No Oaks defence for breeding-bound Butlers

Denby's top-class tracker off to the paddocks

Butlers Lane has been retired to the breeding paddocks and will therefore miss a defence of her Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks title at Dunstall Park. 

It was always a race against time for Barry Denby's brilliant and Classic-winning tracker to make the line-up for the bitches' Classic after a series of setbacks in recent months - and now the decision has been taken to bring her outstanding racing career to a close after a trial at the track at Wolverhampton Racecourse at the weekend.

A winner of 11 of her 13 starts at Dunstall Park, which included a run of eight straight wins there and an unbeaten run through last year's Oaks, Butlers Lane was purchased by Nottingham handler Denby off the back of a Kilkenny win.

Making her UK debut at Colwick Park in September 2024, finishing fourth in an A2, Butlers Lane registered her first win in OR company the following month and went on to win 17 times in a UK career spanning 31 races, including landing her Doncaster-bound Nottingham trainer Denby a first Category One title.

A September 22 daughter of Jacob Tashadelek and Coolavanny Model, Butlers Lane won two Category Three events alongside her Category One Oaks victory at Dunstall Park - marking her down as a special talent.

Dunstall Park racing manager Martin Seal said: "Butlers Lane was brilliant round here - unbeatable for such a long time. 

"It was almost as if this track was made for her. It was the first Oaks here, of course, and she took to Dunstall Park like a duck to water. She ran the bends and straights so well - and fast - and I'm sure she'll prove as equally a success when it comes to the litters she'll have."

Meanwhile, Seal reports a solid early entry for the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks which closes to entries at 11am on Tuesday.

The book includes the likes of Slingshot Poppy, Strike It Skye, Aayamza Shazza, Bikini Bullet and Raebella Bullet. Irish entries, including a team from Graham Holland, are also expected.

The Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks starts on Saturday with the £20,000 final on Saturday, October 24.