SAVANA RUINART was the toast of Crayford on Saturday as the Diane Henry-trained, Kevin Boothby-owned runner added her name to a famous roll of honour when winning the £10,000 Ladbrokes Gold Collar Final at Crayford on Saturday.

 

On what turned out to be a red-letter day for Towcester handler Henry and the track’s promoter Kevin Boothby given victories in two Category One events and a Category Three, Savana Ruinart produced a brilliant performance and show of all-round speed to annexe the Gold Collar, one of the sport’s traditional Classics dating back to its Catford days.

 

Well away and soon handy, the March 2019 daughter of Kinloch Brae and Redzer Ruby was in command off the second bend and thereafter never in trouble as the Arc Select Stayers at Nottingham in August landed another major title in runaway style, crossing the line four and a half lengths clear of Peejays Forever (Jason Gornall) and Feora Noel (Liz McNair) in 33.24sec (+20).

 

With four finalists on the day and ultimately victories for Savana Ruinart in the Ladbrokes Gold Collar, Savana Volcano in the Ladbrokes Cesarewitch and Adeles Duke in the Ladbrokes Kent Rose Bowl, Saturday proved the most memorable of meetings for trainer Diane Henry – and victory for the three-year-old in the 540m showpiece was especially pleasing.

 

Henry said of the St Leger third: “She’s always had plenty of class. You saw that when she won at Nottingham and then ran so well to finish close-up in the St Leger final. She also ran well in the Oaks despite it being too short for her – she finished third in the semis and was probably unlucky not to make the final.

 

“I’d also once again like to thank Crayford and the sponsors for their hospitality for the owners and trainers. It was a superb day’s racing with all these competitions put on together. I said last week it was great to be part of however the results went, but it’s even better now having won three competitions. I’m so proud of the greyhounds and you have to enjoy days like these – they don’t come around too often.”

 

Adding his own tribute, Crayford racing manager Danny Rayment said: “Well done to Diane Henry for a superb achievement. It was a great meeting for us here at Crayford – I’m not sure any track has ever hosted three Cat Ones one card, plus a Cat Three in one meeting – but it also proved to be a special one for Diane and Kevin Boothby.

 

“The Gold Collar has always been special to me. In my Catford days it was the biggest competition of the year and I helped bring it back at Crayford – this was the eighth running here. I always felt Ruinart was the one to beat and it so it proved, although fair play to Jason Gornall’s Peejays Forever finishing second. He clearly loves his visits to Crayford and ran a cracker in defeat.”

 

Result: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=391426&raceId=892120