KILARA IVY upset the odds on hot favourite Quarteira with a fluent and fast all-the-way victory in the Coral Sussex Cup Sprint Trophy Final at Hove on Saturday.

One of four finals at the south coast venue on a huge night for the track which would later see popular victories for Space Jet (Coral Sussex Cup) and Candolim Monsoon (Premier Greyhound Racing Regency), the Richard Rees-trained, Legacy Racing Syndicate-owned runner was quickly away and soon in pole position in the 285m GBGB Category Two.

Always in command thereafter and not looking in any danger, especially once Quarteira (Mark Wallis) had been held up the turn, Kilara Ivy crossed the line two lengths ahead of dead-heating pair Quarteira and Droopys Roster (Carl Gardiner) in a fast 16.17sec (+5).

Success for the March 2021 daughter of Ballymac Best and Kilara Jessie delighted the home crowd and the owning Legacy Racing Syndicate, whose head Jamie Norris, a former deputy registrar at the GBGB who has recently rejoined Crayford as deputy racing manager, was always a fan of this particular litter.

He said: “We liked the litter that Ivy had come from as the Rees kennel had already invested in some of them, so when Charlie (Rees) called to say he thought we should put an offer in, I couldn’t say no!

“Our aim was to put her over four bends but things didn’t quite work out the way we expected. The switch back to sprinting was a stroke of genius by Jackie (Rees) and she’s been flying round Hove ever since.

“We knew we had to take a chance in the Sussex Sprint Cup, even though we knew we could meet the likes of Gougane Jet, Quarteira and Molly Maid. But who doesn’t want to go up against the best in their category?

“She was given little chance by many but we knew what she was capable of. It’s very exciting times for us. Thank you to all at the Rees kennel for their hard work, the syndicate members for their amazing support, and to Hove for staging a quality night of racing that very few people will forget.”