MOMENTS OF MAGIC led home a brilliant one-two-three for trainer – and breeder – Kevin Hutton in Sunday’s BGBF Puppy Cup Final at Towcester.

The £6,000 event was elevated to GBGB Category One status for 2021, with Towcester’s new 470m distance used for the three-run competition for British-bred youngsters. And it was a Towcester trainer who ultimately dominated the weekend’s decider.

Moments Of Magic finished well to deny kennelmate and longtime leader Signet Denver in the shadow of the post, scoring by a short-head, with another Hutton-trained runner Sleek By Design a length and a half back in third. The winning time was 27.62sec (+20).

However, what made the achievement even more special was the first three home are all members of a January 2020 litter by Magical Bale and Forest Natalee, two of Hutton’s stars on the track, who have now combined to produce an outstanding litter.

Hutton said: “That really was a ‘wow’ moment for the kennel and I’m delighted for everyone involved. It’s almost an unthinkable achievement to have landed a one-two-three with the same litter in a Cat One and we’re all really proud. It’s the reason we do it!

“But it’s very much a team effort and I’d like to thank John Mullins for rearing the litter and David Pruhs for schooling them. We’ve got some great pics of the litter with mum just a few days after they were born and at ten weeks – it’s even better looking back now!”

Liz Mort, chair of the British Greyhound Breeders Forum (BGBF), congratulated Kevin Hutton and Moments Of Magic’s owners, the Westwell Racing Club, and praised the teamwork involved behind the litter’s success from the very start to Category One glory.

Mort said: “What a finish – and well done all – especially the very aptly named Moments Of Magic who produced exactly that when she swept past the early leader, her litter brother Signet Denver, to take victory on the line at Towcester on Sunday.

“Their litter sister Sleek By Design came in third with Shockwave Amber, Coyote Bear and Romeo Chief following in that order.

“I love the Puppy Cup. It’s so important to see these youngsters coming through and we definitely haven’t been disappointed this year! Litter numbers went down during lockdown, but although we’ve lost out on quantity we haven’t on quality.

“There are some fine pups out there, but Sunday’s star was definitely Moments Of Magic.

“She’s a 28-kilo brindle bitch, known as Alice at home, and was having only her sixth race. But what’s especially pleasing is that she’s bred and trained by Kevin Hutton and owned by the amazing Westwell Racing Club, who own her sire Magical Bale, also trained by Kev.

“Alice’s win marks Magical Bale’s first Category One success as a stud dog. He was fantastic on the track, reaching both English and Irish Derby finals, and his matching up with Forest Natalee was always likely given her incredible background, too.

“An Irish Oaks champion on the track, she’s a litter sister of an English Derby winner in Dorotas Wildcat, also trained by Kev. In turn, their dam, Droopys Danneel, was also trained by Kevin – and won the Oaks in 2013! A great family and amazing litter.

“Well done to Kevin’s other two, Signet Denver and Sleek By Design, for playing their part. Indeed all six youngsters in the final line-up deserved to be there and ran well and the others will get their chance another day. Congratulations to all.

“Enormous thanks go to Kevin Boothby and his team at Towcester for hosting this competition for us.

“Towcester has become the venue the sport needs and Kevin is a great supporter of British breeding. Three of his ‘Savana’ bitches have had litters registered in the past year – Savana Poppy, Savana Sasha and Savana Beetle.

“All were good open-race winning bitches on the track, so we’re hoping for good things from them.”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=378502&raceId=783588