 

 

WESTMEAD MILOS

bd d (All Wit-Westmead Satin, Mar 82)

Milos, who was owned by Colm McGrath, made his mark as a top class pup and landed his first major event, the Northumberland Puppy Cup.

He had set a new track record in the heats and won the decider by seven lengths when only 18 months old.

He returned to Brough Park for the All England where he beat Squire Cass in the fastest semi. However the tables were turned in the final where he missed out by three quarters of a length as Squire Cass snatched victory and Milos’ 500 metre clock.

In October, Milos represented Britain in both legs of the Anglo-Irish, finishing second to Glatton Grange at White City and last at Shelbourne Park.

He finished 1983 as the top pup in training when winning the Sporting Life Juvenile in 27.73.

The brindle returned to Wimbledon to win the International in 27.59 followed by another trip to Plough Lane to set a new 460 metre record of 27.51.

At Harringay, Milos (2-1 second favourite) ran third in the Pall Mall behind Game Ball and Ballyhaden Slave.

At Brighton, he clocked the fastest time in the Olympic when landing his semi final in 29.80. In the final, he caught Amazing Man in the last stride to win by a short head in 30.20.

Milos was ante post favourite for the last Derby to be staged at White City in 1984, and clocked the fastest first round heat in 29.40 (500m). He was then surprisingly eliminated in the quarter finals.

Unfortunately a broken hock sustained at two years and four months old ended a promising career.

Nick says: “Milos showed exceptional promise in a disappoitingly short race career. He particularly impressed me when he came from last to first to win the Juvenile. Unfortunately his hock injury was sustained while he was being prepared to run in the Select Stakes.

“He was a 100% genuine, but sadly never had the chance to step up to six bends which is where I thought he would be at his best.”

 

SPECIAL ACCOUNT

f d (Westmead County-Ka Boom, Jan 80)

Special Account was actually ‘bred’ by Doreen Cobbold but his conception, whelping and rearing all took place at Westmead Kennels.

The litter was split with Joe taking away the future ‘Decoys’ Ranch, Ranger, Diane, Doreen and Dallas. Nick was left with two dogs and two bitches.

(They would include St Leger third Westmead Ruby and Test winner Westmead Gem).

The litter were 10 months old when Theo persuaded Nick to sell him the athletic looking fawn dog.

Nick said: “I didn’t really want to sell, but I said to Theo, you can have him for £1,000 but if you ever decide to sell on, you must give me first option.’”

After qualifying in fast trials, ‘Rikasso Special’ made his debut for Theo in a puppy open at Cambridge in July 1981. He was beaten and Theo let Nick know that despite his fast trial times, he was disappointed with his purchase.

Nick said: “I saw him the dog at kennelling and he obviously hadn’t settled at all well with Theo. He looked depressed and disinterested, not the dog I knew at all. When Theo said he was looking for £2,000 for him, I nearly snapped his hand off.”

‘Special’ rejoined his rearer and instantly began to look a shrewd purchase winning heats and final of a Cambridge puppy competition by a combined 10 lengths.

Nick chuckles “Theo went ballistic- there wasn’t a name that he didn’t call me!”

The fawn was still only 20 months old when he won a Harringay 475 metre puppy open by 14 lengths in 28.57.It would be his final race under his old name.

By now Nick was convinced that he had a potential superstar and Bob Morton asked to buy him. Nick agreed and at £5,000, Special Account remains, to this day, the most expensive greyhound ever sold at Westmead.

The re-named Account clocked 27.58 (TR 27.45) in the opening round of the Wimbledon Puppy Derby but found trouble and did well to qualify from the semis.

The rangey fawn came good in the final with a 27.79 length and three quarter win over crack pups Gigolo Diomedes and Kilacca.

The Savva hound rounded off the year by running second to Diomedes in the Anglo-Irish at Shelbourne Park (Duke Of Hazzard was third) as the British breds completed a white-wash.

It was March before Special opened his 1982 account. Contesting his first race of the year, he set a new Cambridge 400 metre track record of 25.53 – 18 spots inside the previous best.

He went straight into the Pall Mall and although only winning one qualifier, he started favourite to win the final. But after being ‘impded run-up & half way’ he finished second to 28.58 winner Sugarville Jet.

Four indifferent lines of form followed but Account showed he was returning to form with a 28.41 win at Harringay (TR 28.37) in trialstake for the English Derby.

