COPPICE LOTTIE made it back-to-back wins for trainer and breeder Kevin Hutton and owner Tony Brealey with victory in the BGBF British Bred Oaks Final at Oxford.

Once again an event heavily dominated by Kevin Hutton-trained runners – he had all five finalists last year and five of the six finalists this year – it was the outsider of the Hutton quintet who led home a 1-2-3-4-5 for the Oxford handler as Coppice Lottie (9-1) finished best for the spoils.

Taking advantage of a slow start from the only non-Hutton finalist Ivys Showgirl (Dalton Smith), the November 2021 daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Not Too Late managed to turn closer to the action rounding the first bend as kennelmate Signet Nayla (11-8F) led early, only to be crowded out at the bend.

That left Miss Kubelik, a littermate of the winner, to lead down the far side and set up a notable family one-two as Coppice Lottie came through powerfully to challenge and edge her litter sister for the spoils, winning by a neck in 27.03sec (-20) for the 450m trip and claiming the £3,000 first prize in the process.

Liz Mort, chair of the British Greyhound Breeders Forum (BGBF), congratulated winning connections – in particular winning trainer Kevin Hutton.

“It was a great evening for Kevin at Oxford,” said Mort. “He won four races on the night including the highlight of the evening, the BGBF British Bred Oaks Final, for the second year running. And, once again, he had five of the six finalists in this premier British-bred bitches race, which always acts as a pointer to the next generation of pups!

“Congratulations to everyone who entered this year, but in particular to Kevin and Tony and Mary Brealey, owners of the winner Coppice Lottie who might have worried her fans initially when slowly away, but definitely made up for that by finishing well to lead on the line.

“Coppice Lottie is from the first litter of Kev’s Not Too Late by Dorotas Wildcat, a November 21 batch, and they have turned out well, as as her second litter by Signet Denver. She herself was an open-race winner and can boast an impressive pedigree, being out of Bigmans Grainne. That makes her a half-sister of the great Ice On Fire, a former Greyhound of the Year.

“It was back-to-back wins for Kevin Hutton but also Tony Brealey. In fact, Lottie finished third in the competition last year by Kevin and Tony’s Coppice Ella! 

“Congratulations are also due to the link in the chain that is sometimes overlooked – the rearer. Coppice Lottie and Miss Kubelik were reared by Claire Conley at her Dreamin Kennels – and were clearly reared very well indeed! The importance of this stage in a greyhound’s life should never be overlooked.

“Claire is now a trainer in her own right and deserves every success.”

“Thanks as always to Oxford for hosting this competition. The track and distance seems to suit the bitches and there was a decent entry this year. We’ll be back for our BGBF Puppy Cup in January.”