WITTON RAZL showed her older rivals a clean pair of heels with a strong-running performance in just her third race to take the BGBF British Bred Maiden Derby Final at Newcastle.

The GBGB Category Two event was upgraded this year with a £5,000 first prize and victory went to the Jill Sutherst-trained, Glenn Lynas-owned August 2020 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Deirdre who finished best to catch longtime leader Tell Boy (Gary Hamilton) before crossing the line a length and a quarter lengths clear of Scotch Rabie (Harry Burton) in 28.90sec (-20) for the 480m trip.

Winning trainer Sutherst said: “Glenn (Lynas) concentrates on our open runners and puppies and I’d been busy in the afternoon having a winner with our graders at Sunderland. I got home and was all tidied up just in time to watch Witton Venus win for us in the British-bred puppy open – and then later came Razl’s final.

“Given her inexperience I wasn’t sure she’d make it through the leaders on that final bend but her trackcraft was brilliant and, there I was on a footstool right in front of our telly, absolutely screaming her up the run-in!

“I’m so pleased for Glenn after the amount of work he’s put in and we’ve four pups at home who’ll soon be ready for schooling trials that we hope will lead to more big races.”

Andrew Dalby, commentating for Sky Sports Racing on the final, was delighted to call home a local success.

He said: “It’s a great turnaround for Jill and Glenn because this time last year they were contemplating their future in the sport and had even begun rehoming some of their greyhounds.

“Thankfully last summer’s increased graded prize-money hike from Arc, plus some exciting prospects among their pups, persuaded them to carry on and now that change of heart has been well rewarded.

“They kept Witton Razl specially for this competition which became very clear when she posted the fastest winning time during the first-round heats on her debut.”

Delighted to be part of the presentation on the night, chair of the British Greyhound Breeders Forum (BGBF) Liz Mort said: “It was a thrilling BGBF Maiden Derby Final at Newcastle and fitting for what’s been a very good renewal of this competition.

“In fact, this event seems to get more popular every year and the final was really exciting, with Witton Razl showing her superior speed and stamina throughout to take it.   Congratulations to Jill Sutherst and Glenn Lynas, and to breeder Simon Kneafsey, for a really great victory.

“What was especially pleasing was that the earlier Arc British Bred Puppy was won by Witton Venus, also trained by Jill and owned by Glenn’s Seven Wonders syndicate.

“Venus was bred by Glen by Laughil Blake out of their homebred Witton Derecho – who won our first BGBF competition at Newcastle, the Category One BGBF Northern Plate, three years ago. Just two months younger than Razl, Witton Venus had almost qualified for the Maiden Derby final last week, but won decisively – by almost six lengths – in the puppy contest. Litter sister Witton Isla was third.

“It was great to see these maiden dogs running as well as this. It’s a great indication of the depth of talent we see in British breeding now, so big congratulations to them and all the other finalists and their connections. Big thanks to the team at Newcastle also, who host the competition so well.”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=385659&raceId=845475