UNANIMOUS BOY formed part of a Richard Yeates-trained five-timer on the card as the local hope starred in the final of the Sandy Lane Maiden Derby at Oxford on Saturday.

This was the first running of a new GBGB Category Two event at the Cowley venue and saw the September 2021 son of Good News and Ballymac Trudi, owned by the trainer himself, reverse semi-final with favourite Bolt Of Wisdom with a fast start and show of early pace sealing victory in the £5,000-to-the-winner competition over 450m.

Posting a slick 3.91sec sectional, Unanimous Boy again got first run on his rivals but was this time able to keep them at bay to score by two and a quarter lengths from Hove raider Cloncunny Bubble (Patrick Browne) and Annadown Paddy (Karen Dodington), another Oxford-trained runner, in 27.14sec (normal).

Unraced in Ireland, Saturday’s final was a magnificent seventh race for Unanimous Boy who started his career by winning an A1 at Oxford in August, was then only narrowly beaten in two more top-grade contests, before doubling his tally in the heats of Maiden Derby. Third in the semis, he then made all in the final.

Victory in the big race capped a superb afternoon for winning trainer Richard Yeates who had five winners on the mixed open and grade card courtesy of Askyfullofstars (27.52sec), Mustang Diva (40.07sec, 650m), Farloe Caprice (40.91sec) and Micks Strike (27.03sec).

James Chalkley, Oxford’s director of racing, said: “It was a fantastic afternoon for Richard, so well done to him. Unanimous Boy ran a fantastic race in the final, going off the front again and they never looked likely to catch him – as you could see by the time.

“In fact throughout the Maiden Derby at Oxford, dogs were posting good clocks which underlines the quality of the original entry.

“Unanimous Boy has been very much an Oxford dog with all his races being there, but I’m sure Richard will take him on the road at some point. He’s got some real gears and is a well-bred sort as well – by Good News out of Ballymac Trudi who is sister of Pestana, so there’s plenty of speed clearly in that family.”

“Thanks to all the trainers and owners who supported the event – the opens at Oxford are generally proving very popular and we’re now looking big race-wise to the RPGTV Cowley Puppy Collar which begins with Official Trial Stakes on Friday, October 6.

“Last year’s RPGTV Cowley Puppy Collar was won by Fromposttopillar so there’s some big shoes to fill for the pups heading here – although am sure they will.”