COPPICE ELLA franked the form of the recent Angel of The North final by proving best of Kevin Hutton’s quintet in the final of the BGBF British Bred Oaks at Oxford on Saturday.

Hutton had qualified all six runners through to the £3,000-to-the-winner Category Two decider – seemingly an unprecedented achievement – and it was the April 2022 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Forest Natalee, third to Untold Ruble in the recent Newcastle feature – who emerged triumphant in the 450m feature with a strong-running display. Ivys Showgirl was withdrawn in season, reducing the field to five.

Led early by 10-11 favourite and littermate Southfield Poppy, an Angel of The North semi-finalist herself, the Tony Brealey-owned two-year-old powered down the far side and round the final turns before hitting the front for a length and three-quarters success over that rival in 26.60sec (normal), with Coppice Lottie in third for a Brealey-owned one-three.

The race had been reduced to five runners following the withdrawal in-season of Ivys Showgirl, another Hutton runner. Fourth place went to Union Blizzard ahead of her own littermate Union Piper – a feat celebrated by Liz Mort, chair of British Greyhound Breeders Forum (BGBF), who made the presentation for the 450m annual.

Mort said: “Many congratulations to all – especially Kevin Hutton. To qualify six for our British Bred Oaks really was a brilliant effort and testament to all the hard work put in by his and his team. I know Ivys Showgirl was taken out, but he still had the first five home in a Category Two final which is no mean feat.

“It made for a great evening at Oxford on Saturday. I’m particularly delighted for owners Tony and Mary Brealey and it was definitely a great run from Coppice Ella to take the trophy and win this competition for the best British-bred bitches in the UK!

“Amazingly, the six bitches who made the final represented four different litters, all of them trained by Kevin – Ivys Showgirl just came into season at the wrong time,” added Mort.

“Coppice Ella and second-placed Southfield Poppy represent the April 22 litter by Droopys Sydney out of Kev’s amazing brood Forest Natalee, dam of so many really great dogs and bitches, so we’ll hope for more good things from these two littermates.

“Third in the Angel of The North last month, Ella is a strong sort and I believe will be trying six bends after a shot at the Produce Stakes at Swindon next month.

“Thanks to Oxford Stadium for hosting our Oaks again and to SIS who fund this for us as part of a series of Category Two BGBF British-Bred events.”