Tony Brealey, the proud owner of Coppice Ella, who recently claimed victory in the BGBF British Bred Oaks on Saturday, emphasised that Kevin Hutton's success in securing all the finalist spots in the Oxford event was no mere accident. Brealey attributed this achievement to Hutton’s exceptional skills both as a trainer and a breeder.
Coppice Ella, born in April 2022 to Droopys Sydney and the renowned dam Forest Natalee, led the charge in a family sweep, finishing ahead of her littermate Southfield Poppy in the Category Two feature over the weekend. Impressively, all top five positions were occupied by dogs bred and/or trained by Hutton, with Brealey’s own Coppice Lottie taking third place. Another promising contender, Ivys Showgirl, who had to withdraw due to being in season, also hails from Hutton’s Burford-based kennel.
Brealey remarked that it was no coincidence Kevin Hutton had all the finalists at Oxford, praising him as a top-tier trainer and a shrewd breeder. He highlighted that the most interesting aspect of the outcome was that the first, second, and third place finishers were all Kevin’s bred dogs. Ella and Poppy, owned by Mark Gilbert, come from the last litter of Forest Natalee, while Lottie is a product of Not Too Late, another of Hutton’s brood bitches, sired this time by Derby champion Dorotas Wildcat, Natalee’s brother.
Brealey reflected on his good fortune in owning several pups from Natalee’s litters, noting that the most successful so far had been Signet Denver, who had secured several prestigious race wins for them. He expressed optimism that Ella might follow in those footsteps, potentially becoming an exceptional brood bitch in the future. Despite already demonstrating her ability by progressing through the rounds of significant Cat 1 and Cat 2 competitions, Brealey believes Ella has even more to offer on the track.
Discussing future prospects, Brealey shared his excitement about some pups from two promising litters—one by Tommy Shelby out of Coppice Mary, another daughter of Forest Natalee, whose Bicester trial times have been impressive. He noted that anything under 15 seconds is considered open class, and they have several pups meeting that standard.
Another litter generating enthusiasm for Brealey is a batch of pups from Signet Denver and Not Too Late, with all four showing strong potential. However, Brealey expressed concerns about the future of British breeding, pointing out that a lack of financial support for both schooling tracks and breeders might hinder progress. He highlighted Bicester schooling track as an undervalued facility, despite its importance to the sport.
Brealey concluded by saying that his involvement in breeding and watching pups develop is thrilling but acknowledged that it wouldn’t be possible without the support of the fantastic people they work with. He likened his approach to racing to his approach to work: finding the right people, treating them fairly, supporting them, and maintaining long-term, successful relationships. Looking ahead, Brealey is hopeful that the great pups coming through will continue to do well, just as his faith in Lottie and Ella was rewarded in the British Bred Oaks.