BUTLERS LANE landed veteran handler Barry Denby with his first Category One winner when completing an unbeaten run through the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks on a gala night’s racing at Dunstall Park on Friday.

On a night greyhound racing’s newest track opened its doors to its biggest crowd since its first meeting last month for a programme which included the final of the bitches’ Classic as well as the Arena Racing Company Scurry Gold Cup Final, it was Nottingham raider Butlers Lane who produced the run of her career to add her name to a legendary roll of honour with a famous win at Wolverhampton Racecourse.

However, the pressure was on from the boxes as Monmore’s Kilwest Diva (Kim Billingham-Hine), the fastest semi-final winner, was the first to show and looked to dominate until Butlers Lane also unleashed a superb burst of early pace to loom upsides her rival into the turn and take an advantage into the back-straight, after which the September 2022 daughter of Jacob Tashadelek and Coolavanny Model was in the clear.

Kilwest Diva never gave up the chase in behind, while Raebella Bullet (Belinda Green) herself launched a challenge into the third bend, closing up well on the leaders until forced to check at this point. The Hove bitch rallied and grabbed third behind Butlers Lane and Kilwest Diva. The winning time was 27.95sec (normal) for the 480m trip, with the winning distances a length and three-quarters and three-quarters.

A winner at Kilkenny on her only Irish start, Butlers Lane made her UK debut for Denby at Nottingham in September 2024 but had been lightly raced since, due in part to a setback after a disagreement with a kennelmate over a teddy bear!

“It sounds quite freakish what happened and very unusual,” said Dunstall Park racing manager Martin Seal. “Butlers Lane was off the track for a good while but I suppose it’s meant she’s arrived as a late improver and really has flourished here at Dunstall Park.

“She has run the track beautifully, so well balanced, and thoroughly deserves to have won the Oaks for Barry who actually spent a period of time training out of Perry Barr so I suppose we can claim some of Nottingham’s victory here!

“Well done to Barry, of course, and while he wasn’t here on the night the kennel was well represented by Trevor Jeanes, Richard Genders and Neil Parkes. They’re a team who go about their business quietly but for a smallish kennel of open racers have a really good record and strike-rate – especially here already!

“It was a great night all-round. Those making their first visits here have been impressed with the viewing and the facilities and the team from Perry Barr has done a magnificent job transferring the operation across and to stage both the Oaks and the Scurry Gold Cup so soon in our time here is testament to the hard work of all the staff.”

Chris Black, Dunstall Park’s general manager, added: “Thank-you to everyone who made this possible. The overall response has been really positive and everyone enjoyed what was for some a new experience – and the racing was top-notch. 

“Hosting two major competitions concurrently worked well for us at Perry Barr and I’m delighted we have achieved the same – and more – here at Dunstall Park.

“Of course, we will always miss the old stadium – it’s forever in our hearts – but we are definitely taking greyhound racing to a new level here at Dunstall Park.”

 

Photos: © Steve Nash