The main event didn’t go well for Account in the early stages but by the semis he found his form and clocked 29.30 for White City’s 500 metres, some 25 spots quicker than the other semi winner Lauries Panther.

However, a bad draw on the outside of the wide running Killimy Ivy (T2) saw Panther installed as 6-4f with Account available at 7-2.

The race went as expected, Panther secured a clear run on the rail, Killimy Ivy ran across the field and was KO’d and Special Account as Supreme Tiger led up.

The Savva runner was fully six adrift of Tiger and Panther by the time he re-found his balance and set off in pursuit. He dragged the margin back to three quarters of length but failed to catch Panther who got home in 29.60.

His next outing was the Select where he ran third, beaten half a length by Brief Candle and litter brother Decoy Ranch, but bounced back to set a new 500 metre track record at Perry Barr.

Next up was a Scottish Derby oozing class. Account won his opener in 30.20, set a new Shawfield 500 metre track record in the semis (30.01) and then led home a field that included Duke Of Hazzard, Long Spell and Cooladine Jet to set another record of 29.99 in the final.

He completed the year by finishing second in the Anglo-Irish and third in the Edinburgh Cup.

Nick says: “I would put him in the same top three category as Phantom Flash. He had tremendous pace and was hugely impressive when he won the Scottish Derby.

“I suppose though that the race of his life was in the English Derby Final Of course he lost his chance at the first bend but was absolutely outstanding to finish second.”

“In terms of his most enjoyable race, the 1982 Scottish Derby victory was memorable. After the race, the crowd gave us a standing ovation. It was better atmosphere than the English Derby and very moving.”

Fearless Champ was easily the classiest of Account’s offspring. Others included Able Sam (Produce Stakes) and the Pall Mall winner Forest Fawn who was subsequently disqualified for fighting.

(Able Sam’s victory saw a clean sweep in the Produce Final for the kennel – all six runners were by Westmead sires, two by Special Account, two by Glenroe Hiker and two by Westmead Milos)

Indeed many Account offspring, including some bred at Westmead, were not totally focused.

Nick says: “I was disappointed that he didn’t produce as a sire but I wasn’t totally surprised. He was so much more like his dam Ka Boom than his own sire Westmead County.

“I always felt that he had inherited more of her genes. There was a question mark over Ka Boom’s sire line which I think came out in Special Account’s pups.”

FLASHY SIR

w bk d (Sand Man-Cherry Express, Sep 84)

The Flashy Sir story is so amazing that it would seem unbelievable if it wasn’t true.

His mother died when he was born leaving ‘Flashy’ and one surviving litter brother to be nursed by a foster mother.

One morning breeder John Fitzpatrick went into the kennel to find both pups missing. After a lengthy search the pair were presumed eaten.

Three days later the pair, crying and starving were found stuffed behind some fencing. A frantic search was made for a replacement but the only suitable candidate was infested with mange.

Sure enough, the two adopted pups both developed the disease and lost all their fur. But despite it all, they survived.

Flashy – named after the great American dog who gives his name to the award for the country’s top stayer – had a fairly indifferent start to his race career.

He had raced 15 times when Nick Savva arrived looking for a mating to Sand Man (see separate story).

He had five wins on his card including a 29.31 at Newbridge and a 29.64 at Harolds Cross. He was a decent open racer but there was certainly no clue as to what he would eventually become.

Flashy stayed with his breeder and reached the 1987 Easter Cup semis before making the journey to Edelsborough.

Flashy reached the Derby semis but Nick had already determined that he struggled to re-cooperate from quick races.

He started favourite for the consolation, but was involved in a no-race, where the dogs ran a complete circuit without a hare, and was unsurprisingly beaten into third in the re-run.

But he bounced back to win the Circuit, finish runner-up in the Midland Flat and land one of the kennel’s biggest gambles in the Laurels where he clocked 27.52.

Flashy ran one of his last races on the night his TV litter made their debut at Milton Keynes – he won a supporting open.

But little won prepare Nick for the realization of what he had stumbled across.

Flashy would sire a string of quality Westmeads including Bens Baby, Westmead Havoc, Westmead Lodge and Phantom Flash.

Without Flashy there would have been no Westmead Flight, and hence no Sonic Flight or Larkhill Jo.

