DERBY champion Dorotas Wildcat resumes his racing career at Swindon on Wednesday – some four and a half months after that famous triumph at Towcester.

Following on from a series of trials at the Blunsdon venue, the Classic-winning May 2015 son of Ballymac Vic and Droopys Danneel lines up in the Lady Lane Standard over 480m and has drawn trap one for his competitive return.

The MSCM Eclipse at Nottingham, a race he went close to winning last year, is the main target for the Kevin Hutton-trained superstar with Swindon chosen as the scene for his much-anticipated return to racing after June’s Star Sports-backed £175,000 success.

“I’ve been happy enough with his trials,” said his trainer Hutton. “He’s improved with each of them as you’d expect, and I just felt it was the right time for some competitive action. Swindon was as good a place as any to start him back as he knows it so well.

“He’s been at stud since the Derby and had straws taken. Demand for him has been pretty good, and hopefully he’ll make his mark on the breeding side. His litter remains one of the most successful in recent years, so we’ve got to be encouraged.”

Hutton, who switched to Monmore following the closure of Towcester, has enjoyed a fruitful period at the Wolverhampton track with his fair share of winners, although with a clutch of young talent coming through is keen on expanding his open-race interests.

“Wildcat gave myself and Donna (Witchells, partner) just the greatest night’s racing we could ever have wished for. We were on a high for a long time, but then came the low of Towcester closing and the impact on our business that had.

“It put everything into perspective, but we have cracked on with Wildcat’s stud career plus have a number of litters on the ground in Ireland. We’ve used a few of our own top bitches, including Forest Natalee and Dorotas Star which is exciting.

“They’re to come, of course, but in the meantime, we have youngsters such as Ballymac Diego. He’s the next litter on from Ballymac Defo, Bolger etc and looks a lovely prospect. He’s a big May 17 pup and delighted us recently with fast trials at Monmore and Swindon.

“We also have Noelles Chico, who’s also a May 17 pup, and was purchased after a 28.79sec Galway win and looks a lovely bitch. Like Ballymac Diego, she did a 16.66sec in her first look at Swindon so looks a very nice type.

“Ballymac Fargo is a dog we’ve kept to just working at home so far, but he looks a serious talent and we can’t wait to start him off in a month or two. So, there’s some good young talent coming through we hope – as well as the old guard of course!”

Dorotas Wildcat finished second to the now-retired Bubbly Bluebird in last year’s Eclipse final at Nottingham, leading until close home in one of the races of the year given fellow Derby finalist Bruisers Bullet was a close-up third.

“That was a great final, and Wildcat gave it his all,” added Hutton. “He’d been off the track for three months before we started preparing him for Nottingham. His talent got him so close and, while it’s early days again on his comeback, it’d be fantastic to go one better.”