“David’s dog will take a lot of beating, but we’ve got to be happy with our lot and are looking forward to Saturday” – breeder/trainer Phil Milner
Keefil Maverick was tops on the clock in the semi-finals of the BGBF British Bred Puppy Cup at Oxford and will spearhead a double strike on the £10,000 Category One final on Saturday from trainer and breeder Phil Milner.
Leading home a one-two for Milner in the first semi-final, Keefil Maverick crossed the line three lengths clear of litter brother Keefil Goose after pacing up to lead into the first bend on his way to justifying favouritism in the 450m contest. Third home and into Saturday’s decider was local hope Beach Bull (Tom Levers).
The winning time for the July 2022 son of Droopys Addition and Tarsna Atalanta was 26.60sec (+10) and the performance delighted Milner, who said: “Maverick has always been the more forward of the pair, with Goose more puppyish, but we’re delighted with both, of course, and how the litter is progressing generally.”
“We’ve got both sire and dam here – Droopys Addition is standing at stud with us – so they are absolutely home-bred, and events like this one for British-breds and the (Premier Greyhound Racing) Puppy Derby at Monmore are targets, which shows us we’re doing the right thing, and it’s great to be a part of these competitions.”
“Ideally, we’d have liked to have been the other side of Romeo Cypher with Maverick. David’s (Mullins) dog will take a lot of beating, but we’d have probably had a better chance if drawn inside him rather than outside. Kevin’s (Hutton) Union Rebel is also coming on well and, with any trouble inside, might turn in front. Tom’s (Levers) Beach Bull will be flying home.”
“Anyway, we’ve got to be happy with our lot and are really looking forward to Saturday. Incidentally, Droopys Addition’s second litter is trialling very well – Keefill Rocky did 16.18sec in his first qualifying mixed trial at Sheffield, so they’re also showing plenty of promise, which is great for all of us and the hard work the staff do.”
Romeo Cypher, trained at Romford by David Mullins and third in last year’s Coral Puppy Cup at the Essex venue, landed the spoils in the second semi with an impressive front-running performance to score in 26.70sec (+10).
Well away and posting a slick 3.86sec sectional, the February 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Fabulous Skylar was never headed before crossing the line two and a quarter lengths clear of Kevin Hutton’s pair of littermates Union Rebel and Union Blizzard, helping to match Phil Milner’s feat of qualifying two through to the decider.
Trap draw for the BGBF British Bred Puppy Cup: 1 Keefil Goose, 2 Romeo Cypher, 3 Keefil Maverick, 4 Union Blizzard, 5 Beach Bull (m), 6 Union Rebel (w).