But there were others too including Pearls Girl (Oaks/Gold Collar), Galleydown Boy (St Leger) and Sir Grand (Cox Cup). Flashy reached no.8 on the UK sires chart; a great feat for a purely British based stud dog.

Nick says: “Flashy was 100 per cent genuine in his desire to chase and that came through in his pups. He was an outstanding stud dog for the kennel.”

 

WESTMEAD HARRY

bk d (Fearless Champ-Westmead Move, Nov 87)

The Savvas bred very few faster dogs than Harry, and virtually none with a better strike rate in major events.

He was just 18 months old when he made his open race debut and won a Wembley puppy open in 29.43.

His first big win came in the 1989 Eclipse. The 12-1 shot came from behind to beat odds on favourite Gulleen Whisper when still only 21 months old. He ran third in the Tennants Ten Thousand and was switched to six bends to win a £1,000 race at Milton Keynes.

His first major success as a two year old was the in the Blue Riband. Fastest in the entire event with a 29.07 heat win, he came from fifth place to snatch the £6,000 final by a short head in 29.09.

The long powerful black totally dominated the 1990 Scottish Derby clocking the fastest heat and semi final.

The 5-4 favourite for the final, he didn’t lead until midway along the back straight but pulled out a near eight length winning margin to set a new Shawfield 500m track record of 29.62.

In September, Harry contested the Irish Derby and only failed to qualify for the final after being drawn in the quickest of the three semis which was won by kennel mate Phantom Flash. Harry finished third, beaten a neck for second place with only two to qualify.

He returned to England to land the Select Stakes before returning the Shelbourne Park to beat kennelmates Phantom Flash and Bens Baby, plus the best of the locals in the Anglo-Irish Inernational.

Ante post leader for the St Leger, Harry reached the final unbeaten and started favourite, but finished third to Match Point.

Nevertheless, the strong running black had already done enough to be voted 1990 Greyhound of the Year.

Harry was probably the most nervous greyhound who ever came through Westmead Kennels.

Nick says: “Harry was really a bit of a freak. He was a spook, very very nervous.

Nick says: “He was like it from the time he was a pup. He was okay around us, but if there was a stranger around he would go to the other end of the paddock.

“Thankfully it didn’t really affect his racing and he was 100% genuine.

“I often wondered where Harry’s nerves came from. On the sire’s side Fearless Champ had no nerves, not did his father or grand father Special Account and Westmead County.

“He was from a Westmead dam line which had never exhibited any behavioural problems. I can only assume that there was something in the Sarahs Bunny line.”

“The only time that the nervousness played a part was when we sent him over for the Irish Derby. He never settled and ran below par.

“I decided to run him in the consolation but flew him over on the day of the race.

“He was completely unfancied but because of the change of plan, we decided to gamble him. To memory he was 33-1 and when he won, owner Paul Hoffman won enough to put a deposit on a massive new house in Blackpool.

“Overall, I thought the Scottish Derby Final was his best ever race when he came from last to first to break the track record.

Harry was eventually sold to continue stud duties for a project that ultimately never got off the ground, for racing in South Africa.

Nick says: “They told me that they were flying him out there and I knew he would go to pieces on the plane. He actually had a heart attack and was dead on arrival.”

 

PHANTOM FLASH bk d

bk d (Flashy Sir-Westmead Seal Jul 88)

Phantom Flash was 17 months old when he made his racing debut in an open at Swindon. He started at 6-1 and finished second to future Derby finalist Burnt Oak Champ.

It was fourth time out that he broke his duck with a seven length win at Monmore and it would be in the track’s Puppy Derby that Flash first showed signs of greatness winning his heats and semis by a combined 15 lengths (best 29.30).

A 1-3f for the final, he missed his break and finished fifth behind 29.97 winner One For Lloyd.

Still only 21 months old, he won his next three opens in 27.78, 27.69 and 27.89 for 460m at Wimbledon, at odds as low as 1-5f. They represented remarkably short odds for a dog who already had a reputation as a notoriously slow starting wide runner with awesome backstraight pace.

Flash’s first major win was the Archie Scott Memorial at Hall Green where the youngster beat a top class field including Linthurst Rita, Murlens Hawk and Galtymore Lad in 28.75 for Hall Green’s 474 metres.

Galtymore and the Savva runner met again, the following month, in the first round of the 1990 English Derby. Heavily backed ante post, Flash (2-1f) finished lame with a shoulder injury.

