Kevin Hutton had a truly memorable night at Monmore on Thursday with six winners from 12 runners spread across nine races, but there was no arguing with the star of the night.
Regular readers will recall that we featured Signet Ace after he had contested his very first official trial. He had clocked an eye watering 28.08 (calc) for Swindon’s 476 metres back in March when just 18 months old.
Covid had delayed plans but after clocking 28.26 (c) and 28.34 (c) in his Monmore qualifying trials, the September puppy went to traps for his debut last night in a tough A1 event. Open race winner Kentish Prince was made the 4-7f but he was never seen with a chance after his kennelmate rocketed from the boxes and pulled away for a three and three quarter length win in 28.22 (-20).
On a night of ten A1 contests, they were won in 28.92, 28.59, 28.60, 28.74, 28.61, 28.48, 28.72, 28.43 and 28.78.
So, is this the best performance of a Hutton trained runner on debut?
Kevin said: “Well it would have to be right up there with Dorotas Wildcat (29.62 500 Notts) and Magical Bale (29.42 500 Towcester) but visually, it just might have been. Kentish Prince is a good greyhound and to see Ace nearly two lengths clear of him at the sectional was incredible.
“I don’t really know what we do with him next. He has probably outgraded himself at Monmore, and I am just hoping that there are some puppy competitions around. I did hear that Newcastle were putting one along with the All England Cup. It is just a case of waiting for the Calendar.”
Punters waiting to compare Ace with litter brother Signet Mafia will have to wait a little longer.
Kevin said: “He ran a very decent sprint trial at Monmore (15.07 calc) but picked up a metatarsal injury in his next four bend trial. It isn’t serious but will be a few weeks off. We will then be looking at Romford for him. Unfortunately he is a month too old for the Puppy Cup but we’ll tackle some of the four bend opens.”
The littermates are by Laughil Blake out of Irish Oaks winner Forest Natalee, who was herself out of the litter of the decade: Dorotas Wildcat, Dorotas Woo Hoo, Dorotas Vic, Forest Con etc etc
