Rab McNair thinks King Elvis should be number one choice for a whole collection of industry awards – but fears he won’t get the main one, despite the dog’s impressive victory in Wednesday’s Servoca Nursing & Care British Bred Derby at Towcester.
The 9-4 second favourite broke fairly moderately by his standards – a 5.25 sectional compared to previous runs of 5.09 and 5.15 – but he soon took up the running in the £7,500 decider. As they cleared the second bend kennelmate King Turbo looked well placed with Lowgate Belatrix well placed.
The order continued to the run in where the leaders looked set to be hauled in by the field. As he moved across the track, he collided with the two behind him and then held on to win by half a length in 29.46 (-20). Belatrix finished a short head of King Turbo and Alfies Prince flying at the death to be beaten a further neck.
After the race, most of the questions concerned the bump between Elvis and kennelmate Turbo with the 8-13f under scrutiny having once been disqualified for deliberate interference.
Assistant trainer Rab said: “I was in the middle and I wondered whether Turbo had done anything wrong. At the second bend I thought he was a 1-10 shot to win the race. So I went home and watched the replay several times and three things occurred to me.
“Firstly, the track was quite slow and definitely favoured front runners. Secondly, I thought the hare was quite short for Elvis who definitely moved wide on the straight. Thirdly, I wondered whether Elvis and Lowgate Belatrix had checked out due to an incident last week.
“The hare was stopped just after the winning line last week because of an injury to Honest John and I thought Elvis, Belatrix and King Eden, who had been in the same race last week, but also checked on the run-in near the winning line last night, were all affected. I am not defending Turbo, but I am not convinced that he did anything wrong.”
The victory was a third ‘Cat One’ win for the son of Tullymurry Act and Skate On who theoretically could be in line for a string of awards including Best Newcomer, Best British Bred Greyhound, Best Standard Distance Greyhound and Greyhound of the Year.
However Rab has reservations about the dog whose successes included the Produce Stakes, British Bred Derby, Henlow Derby and the Cat 2 Trafalgar Cup. He also ran second in the Romford Puppy Cup and boasts 16 wins in 23 races.
He said: “I am not sure whether some of the voting will go against the dog because some of the people voting aren’t very keen on me. I have seen it before when Skate On looked a certainty for the Sprinter of the Year title after an amazing year but didn’t get it.
“I realise that some of the voters also don’t rate British breeding but this dog is one of the best in the country from the winning line to the third bend. He has destroyed run away from top quality opposition.
“The thing is, he is still a young dog whose entire career is exposed. He had three visits to the schooling track: a handslip, once through the boxes and a solo. He has then spent his entire career in open class.”
Whatever the outcome at the awards ceremony, the McNairs will continue to turn out champions on the 30 acre base near Ashford.
Rab said: “I hope to have at least three litters in the early part of next year. Queen Asia has already been mated to Leamaneigh Turbo. Shaws Dilemma will hopefully have her last litter and I would also like a litter out of King Danni.
“We still have Wee Tiger Tots and Skate On, though she is a six monthly bitch and I like to give them a rest between litters to be back to their best.”
Rab – who, in a previous life, won Greyhound Star’s Independent Greyhound of the Year award – has one major ambition to produce a British bred English Derby winner and emulate his idol.
He said: “I cannot imagine the excitement of winning a Derby, but to do it with a pup you had bred yourself must be the ultimate.
“We’ve had a bit of success but to follow in the steps of the great man (Nick) Savva would be something else. I think he is a genius. I was brought up with dogs and thought we knew a bit about it, but he has taken it onto a different level. I never stop listening and learning from him. The greatest dog man ever!”
