DROOPYS CARAT landed a deserved victory in the M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup Final at Perry Barr on Thursday – on a fantastic night’s action at the track, topped by the RPGTV St Leger decider.

Victory in the main event went to John Mullins’ Smallmead, while the supporting GBGB Category Two trophy headed off to the north-east courtesy of Newcastle trainer Angela Harrison and her ultra-consistent October 2017 son of Azza Azza Azza and Droopys Dorothy.

Runner-up in both last year’s Romford Puppy Cup and Northern Flat at Belle Vue, as well as this year’s Yarmouth Derby, this time Droopys Carat saved his very best for last in the revived Birmingham Cup.

Always handy in the final after breaking smartly, he hit the front off the second bend and went on to claim the £5,000 prize, albeit ultimately by only half-a-length from the fast-finishing Dolla Wisecrack, who ran a stormer for local trainer John Lambe – sponsor of the competition. The winning time was 28.74sec (-10).

Lambe said: “It was a bonus to get Dolla Wisecrack in the final, on a proud night for us. We got the Birmingham Cup back on the calendar in memory of my father. We lost him about 18 months ago and he loved his dogs – especially in the days he was going to the old Perry Barr across the road.

“It’s been a great sponsorship for the family and it’s great news that it will be a Category One competition next year. As for Dolla Wisecrack, she’s good and ready for a crack at the Oaks. It’s a busy time!”

Victory for Droopys Carat also provided a timely tonic for his trainer Angela Harrison, who is isolating at home having been treatment for breast cancer.

Her partner and assistant Jimmy Wright told the Racing Post: “Angela found out a couple of weeks ago. It seems to been caught early, but she is staying here to try to avoid picking any infections up.”

Harrison’s kennel hands Ian Sutherland and Rory Logan oversaw the kennel’s runners on Thursday.

Martin Seal, Perry Barr’s racing manager, congratulated the winners of both the M Lambe Birmingham Cup and RPGTV St Leger and was delighted with the Arc venue’s biggest night of the year.

He said: “We were very pleased with the racing – and both competitions as a whole. Our thanks are once again extended to sponsors RPGTV and John Lambe of behalf of M Lambe Construction, all the owners and trainers who entered their charges, as well as the greyhounds themselves.

“These are, of course, the real stars of the show, without whom the great racing we have experienced over the past three weeks would not have been possible. I would also like to thank the whole Perry Barr team who have worked incredibly hard to deliver two very successful competitions.

“In Smallmead and Droopys Carat we have two high-calibre greyhounds expertly prepared by trainers at the very top of their profession in John Mullins and Angela Harrison – and their continuing success in this wonderful sport is both hard earned and well deserved. In particular, I would like to send my best wishes to Angela.

“This is Perry Barr’s fourth year of staging the St Leger and each competition has not only provided a strong entry befitting the stayers’ Classic, but thrilling racing throughout. I am confident that everybody at Perry Barr will work hard to ensure that both the RPGTV St Leger and M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup continue to thrive here.”

Results: www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=368191&raceId=692082