HAVANA LOVER added her name to one of the sport’s most famous rolls of honour when completing an unbeaten run through the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger after a thrilling finish to the £20,000-to-the-winner Classic at Perry Barr on Thursday.

 

Trained by Liz and Rab McNair for Brendan Keogh, Simon Senyk, Ian Openshaw and the KSS Syndicate, the August 2020 daughter of Laughil Blake and Love Honey was led for much of the way by Diane Henry’s Savana Ruinart but gradually wore down the pace-setting Select Stayers winner to hit the front off the last bend.

 

However, in behind, Savana Volcano, another Diane Henry-trained runner, was making huge ground and closed rapidly up the home straight to get within a length of the new St Leger champion, who crossed the line in 43.10sec (-20) for the 710m trip.

 

A delighted Rab McNair, husband of the winning trainer, was joined at the presentation by son Kevin and grandsons Lauchlan and Lyle for a real family celebration and was thrilled to win a first St Leger for the Ashford, Kent, set-up.

 

He said: “What a fantastic race and we’re over the moon to have won it. Diane’s (Henry) dogs are running really well and we knew ‘Lovely’ had to do things right but she’s run brilliant and we’re really proud. We managed to win the Summer Classic at Monmore with Warzone Tom – and he’s won another final at Romford on Friday

 

“So things are going well, but it’s not as if the dogs were running badly in the early season. We got ourselves into good positions, and maybe it was bad luck, but we just changed things a touch and it’s worked. I give Liz so much of the credit for what we do – she works so hard with the dogs and the pups. We have a great team here.

 

“Winning the St Leger gives us all a real lift. It’s a Classic win for Brendan (Keogh) and the boys and, for what they put into the game, it’s great to give something back. They let us get on with things – and hopefully we’ve delivered. And we’ll keep going!”

 

McNair has outlined the Stadium Bookmakers Hunt Cup, starting at Towcester next week, as a next target for Havana Lover – and in her current mood takes the beating there, says Perry Barr racing manager Martin Seal, who oversaw Thursday’s big double-header at the track with the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger and M Lambe Birmingham Cup finals.

 

“She goes there in great form, with good form over four bends anyway at Towcester, so connections know she runs the track well,” he said. “Her performances from top to bottom in the St Leger were exceptional, although fair play to Diane Henry whose two runners in the final gave the winner plenty to do at the start of the race – and at the end!

 

“Overall, it was a tremendous evening here and we’re proud to be staging both the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger and M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup, two Category Ones on the same night. The Birmingham Cup is staged in memory of Michael Lambe Senior, the late father of trainer John, so that’s a real family occasion, too.

 

“We had great trophies, rosettes and mementos for connections of the finalists of both competitions and they went down well.

 

“We now look forward to another Classic here at Perry Barr, the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks which starts on Thursday with the £20,000 final down for decision on Thursday, October 27. The Arena Racing Company Scurry Gold Cup will run alongside the Oaks, starting a week later.” 

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=389448&raceId=876221