Greyhound of the Year Signet Ace signed off a fabulous career when second in the Monday’s Jenningsbet Select Stakes on Monday.
Ace was the equivalent of a child progeny and is unique in Greyhound Star history when he attracted a story based on his very first qualifying trial, a calculated 28.08 trial for 476m at Swindon.
His first race was an A1 at Monmore which he won in a calculated 28.02 while still only 21 months old. In fact, he only raced seven times in six months as trainer Kevin Hutton extended his education with a series of trials on half a dozen different tracks. By the time he was two and a half he still only had 13 races on his card including a first Cat One, the Ladbrokes Winter Derby at Monmore where he clocked a calculated 27.88 in the final.
He went unbeaten to the quarter finals of the 2021 Star Sports Derby clocking 29.16 in the second round and beating Newinn Session next time out but was bundled out at the quarter final stage.
A defeat as favourite in the 2021 Ladbrokes Gold Cup was soon forgotten following the race that Kevin rates as one of the highlights of Ace’s career, the ARC Select Stakes at Nottingham. Ace never gave a chance to a field that included Tenpin, Drumcrow Brent, Thorn Falcon, Gymstar Elusive and Droopys Conrad. The 11-8f clocked 29.32 for the 500 metres.
Ace’s career was now purely Cat One territory. He went unbeaten to the final of the Steel City Cup, started favourite but was caught in the final strides by kennelmate Forest Gold. But it was then back to Nottingham for an aggregate three win victory in the Eclipse totalling 21 lengths. His semi final winning time was 29.13! It was the win that secured the 2021 Greyhound of the Year title.
After picking up the only injury of his career in the 2022 Blue Riband, Ace returned to beat a top class field on Judgement Night. At the end of July he was still capable of a 28.10 win at Monmore before bowing out of racing as the worse drawn of five railers in the Select. His career record reads 25 wins from 46 races.
Kevin Hutton said: “He did everything we asked of him really. Barring that one minor muscle strain at Towcester, he was sound throughout his career. It would have been nice to finish with a win, but I think Monday’s race was the only time he had ever been beaten at Nottingham (in eight races). Ace has achieved everything that has been asked of him and he will be joining the Dunphys at Droopys Stud in around a fortnight.
“His sire Laughil Blake has recently retired and I think there is a good case to suggest Ace is as good a son as Blake has thrown and I know that there is already some interest from breeders.”
Although Irish breeders like to see runners with domestic form, they would certainly know about his mum who was an Irish Oaks winner. Indeed, you could make a case for Natalee – the reigning British Dam of the Year – being the leading brood bitch in Britain or Ireland. Her following litter by Magical Bale includes Laurels winner Signet Denver, Blue Riband runner-up Signet Otis, and English Derby semi finalist Signet Goofy to name but three.
Natalee is herself a daughter of English Oaks winner Droopys Danneel is from the litter of the decade which included English Derby winner Dorotas Wildcat, Scottish Derby winner Dorotas Woo Hoo (now at stud with Jimmy Fenwick), Monmore Puppy Derby winner Forest Con, English Derby third Dorotas Vic among a star studded litter.
2021 Select winner Signet Ace with Kevin Hutton holding the trophy and kennelhand Adam Webb. Photo: © Steve Nash
