THE two Derby winners – Dorotas Wildcat and The Other Reg – are lined up for a fantastic clash in the RPGTV Select Stakes at Nottingham on Monday, July 2.

The pair were amongst a quartet of runners who received a unanimous vote for places in the £7,500 annual which sees the defending champion, the Kevin Hutton-trained Dorotas Wildcat, look to be a rare winner of back-to-back Select Stakes.

Six greyhounds have defended their title – Duet Leader (1955-56), Mile Bush Pride (1958-59), Desert Pilot (1979-80), Jaspers Boy (1998-99), Cleenas Lady (2006-7) and Jordansoilutions (2010-11) – and trainer Hutton is happy with his charge.

“He’s good and seems to have come out of the Derby really well,” he said. “I gave him a sprint trial at Swindon on Tuesday and he’ll have another next week. He’ll then go straight to Nottingham. We know he runs the track well enough.”

As well as winning the Select Stakes last year, Dorotas Wildcat also ran second in the Eclipse over C&D, so his form at the Colwick Park venue is rock-solid. Of course, he has since, earlier this month, also landed the £175,000 Star Sports Derby.

Dorotas Wildcat will be joined in the line-up on Monday week by The Other Reg, Pat Rosney’s RPGTV Scottish Derby champion, who has been kept to Nottingham for his recent trial work at a track he has winning form at.

Irish raider Whoops Jack, trained by Peter Cronin to reach the Derby final at Towcester, and Gymcrack winner Brinkleys Poet were the other runners to get unanimous votes for the places in the Select Stakes line-up.

The two remaining places went to Brendan Matthews’ Derby Consolation winner Innocent Times, making it a second Irish-trained Select Stakes runner, and Kevin Boon’s veteran performer Shaneboy Freddie, last year’s Sussex Cup champion.

Jonathan Hobbs, chairman of the Greyhound Writers’ Association, said: “It looks a high-quality affair as ever, and we have a decent field. Some of the names picked themselves in many ways – the Derby winners especially!

“However, two places were keenly debated, and it took a vote to secure places for Innocent Times and Shaneboy Freddie – but we have a strong list of reserves ready to come in should they be called upon. History tells us that could happen.

“The Select Stakes has a fantastic history and we thank Nottingham for continuing to support the event. They took it on when Wembley closed and the Corden family have cherished the Select Stakes in the same way we do.”

RPGTV Select Stakes field (draw live on RPGTV on Monday):

Dorotas Wildcat (rls)

Shaneboy Freddie (rls)

Brinkleys Poet (m)

Innocent Times (m)

The Other Reg (m)

Whoops Jack (w)