Pocket Lola – The 75th British Bred Produce Stakes – British Greyhound Breeders Forum

Pocket Lola, already an impressive British Bred winner earlier in the year when landing the BGBF TruFrame British Bred Champions Stake at Towcester, claimed more major British Bred honours as she produced a thrilling performance to win the 75th British Bred Two-Year-Old Produce Stakes at Swindon on Sunday.

Trained by Seamus Cahill at Hove for her owners the Magnificent Five (UK), which he and wife Teresa, along with Myles and Clare Simmons are part of, the home-bred daughter of Droopys Sydney and Banabane exploded from the boxes to put her rivals under pressure early on. Pulling away along the back straight and maintaining a searing pace throughout the 476m trip, she crossed the line two lengths clear of Bernard (J.Gaskin) and Shockwave Onyx (K.Gooding). She stopped the clock in a very slick 28.15sec.

In winning the trophy and £13,000 first prize, Pocket Lola can now boast an impressive 16 wins in her 27 starts and is now likely to head to Perry Barr to contest the Oaks Liz Mort, chair of the British Greyhound Breeders Forum (BGBF), said: “What a great run by Pocket Lola to take what was a landmark running of the event, given it was the 75^th BGBF Swindon Produce Stakes Final.

“In winning, Seamus and Teresa Cahill’s home-bred turned the tables on second-placed Bernard, who had beaten her in the semi-finals last week. Congratulations then to the Cahills and owners the Magnificent Five syndicate, led by Teresa.

“Pocket Lola is out of the Cahills’ open-race winner Banabane who has clearly passed down all her class and talent to Lola – very much a showgirl on the night! And given the Cahill team had to unfortunately withdraw Swift Biddy from the final, there’s been a happy ending for the kennel.

“Indeed congratulations to all the finalists. Runner-up Bernard could never get to Lola this time, but this strong sort, another well-bred two-year-old out of Forest Natalee ran a good second for James Gaskin, breeder Kevin Hutton and owner Gilbert Anderson. For Gilbert it was a weekend of seconds – good ones admittedly – given his Singalong Sally was second in the Irish Derby Final on Saturday.

“Third placed Shockwave Onyx, who also ran on really well for Kim Gooding, was the youngest in the field. He’s a lightly raced December 19 puppy improving all the time and is the result of six generations of British breeding – going all the way back to a bitch called Bach In Front, owned by Terry Dartnall in the 90s.

“One of her offspring, by the great Phantom Flash, was a bitch named Glencoe Star, who went to Dilys Steels at Glatton Kennels – and her great grand-daughter is Southoe Silver, dam of Shockwave Onyx.

“Thanks are due to the team at Swindon for yet again staging a successful competition. As mentioned it was the 75^th running of the Produce Stakes and fantastic that such a competition is still possible.

“It’s still a difficult time for Swindon as they are suffering from the delayed effects of lockdown, but the racing was good and they’re on their way back to normality on the hospitality front and are busy making plans and spreading the word for Christmas!

“As for the British breeding scene, the BGBF are now preparing for the Puppy Cup which starts with heats at Towcester on October 3 – perhaps connections of Shockwave Onyx might be heading there with their Produce third?

“Overall it was a great night – with some terrific performances on the undercard, especially from Zaha in the finale who produced the goods for Angie Kibble to upset the odds on Seamus’s (Cahill) hotpot Surprising.

“Zaha really has been a British-bred star for Angie and connections and on the night proved that, although more than a year older than the oldest of the five lining up beside him he could still show them how it’s done!”