TRICKYS DUMBO landed Sheffield trainer Robert Holt one of his most important successes when winning the RPGTV Puppy Trophy Final at Nottingham on Saturday.

The £3,000-to-the-winner Category Two was among a host of finals supporting the £100,000 Star Sports, Arc and LPS Greyhound Derby Final and the August 2017 son of Skywalker Puma and Quivers Duchess proved one of the stars of the undercard on greyhound racing’s biggest nights of the year.

Well away, the Holt-owned and trained runner was always handy and led off the second bend as favourite Ice On Fire (Jimmy Fenwick) was soon under pressure after not quite timing the start and then being crowded on the run-up. Trickys Dumbo (pictured below, t2) went clear, crossing the line just over three lengths clear of Droopys Carat (Angela Harrison) in 29.43sec (normal).

Having won his heat the previous week, Trickys Dumbo completed a perfect start to his UK career and Holt credited Dominic Magnone for securing the youngster after he ran in the semi-finals of an unraced stakes at Cork. Formerly known as Quivers Dumbo, he had won his heat at Curraheen Park in 28.81sec.

“We gave him plenty of time when he came over,” said Holt. “We thought about starting him out at Sheffield after trials but then saw the Nottingham race supporting the Derby – it seemed the best place to go, although we knew it would be quality. He trialled well twice at Notts – and then won his heat. He’s come forward again.

“We’ll rest him probably now, but he’s certainly a good prospect and it’s nice to be back on the open-race circuit again – and especially to win here at Nottingham on Derby Final night. There’s some great names of the sport here – including Charlie Lister. We shared a litter once which included Trickys On Fire. They were good days.”

Holt has kennels and a schooling track at his Bradford base and currently has three greyhounds in training.

The other puppy contest on the night was the opening Farloe Verdict Puppy Trophy, sponsored by the English and Scottish Derby winner’s owner Mark Bates. It went to the Kim Billingham-trained Market Call (pictured below, t6) who made all for the Monmore handler in 28.58sec for the 480m trip, edging out Perrys Choice (Michelle Brown) by a short-head.

At the other end of the age scale, the Star Sports-sponsored Seniors Trophy was won by the ex-Seamus Cahill and Charlie Lister-trained Newinn Shadow. Now with Graham Holland in Ireland, he made all the running in 29.03sec for 500m, holding Garryglass Champ (Mark Wallis) by three-quarters of a length.

The aforementioned Seamus Cahill, winner of the Derby with Astute Missile in 2017, scored with his only runner on the night when Droopys Gold (29.67sec) ran way with the Terry Corden Memorial Anglo-Irish Trophy (500m), staged in memory of the late father of Nottingham directors Rachel and Nathan Corden.