AVARUA LAKE led home defending champion Shadow Storm for a famous one-two for Hove trainer Richard Rees in the final of the Arena Racing Company Scurry Gold Cup at Dunstall Park – on a huge double-header at the track on Wolverhampton Racecourse.

Staged alongside the final of the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks, a quality renewal of the  £10,000-to-the winner sprinters’ Classic saw Magical Jason go off the 10-11 favourite but a missed break saw Newinn Souly show from the boxes first but then the speed of Avarua Lake and Shadow Storm took over inside on the run to the turn.

Using the inside line to best effect, Avarua Lake went on for a length success in the Category One decider in 15.72sec (-10) for the 270m trip, leading home the gallant reigning champion and thus denying him the chance to become just the fourth greyhound to go back-to-back in the legendary sprinters’ Classic which dates back to 1928.

Nevertheless, it was back-to-back wins for Hove trainer Rees having already emulated his grandfather Phil Rees snr and late dad Philip as a Scurry Gold Cup-winning handler, a first and second the icing on the cake said Dunstall Park racing manager Martin Seal.

Seal said: “It was a brilliant effort from Richard (Rees) and his team. His son Charlie oversaw matters here and I’m sure heading into the bend they knew they were sitting pretty with their pair in the front rank and not stopping.

“Obviously the draw inside helped the winner Avarua Lake, and maybe Shadow Storm didn’t quite run the second bend as well, but it was tricky with his kennelmate right on his inside, but he did lose a length or so off the second bend and that cost him.

“Either way it’s some achievement of Shadow Storm’s to win and finish second in a Scurry and successive wins for Team Rees is great credit to them.

“Overall the Scurry was great to stage as a Category One again. I’m glad we were able to return it to its Classic status as such and thanks go to Arc.

“We were rewarded with a great entry with all the best sprinters here and we look forward to doing it again next year – and will also be staging the Dunstall Dash for the second time which hopefully again attracts the best two-bend performers around.”

Photo: Dunstall Park