Oxford. Friday 22nd December, just 3 days before Christmas. Someone is about to get an early Christmas present! Samantha Bonner reports on a brilliant Bet 365 Challenge Cup Final.
As we head in to the £10,000.00 Final, we have 6 fantastic greyhounds who battle it out for the top prize ?
Big Race Favourites
Lively Lauren who’s been running absolutely fantastic of late, winning her last 4 open races. This year, she has made 4 Category 1 finals, including The Brighton Belle and The Regency at Hove. She is definitely a bitch well in form and oozes class. She currently goes off second favourite.
Havana Lover (pictured above in 6), is currently in a fantastic steak of form. She has won 7 from her last 9 appearances, and is definitely another bitch who heads into this final in brilliant form.
BET365 Challenge Cup Race review
As the traps opened, trap 5 Gutsy Jet unexpectedly broke the best. But, as they paced up to the first bend, trap 1, Lively Lauren, trap 2 Minnie Bullet, and trap 3 Havana Top Note, had all joined her.
It was a going to be a case of who was going to be the bravest, and it was Minnie Bullet who turned in front off the second as lively Lauren was forced to check slightly.
The hot favourite Havana Lover sat in 5th after missing the break, with Mad for Sterling for Mark Wallis bringing up the rear.
Turning into the home straight for the first time round and Minnie Bullet went on by around 2 lengths from Havana Top Note and Gutsy Jet. Havana Lover was back in 4th and, after being checked, Lively Lauren had been shuffled back to 5th. Mad for Sterling still brought up the rear.
As they turned into the 3rd and 4th bend Minnie Bullet was still in charge but being chased up the inside by Havana Top Note. Just behind them was Gutsy Jet, who went off at big odds. Lively Lauren was trying her best to get back into it and she was making up some of the ground she had lost on the 1st turn. The hot favourite, Havana Lover had now dropped back to last as Mad For Sterling had gone into 5th position.
Heading into the penultimate bend, Minnie Bullet was all out in front and was started to weaken as Havana Top Note had made a big challenge on the outside of her. And, coming round off the last bend, there was just 3 lengths separating the whole field.
As they turned into the run-in, Havana Top Note was out in front, but starting to run on very strongly was trap 4, Mad for Sterling. In a row, battling for 3rd position, was Lively Lauren, Minnie Bullet and Gutsy Jet as Havana Lover found herself back in 6th.
Coming up towards the winning line, Havana Top Note and Mad for Sterling were neck and neck as they crossed the finish line together. The judge called for a PHOTO FINISH!!
The anticipation was at a climax as everyone waited eagerly to hear the stewards call the winner. On the still across the line it’s extremely close, it could be anyone’s race.
The stewards announcement followed shortly over the tannoy, declaring the Bet365 Challenge Cup Winner of 2023……… HAVANA TOP NOTE!
Winning by a short head from the fast finishing MAD FOR STERLING, with GUTSY JET taking 3rd place.
Wow! What a fantastic final that was. Thrilling all the way throughout the race, and there was never once a point where you thought yes, that dog would win. There was 6 fantastic greyhounds in that race and anyone of them could of taken the final.
Well done to all Greyhounds most of all and well done to all owners, trainers and kennel hands.
Here is your winner –
Havana Top Note
Whelped on 23rd April 2021, Havana Top Note is a light brindled dog. Bred from the well known Eden The Kid and Mean Beauty, he has .
Havana top note started his career having 5 trials, 2 at Central Park followed by 2 at Towcester and a final trial back at Central Park.
He was then placed into the Jenningsbet Maiden Trophy at Central Park over 491 meters. He went off the 6/4J favourite and went on to win his debut race by 3 1/2 lengths in a 29.22.
Competing in four more open races before his next career win which took place at Monmore Green where he took part in the Ladbrokes 480 Puppy race. He went off at the 6/5F and he won the race 1/2l in 28.55.
Following on from this win, he had 2 more races at Monmore which he placed 3rd and 4th before the McNair team then went on to step him up in trip.
He was then entered at Oxford in the Oxford Stadium Maiden Stayers 650. Going off the 11/8F of the race, and taking all from the start and leading the whole way and winning the race in 40.26.
In his next race, he was entered into the BET365 Hunt Cup Trial Stakes. Going off the 7/4 second favourite, he took all again leading from the 1st bend and winning by 1 1/4 lengths. He would go on to finish third in the Hunt Cup behind Havana Lover and King Ezra.
Since then he has gone on to win at Hove over 515m, and Central Park over 491m.
In August, the McNair brindle progressed through the rounds of the Summer Stayers at Monmore to line up alongside: Kent Plate winner, Fromposttopillar; Juvenile Classic winner, Droopys Clue; Cesarewitch Champion, Cochise; 3-Steps winner, Distant Emma; and reigning Summer Stayers Champion, Warzone Tom, in the final. After being crowded first and third, he showed his class by finishing 4th, ahead of Distant Emma and Warzone Tom. Fromposttopillar and Droopys Clue were only a neck apart that night with ‘Postie’ winning what would turn out to be his final Cat1 title.
More recently, ‘Top Note’ has made the final of the PGR Champion Stakes at Romford before stumbling badly at Crayford in the Ladbrokes Gold Collar and going out in a memorable semi-final which saw Aayamza Sydney and Laughil Jess fight out an epic buckle.
Placing 2nd in his trial stakes race for the Bet365 Challenge Cup, ‘Top Note’ secured his place for the first official round of the competition with a 39.62 despite a relatively sluggish split (by his standards).
In the first round of the competition, he not only won the race but he also broke the track record at Oxford over the 650mtrs in a lightning fast 39.29.
His route through to the final was by no means straight forward as he was badly crowded at the first in the semi-final as Lively Lauren made all. We did see a glimpse of what was to come in the final though, as Mad For Sterling ran on well to finish ahead of him and book his place in the final too.
Havana Top Note has been a great dog for the K.S.S Syndicate and Liz and Rab McNair.
And I’m sure there will be plenty more to come ….. and with that, it’s a wrap!
I hope you’ve all enjoyed the read and most of all, enjoyed watching these fantastic greyhounds who make it what it is for us.
