A great moment for Oxford owners Mick Lowe and Pete Dawson, not forgetting trainer Richard Yeates, as Lazerus got them over the first hurdle in the Blue Square Greyhound Derby at Wimbledon.
They will readily agree that the fawn dog is a long shot to win the the big one. But to get some success in the most famous greyhound race in the world will have given them some satisfaction.
Lazerus, a 7-1 shot came from the back to defeat third favorite at this early stage to win by a head.
Also through for the Yeates kennel was Penn Razle, owned by Stuart Locke-Hart.
Although only finishing fourth, he was in a heat that allowed the first four through.
Not so lucky were Yeates’s other runner Alfie Sparra and Pat Curtin’s Soviet Maldini, who was found to be lame the following morning.
THERE’S all to play for in the 2009 Trainers Championship as Michael Peterson has zoomed to second spot.
Peterson sent out 27 winners, taking him to 82 in April to move closer to Kibble's 89 total.
Paddy Curtin maintained his challenge with 18 winners, while dual champion Ian Wills is just one behind.
BEST OF THE REST T Magnasco 21 (71), G Hepden 17 (63), T Atkins 8 (48), T Kibble 9 (46), M Massey 23 (46), J Mayo 12 (45), P Clarke 12 (40), R Bicknell 14 (30), B Hannan 4 (24), S Rayner 6 (26), R Yeates 5 (21), N Colton 10 (10).
THE Oxford track has got the all-clear from the BGRB track inspector John Haines.
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