FROMPOSTTOPILLAR emerged as one of the sport’s newest superstars with a brilliant victory in the RPGTV Cowley Puppy Collar Final at Oxford on Friday.

Trained by Liz McNair for the KSS Syndicate, the November 2020 son of Droopys Sydney and Rafa Babys Baby continued the Kent-based trainer’s fine run of success lately with a sparkling turn of back-straight pace to ultimately seal the £10,000 Category One feature, the first major competition at the track since its reopening.

The 450m final had been reduced to a four-runner contest following the withdrawal of Jasmine Lily and Moanteen Lennox and it was the eventual winner’s kennelmate Havana Allablaze who showed first from the boxes and led into the bend.

Fromposttopillar paced up as the turn approached but a coming together with Lively Lauren (Matt Dartnall) forced the favourite wide before he returned on an even keel and motored down the back, reeling in Havana Allablaze before the third bend, then racing away to land a McNair one-two by five lengths in 26.89sec (-10).

The time compared favourably with his track record 26.82sec set in the second round, a mark which would have been under threat with a clearer run.

Trainer Liz McNair was joined at the presentation podium by her husband and assistant Rab plus Simon Senyk and Ian Openshaw of the owning KSS Syndicate, and Rab McNair was delighted with the performance of his star youngster.

He said: “We call him Postie – and he’s delivered!

“I’ve always said Oxford probably doesn’t suit him as much as a more galloping track but it suited him at this stage of his career and well done to the big man Kevin Boothby (Oxford promoter) for putting on the race, and to sponsors RPGTV.

“Havana Allablaze is good bitch and, while younger than Fromposttopillar, is more mature than him so when she took command I thought it was race-on, but fair play to Postie he’s shown what he’s about and is doing everything we hoped he could and would.

“He’s got some gears and I stand by what I said about him. At this stage of his career, and at his age, he’d be the best we’ve put a lead on potentially. You’d like to see him with a bigger back-straight and, yes, Towcester for the Derby has to be in our thinking.”

Part-owner Ian Openshaw, who has recently joined Brendan Keogh and Simon Senyk as part of the KSS Syndicate, said: “I’ve had some good dogs in the past including Farloe Reason (GBGB Newcomer of the Year for Charlie Lister in 2007) and it’s great to be involved with another really good one here.”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=390453&raceId=884385