It was a case of third time lucky for Elizabeth McNair’s Havana Top Note who won a thrilling bet365 Challenge Cup Grand Final at Oxford Stadium on Friday evening.
The two-year-old brindle dog held off the fast finishing Mad For Sterling by a shorthead to scoop the £10,000 first prize with Gutsy Jet in third while Lively Lauren, Minnie Bullet and Havana Lover took the minor places.
It marked a first Category One success for Havana Top Note who earlier this year had reached the Ladbrokes Summer Stayers’ Classic and Champion Stakes finals.
Remarkably, Havana Top Note’s triumph wasn’t the first reason for celebration for the training duo of Elizabeth and Rab McNair this week. The Kent couple scooped the bet365 Puppy Oaks with Queen Dusty on Sunday before landing the BGBF British Bred Derby at Sheffield on Tuesday with Queen Joni.
A delighted Rab said after the race: “I didn’t expect Havana Top Note to win – I thought Havana Lover stood a better chance.
“The dogs are our pride and joy, and we’re so pleased to win this competition. I’m so proud of Havana Top Note. It was a surprise, but we’ll take surprises like this every week.
“The track opened up for him when he broke the track record here. And when he gets his head in front, he’s a very hard dog to beat. When he turned the last corner in front, I knew he could win the race and that was when I started cheering him home.
“It was tense waiting for the result of the photo finish, but we got there!”
Elsewhere on the card champion sprinter Quarteira won the Oxford Stadium Sprint from the locally trained Casemiro of the Chris Hamblin kennel. There was local joy for connections of RPGTV Cowley Puppy Collar champion Long Fellow when he won the puppy contest from the eye-catching Keefill Maverick.
Greyhound racing returns to Oxford Stadium on Saturday with two fixtures scheduled. Start times are at 11.35am and 7.15am.
