Oxford Stadium hosts its fourth major Category One Grand Final this Friday – and local hopes are pinned on Burford-based Kevin Hutton’s runners Romeo Atomic and Shooter McGavin.
Worth £10,000 to the winner, the BGBF British Bred Puppy Cup field has been cut from 24 to six finalists in the last fortnight.
Romeo Atomic – odds-on favourite to land Friday’s prize – has claimed the headlines thus far. But the likes of Jaffa and Newcastle raider Watchhall Sid line-up with big claims following their respective Semi Final runs a week ago.
BGBF British Bred Puppy Cup – Grand Final, 8.43pm.
Trap One – Bathams Dennis, Trap Two – Jaffa, Trap Three – Shooter McGavin, Trap Four – Romeo Atomic, Trap Five – Dens Benji, Trap Six – Watchhall Sid.
Last week’s Semi Finals threw up no major surprises with the competition’s key contenders all qualifying despite the cold conditions.
Romeo Atomic was the first to book his place in Friday’s final. Kevin Hutton’s April ’21 dog was outstanding in his Round One qualifier, clocking 27.07 with a 4.11 opening sectional.
Being critical, his win last week (27.71) was slightly laboured and an improvement will be required if he is to land a first Category One success of his career. The track was running at -40 on that occasion, so he can be forgiven for clocking a slower time.
Jaffa and Watchhall Sid’s respective performances half-an-hour later in Semi Final 2 caught the eye of many, though.
Having won in 27.36 in Round One, John Mullins’ Jaffa clocked 27.40 on slower going in only his second appearance in OX4. Watchhall Sid, who benefited from a pre-competition trial, registered 27.46 so can’t be discounted either.
Carl Jackson’s dog does tend to lack the early pace his two main rivals hold, so expect him to be running on late.
Elsewhere in the field, Tom Levers will be hoping it’s a case of fourth time lucky. The Crayford-based trainer has qualified finalists in each of our four Category One finals to date and runs Dens Benji from Trap Five.
An outstanding achievement regardless of what happens on Friday.
Kim Billingham’s Bathams Dennis has been slow away in his two qualifiers and is capable of improving his Round One and Semi Final times of 27.71 and 27.96 from Trap One.
Completing the field is Shooter McGavin – who has placed behind kennelmate Romeo Atomic in both of his races by eight lengths and three-and-three-quarter lengths respectively.
Tickets for Friday’s BGBF British Bred Puppy Cup Final are on sale now from £9 via www.oxford-stadium.co.uk. The final is supported by an 11-race card featuring five Open races with the first race off at 6.17pm.
