Roxholme Nidge , trained impeccably by Hayley Keightley and ably assisted by Craig Morris and her husband Mark , lined up for last nights RPGTV Steel City Cup Final as defending champion.
In his heat and semi final of the competition this year , there was no doubting that Nidge retained all of his early and middle pace , but he simply hadn’t been coming home from the fourth bend onward, it was more than enough to concern the outsider but in reality there had been genuine excuses.
With a week to prepare their greyhound between semi final and final , with an odds on chance of leading around the bend, maybe it was only fools who had any doubt that one of the leading training teams of the modern era would have him primed to perfection to see out Sheffield’s testing 500m trip when it mattered most.
As the greyhounds emerged from the traps it was the Angela Harrison trained Droopys Expert who got his nose marginally in front , ominously though Nidge was the greyhound just ever so slightly in behind in second , running against the rail there isn’t a dog to lead him to the corner from such a position. By the time Nidge reached the first turn he held a length lead over Expert , by the time they came off the second his lead had doubled.
Early pace wins the race…ROXHOLME NIDGE (t1) blasts clear on the run up on his way to retaining the RPGTV Steel City Cup.
Photo: © Steve Nash
Would it be enough ? After a poor start Angela Harrison’s superstar Droopys Verve lay in third place just a length behind kennel mate Expert , the final looked like being close at the finish. Just as Expert looked to be making ground on Nidge approaching the third , the leader and defending champion threw himself around the bend with a determination that only true champions possess.
Despite all of the best efforts from Expert on the run for home , he could never quite find a way past Hayley Keightley’s dog who eventually held off the gallant challenge of Expert by 1/2 length.
Droopys Verve was just a further 3/4 length behind in third place , he lost absolutely nothing in defeat. After a tardy start to be beaten by so little in one of the greatest finals in recent times , around a track that doesn’t ideally play to his strengths , it was a great effort and if anything the run actually strengthens his claims for the major competitions that lay ahead.
Lightfoot King , Roxholme Jim and Trade Fudge lost nothing in defeat , they were all hoping for better breaks that unfortunately on this occasion didn’t arrive.
(Click on result to watch replay)
If last nights RPGTV Steel City Cup Final at Sheffield is a sign of things to come for our category one events this year , then greyhound enthusiasts are in for a treat.
Defending champ ROXHOLME NIDGE (t1) lands the RPGTV Steel City Cup, holding off Droopys Expert (t3) by half a length with Droopys Verve (t2) in third. Photo: © Steve Nash
ROXHOLME NIDGE, RPGTV Steel City Cup presentation. L-R: Irene Lambie, Kimberley and mum Alex Taylor (kennelhand), Mark Keightley, part owner Duncan Lambie and son Christopher holding trophy, Hayley Keightley, Craig Morris (kennelhand), RPGTV’s Clive and Bev Lawrence, with Calum Morris at front. Photo: © Steve Nash
