ANNADOWN CHIP completed a successful trip to the north-east for Maxine Locke’s team when winning the Arena Racing Company Puppy Trophy at Sunderland on Friday.

Lining up the warmest of favourites for the £7,500-to-the-winner Category Two feature, which shared the stage with the BGBF British Bred Puppy Cup Final, the 1-3 chance was soon in charge inside on his way to trail-blazing four-length success over Taylor The Best (Jimmy Fenwick) in a super-fast 26.67sec (normal), the fastest of the event.

Third home was Annadown Wendy, which meant a first and third for Central Park trainer Locke, but also a first and third for the talented September 2024 litter by Grangeview Ten and Annadown Cutie, two of which – Annadown Warrior, also for Locke, and Annadown Shadow, for Sheffield’s Sean Parker – also starred at Towcester on Sunday in the heats of the Orchestrate Juvenile Classic

As for Annadown Chip and his Sunderland success which followed the youngster’s win in the PCS Legal Puppy Trophy on Derby final night at Towcester, Locke said: “He definitely saved the best for last and we couldn’t be happier with him, likewise Wendy and Warrior.

“We kept Warrior at Towcester, but felt Chip would handle Sunderland better – and so it proved. I suppose it’s a shame the two events clashed but they’re a few miles apart and we could still target both.

“They’re still young – September whelps – and we’ll now aim Chip at the (Arc) Puppy Classic at Nottingham. Should he or any of the others get through the final is on August 31, a day before they’re due in all-aged races. One race at a time, but you’d like to think they’ve shown enough to contest some of the major competitors later this year and next, with the Derby obviously top of the list.

“I’m just delighted for the whole team that Chip won at Sunderland. I’m especially pleased and proud of what Jo (Ramsay) is doing. She is effectively running the kennel now, albeit with some great help from my staff and supportive owners, as I’ve had to take a step back due to a health diagnosis. But I have great people around me!”