ANDREW MASCARENHAS, director of racing at Sheffield’s Owlerton Stadium, has thanked BetGoodwin for stepping into sponsor the Steel City Cup, the South Yorkshire track’s biggest event of the year which concluded with victory last weekend for the Richie Taberner-trained Adelinesfirstdog. 

Mascarenhas said: “BetGoodwin were great from start to finish and hopefully this year’s event is just the start of a great partnership between us and them. Their boss Julian Head didn’t quite manage to take away the trophy with him but his Grouchos Cossie ran a really good race in defeat it should be said. 

“It was a competitive competition overall, finishing with a cracking final – and perhaps a surprise result for most judges in Adelinesfirstdog winning.

“He was the outsider of the field but claimed a famous win in this year’s BetGoodwin Steel City Cup. 

“One of three runners for Richie Taberner’s kennel, he was able to match likely Greyhound of the Year Woltemade round the first bend before proving his class to win the final with just under five lengths separating the entire field.

“It capped a great day for Richie who had four winners that afternoon.

“Thanks go to all entries in this year’s competition and, once again, to BetGoodwin for stepping in support our major Cat One competition here.”

Going off the 110-10 favourite, four-time Category One winner Woltemade (Jimmy Fenwick) made the best start outside and looked set to go round in front until the pace of Adelinesfirstdog saw the Monmore raider range up inside the Newcastle tracker and forged ahead off the second bend. 

Always in front thereafter, the heavyweight September 2024 Dromana Bucko and Ellie O kept up the gallop and was never headed for a three-length win from kennelmate Moanteen Hatton for a Taberner one-two in 28.86sec (normal).

The winner, named after owner Keith Moores’s granddaughter, took home the £12,500 first prize for a second Taberner-trained Category One winner in the space of weeks after Countess Penny’s Produce Stakes win at Towcester. 

Photo: Owlerton Stadium