LIZ McNAIR created her own slice of history when landing a 1-2-3-4 in the 73rd British Bred 2-Year-Old Produce Stakes Final at Swindon on Saturday.

The four-round competition concluded over 480m at the weekend, with King Sheeran proving dominant in the £15,000 decider for owners and breeder Brendan Keogh and the KSS Syndicate as he trapped smartly, was able to move wide on the run-up and was never headed, although litter brother King Cash closed from halfway and got to within three-quarters of a length at the line.

The winner’s time of 28.41sec was only bettered by King Sheeran’s (pictured below, t5) own semi-final victory (28.32sec) and helped an extraordinary 1-2-3 for the February 2017 sons of Eden The Kid and Skate On with King Sheeran and King Cash (pictured below, t6) chased home by litter brother King Dylan (pictured below, t2). Queen Cher (Eden The Kid-Shaws Dilemma, May 17 – pictured below t3) secured the McNair/KSS clean sweep.

For the McNairs, the race and the event could not have concluded more perfectly – but the build-up was hardly straightforward.

“It was the most nervous I’ve ever been – and I’m pretty sure Liz felt the same,” explained Rab McNair. “The pressure for this race was crazy because we were expected to win it with four chances. I was lightheaded and just not with it! You just keep thinking the worse, but always knowing the dogs were in great form – that got us through it!

“They were all brilliant on the night. I thought Cash closed on Sheeran well, but Sheeran was great from the boxes and was always in charge. He’s a worthy Produce Stakes winner having now reached the Derby semi-finals and already won the Trafalgar Cup. In between he had a bad injury and we thought might not come back – it makes everything all the more sweeter.

“He goes for the (Ladbrokes) Gold Cup at Monmore now along with King Turbo, who’s fine after the Sussex Cup, and King Cash – King Lennon and King Dylan head for the 630m (Summer Stayers Classic) race. So the hard work continues but it’s great when the dogs are running so well – and are happy and bouncing.

“Thanks go to the BGBF and Swindon – they put on a great Produce Stakes with good track conditions. Myself and Liz would also like to thank Jo Atkins who does so much for us and the dogs, especially the pups. She takes them to Bicester for schooling and we know they’re in fantastic hands. She’s brilliant.”

Liz Mort, chair of the British Greyhound Breeders Forum, said: “What an amazing night – and what cracking dogs we saw in the Produce Stakes this year – especially the final.

“All six of them were examples of great breeding, rearing and training, and all thoroughly deserved to have made the final. Sheeran was especially fantastic, given he’s come back from a hock injury that resulted in two screws being put in his leg and a long layoff.

“The victory therefore completed a great comeback – and there’s no question the Keogh/KSS/McNair greyhounds are in a special class at the moment. Yes the bloodlines are good, of course, but it takes so much more than a pedigree on paper to produce greyhounds that perform like that.

“Every time one of their dogs wins a major competition it’s like a masterclass in how to breed, rear and train a champion – and other British breeders must believe they, to, can achieve great things with the dogs they breed. They need to believe in their own ability to turn their pups into flying machines.

“It’s hard work, though. It doesn’t happen without a great deal of time and effort – Rab and Liz McNair will certainly testify to that! – but when you get it right it’s worth everything you’ve put it in.”

Of the host track, Mort added: “Swindon is a great track and we’re so lucky they are happy to host and run the Produce Stakes – it’s not on everyone’s doorstep, but it’s worth the trip!

“Peter Geeves, Jo Clarke and their team plus, of course, Sue Warren who has looked after the entries for ever, have done so much for the Produce Stakes over the years and excelled themselves again on Saturday.

“The BGBF exists to promote British Breeding, and reward those who do it well! We’re gradually expanding our competitions to more parts of the country, and to more and different tracks.

“Our next Cat One will be a new one – the BGBF Northern Plate at Newcastle in September. We’re all very excited about this one. It will be the first time Newcastle has hosted a BGBF competition and we know British breeding is especially strong in the north.

“Before that, however, we have our BGBF Oaks, which is a Category Two at Doncaster – the final is on Bank Holiday Monday (August 26). We’re looking forward to seeing the best bitches, some of which I hope we’ll be seeing in the breeding paddocks in the future.

“As for the future, we’re already in the process of reviewing and evaluating the competitions we’ve held and planned for this year, with a view to making next year even better!

“It’d be great to put on an open competition for British-bred greyhounds at every track in the country – that is certainly the aim of the BGBF!”