SWIFT ICONIC, trained by John Mullins for Chris Waters, landed the big-race victory he looked destined for after a cracking Derby campaign earlier this year when winning the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Gold Cup at Oxford on Friday.

The GBGB Category Two event ran alongside the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Maiden Vase, with the £5,000-to-the-winner finals on the same night at the Cowley track – and like Outdoor Ice in the Maiden Vase, Swift Iconic completed an unbeaten run through the competition when winning the 450m decider.

Known for his superb early pace, which saw the October 2020 son of Droopys Roddick and Swift Biology reach the third round of the Star Sports English Greyhound Derby as a youngster plus the semis of the Matchbook Maiden Derby and SportyStuff TV Puppy Cup at the Northamptonshire track, he was again quickly away in the Oxford decider.

Racing to 4.15sec split, Swift Iconic was soon in command and, crucially ahead of his market rivals Burnchurch Mick (Richard Rees) and Twolengthstoogud (Kevin Hutton) into the first bend, the Mullins runner was away and on his way to a one and a quarter lengths success over Burnchurch Mick in 27.28sec (-20).

Simon Pearson, Oxford racing manager, said he had been impressed by Swift Iconic throughout the Gold Cup with the Oxford contours clearly suiting the two-year-old, who had returned to the track after a break and was a real improver.

He said: “This was a great training performance from John (Mullins). Swift Iconic hadn’t raced since August and just came into the competition off the back of trials. He then improved for each round and his style is just tailor-made for Oxford. He’s got cracking early pace and they just never got to him.

“Hopefully we’ll see Swift Iconic back here soon. Likewise Outdoor Ice, the Maiden Vase winner who is based here with Matt, whose dogs are running really well. Both Outdoor Ice and Swift Iconic were really worthy winners of our two Cat Two competitions here, producing perfect performances on the night it mattered most.

“We’ve had a great spell of open racing here and things are getting busier and busier as we move into the Christmas period. However, as we know, open racing and big competitions are very much what Kevin (Boothby, promoter) is all about and we start again on Friday with the heats of the bet365 Challenge Cup over 650m.”

Result: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=391416&raceId=892035