He reappeared as a two year old in the Sussex Cup at Hove and blew away the opposition. Unbeaten and fastest on the clock throughout, he started at 2-5f in the £3,000 decider where he beat Greenfield Madam.

The Irish Derby was next on the agenda and things didn’t start well. Flash finished fourth in the opening round but qualified under the a repercharge system which determined qualifying places by points.

He made no mistake clocking 30.24 for the 550 yards and then went to within a length of the track record with a 30.10 first round win. Flash was then installed as Derby favourite.

The second round was a disaster as he moved wide from the boxes and into trouble. Apparently eliminated, he found half a dozen lengths on leaders Concentration and Monaleen Stag to win his heat in 30.84.

Into the semis and Flash was back on song in 30.30. Toss Pit was next quickest in 30.46, The Other Toss landed the other qualifier in 30.62

Westmead Kennel has probably never produced a wider runner than Phantom Flash.

Unfortunately, the 1990 Irish Derby featured four wide seeds and Flash (11-8f) drew the white jacket.

To say he trapped slowly would be an understatement. He was clear last going into the first bend and forced to run around the outside of the other backmarker.

By the second bend he was 10 adrift of Pets Echo and The Other Toss, but then the outstanding backstraight pace kicked in.

He took four lengths out of his field and was catching the leading pair hand over fist by the third bend. He attempted to take Pets Echo on the outside coming around the last bend, but the fawn drifted off.

By the time he switched to the inside, the race was all over and The Other Toss got home in 30.14. Flash finished third.

It was then back to Britain for the Produce Stakes at Wembley. In a preparatory trial, Flash had clocked 28.61 (TR 28.82) for the 490m and he went to traps as a 1-14f for his opening heat.

He duly won in an official record of 28.79, which gave him a 64 spot advantage over closest rival Linthurst Rita. He followed that up with an eight length 28.95 win, before a surprise defeat (1-7f) in the semis.

For the final though, he made no mistake with a 28.94 victory.

It was back to Shelbourne for the Anglo-Irish when Flash was surprisingly beaten into third by kennelmate Westmead Harry, though Flash bounced back to win the Wimbledon version by more than four lengths.

He then rounded off 1990 with a four length victory in a £1,000 invitation race at Wembley.

At year end, Flash had won 18 of his 24 opens and prize money of £21,385. His Irish record was four wins from six races.

It would also be Phantom Flash’s last race for his breeder/trainer. Following a dispute with owner Dave Hawley, Nick asked Hawley to remove dog from his kennels.

Flash joined Patsy Byrne in early 1991. He won heats and semis of the Blue Riband but was beaten in the final.

He bounced back to win the Archie Scott Memorial for the second time clocking 28.60.

Shawfield was next on the agenda and his 14 length win (1-3f) in the first round (29.75) gave him a 71 spot advantage over his closest rival. He won his semi (1-4f) by five in 29.95 (next quickest 30.56) and final (1-4f) by six and a quarter lengths in 29.77.

Just 13 days later he won his qualifying heat of the English Derby in 29.04. He won again in 28.60 and again in 28.80.

A 4-6f in his Derby quarter final, Flash broke his wrist and his racing career was at an end.

As a sire, Flash threw plenty of pace, though never quite achieved the volume of open race winners required to make him a top three sire.

His greatest son was probably the enigmatic Spiral Nikita, a dog well fancied for two Irish Derby finals, but successful in neither, the first time of course, he was beaten by sister Tina Marina.

Other Flash progeny included Sure Fantasy, Snow Flash, Spit It Out, Droopys Pacino, Curley Tresa, Gottabegood, Get Connected, Treasury Tag, Tuesdays Davy, Phantom Power, Blonde Returns, Liffey Mills, Dew Reward and Ardcollum Flash.

Flash died of a heart attack aged 11 at Kerry Hill kennels in Kerry in August 1999.

Nick says: “He was a brilliant tracker with great back straight pace. I didn’t really get the best out of him due to a series of niggling injuries but good dogs run for anyone and he won plenty with Patsy Byrne.

“I thought he was good enough to win the Irish Derby but the draw in three cost him dearly. The highlight of his career with me was probably his performance in the Produce Stakes where he looked just exceptional.

“I would put Phantom Flash among the fastest three dogs that I’ve bred”