The 75th Two-Year-Old BGBF Produce Stakes got underway at Swindon this week and though the entry numbers were admittedly disappointing and something the BGBF committee will have to review moving forwards there was no doubting the quality of some of the participants. Such quality was perfectly highlighted by Seamus Cahill’s English Puppy Derby Final Winner of 2020 Surprising. An immensely talented greyhound, he landed heat one by fully 9 1/2 lengths in 2835 at odds of 2/11. This was Surprising’s first win in six starts since the aforementioned Puppy Derby success at Towcester and trainer Cahill will be hoping that this smooth victory is the first step on the ladder towards a successful year for his June 2019 son of Droopys Sydney and Banabane.
Heat two went to Doncaster trainer Jimmy Gaskin as his Bernard made it five open race wins in the year to date with a 2836 victory. Sent off at identical odds to the first heat winner of 2/11 this was a nice performance from a greyhound heading the right way. Already a winner of three opens here at Swindon this year that experience served this son of Droopys Jet and Forest Natalee well and Gaskin’s runner looks sure to pose a threat to all both in this competition and in British Bred events for the remainder of the year.
Heat three looked there for the taking for Shockwave Onyx though at odds of 1/9 this was never going to be one for those looking to get rich anytime soon. This 38.5 kilo son of Droopys Sydney and Southoe Silver couldn’t help his price however and he did what he had to do, taking his heat easily by 4 1/2 lengths in 2862. His time was a little below that of the first two heat winners but at just December 2019 and given his large frame trainer Kim Gooding’s greyhound has plenty of improvement to come yet.
Short odds winners had been the order of the evening so far but Heat four threw up a shock winner as Richard Rees’s Black Edition overcame odds of 18/1 to land his heat by a length in 2898. This son of Black Zack and Ace Queen started life off in A10 at home track Hove in February but quickly moved through the grades with his penultimate victory coming in A2 company in April. He’ll need to find plenty of improvement on the clock to be considered for outright honours but this was a professional performance from a greyhound emanating from a kennel who bring their greyhounds on steadily. Baggios Champ, sent off at 1/5 for trainer Frank Bryce, could only manage a well beaten fourth after a troubled run.
Heat five went to the Peter Swadden trained Hometown Legacy. A gutsy performance from a young dog who couldn’t be in better form. Indeed this victory completed a four timer for the greyhound and with it success in open race company for the first time. Though only a four-runner heat and a slow winning time of 2927 this is a greyhound who continues on a rapid upward curve having made his way from A9 company here at Swindon in April to open race victory just six months later here in September. With a total of nine victories from sixteen career starts, there’s plenty more to come yet from this son of Forest Con and Lemon Ava.
Fabulous Azurra took heat six for English Derby winning trainer Patrick Janssens as his daughter of Magical Bale and Fabulous Artist justified odds of 4/11 on the way to a 2 1/4 length victory in 2846. Azzurra was making her UK debut here but has gained some valuable experience over in Ireland this year most notably when reaching the final of the Rural Hawaii @ Stud Unraced Stake Final at Clonmel in February. Then going on to compete in the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial at Limerick, she reached the third round of that competition before being eliminated. Azurra then went on to reach the final of the Champion Stakes at Shelbourne. A talented bitch there is without doubt plenty to come and looks sure to win plenty of races in the hands of the 2020 Champion Trainer.
Foolish Ways has been kept confined to graded action by his trainer Matt Dartnall thus far in his career but it’s a sphere which has proved successful with seven victories to his name in the higher A1 – A3 grades at home track Central Park. This was the first attempt at open class for this son of Humphreys Pride and Nobodys Fool and he took heat seven in good style by 3 1/4 lengths in 2887.
Pocket Lola took heat eight and with it a first round double for trainer Seamus Cahill. Lola was showing that anything her brother Surprising could do then she could do ever so slightly better as she improved upon her sibling’s first heat 2835 success by 1 spot, stopping the clock in 2834. This was Lola’s fourteenth win in 24 career starts with the highlight so far when landing the BGBF TruFrame British Bred Champion Stakes at Towcester on English Derby Final night. A very talented bitch who is a danger to all in the competition and has all the hallmarks of becoming a successful brood herself in the coming years.
Last but by no means least The Grafter took heat nine for trainer Ray Turney. A young November 2019 pup he was both competing and winning in open class for the first time as he crossed the finish line 1 1/2 lengths clear of his nearest rival in 2909. This was his fourth win in just eleven starts and is a youngster progressing nicely although there will need to be a little improvement quickly forthcoming if he is to provide a genuine challenge for outright honours in this competition.
Images by Josh Sealey
