Saturday Night Open Roundup - 10 August 2025

Five in the BGBF Oaks final for Kevin Hutton

For the second year in a row, there will be five representatives for Kevin Hutton in the final of the BGBF British Bred Oaks final. The only runner to break through in 2024 was Ivys Showgirl before she had to be withdrawn from the final in season. Dalton Smith's charge has made the decider again and she is now suppressed, so there will be no repeat of that misfortune.

Coppice Lottie also made that 2024 final but she had to give best to kenenlmate Signet Nayla in the semis last night. Nayla's 26.43 was by a long way the quicker of the two semis and she is going to be the one to beat next Saturday night.

The other semi went to Dreamin Francis who has hit a flying run of form. She had won a single start in her first 18 runs but has won five of six since and has to be given plenty of respect in the final given that run. Union Piper and Miss Kubelik were the other qualifiers for the final. 

Elsewhere on the card it continued to be the Kevin Hutton show. Another three winners came from Deelish Top Boy, Baroness Velvet and Coppice Trophy. The first named was making a successful debut for the kennel after coming over from Ireland. The middle was a winning debutant, a Feb 24 puppy, she produced a strong 27.20 start to her career. 

There was a double for Angie Kibble. Eagles Respect was a semi-finalist in the BGBF Puppy Cup back in January and has improved since being sent up in trip, winning over six bends at Swindon before his 650m win last night. Ballymac Mags completed the Kibble double, also over 650m. It was the eighth win of the year for the veteran who has finished in the first three in 21 of her 23 starts in 2025.

The other open on the card went to Oakfield Murty for Christopher Gilbert. He is far from a regular winner but he found the space of a three runner race to his liking.  

Felix is fantastic at Doncaster

Long time readers will know that Kevin Ferguson's Acomb Felix is one of the best loved dogs in the 'office'. His 27.20 was the quickest 450m run of the year so far, 14 spots inside the previous best and only seven spots outside his own track record For a veteran with more than 100 races under his belt, he shows no signs of slowing down. It was his 17th open race win of the year, the most of any in the country.

We have also been vocal in praise of David Fradgely this year who continued an exceptional 2025 with a double. Just 21 trainers have more open race winners this calendar year, taking his tally to 26 courtesy of Daring Moaner and Rental Crisis. The latter made it eight wins in 10 starts this year.

Jimmy Gaskin picked up a winner with Keefill Apollo on debut for the kennel. Paul Philpott landed a rare six-bend open for the track with Knockard Joe while Debbie Calvert got in on the action with Agile Annie landing an 11/1 surprise in a solid 29.53 for the 483m distance.

Memphis roars to Central Park victory

After missing five months of action, King Memphis has quickly found his stride again, producing a slick 3.03 split on his way to a 28.84 success last night. He produced four of the top six times over 491m in 2024, hopefully, connections will get a clear run at things now with the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby coming up in October.

It was Dave Lee's Bluejig Baron who chased King Memphis home and Lee was quickly on the scoresheet himself with Notorious Gazza skirting the first bend trouble to land a little bit of a surprise at 8/1 to close out the card. Chaddy Boy claimed the other four-bend contest on the evening for Dan Brabon.

Maxine Locke had the sprint winner on the card courtesy of Beaming Isla. A 16.23 is enough to see her into the top 15 sprint times of the year, backing up her strong performance through the Silver Salver where she was third in the final. A staying contest went to Aphantasia for George Andreas. 

Bluebear with another home win

There are just two weeks left of action at Perry Barr so another win for Mark Russell's Magical Bluebear will have been welcome by the loyal supporters of the track. The 2024 Silver Salver winner had been off since a first round melee when trying to defend his title. He has three of the six best 275m times of the year now. Fairest View landed the other sprint on the card for Simon Deakin.

Just 13 spots covered the three 480m opens on the card. Just the quickest was Gerry Ballentine's Noels Spider. Lightfoot Ricky scored for Kate Harrison to continue a hot spell that has seen him win A3, A2 and A1 before last night's open success. Roy Peckham landed the other 480m contest with Tullymurry Kane.

Peckham added a staying winner to his tally with Tax Evader later on the card, comfortably justifying prohibitive odds of 1/5. It was the six-bend debut for a dog who had stopped the clock at 29.09 and 29.11 in his last two 500m starts at Towcester.

Finn just fastest at Yarmouth

Mark Newberry's Crossfield Finn produced the pick of the runs at Yarmouth last night with a 27.40 success. The August 23 whelp was just two spots off the quickest time of 2025 so far on just his sixth career start. He is one to keep an eye on when stepping up to better company.

There were two other winners on the card over 462m who also ducked under the 27.50 barrier. Bockos Buster for Kevin Boon and Who Dares Wins for Craig Morris produced 27.45 and 27.49 runs. The former was making just his second UK start, the first in the opening round of the Derby when known as Ballymac Rapid. The latter was picking up his third win on the bounce. 

Boon was also on the scoresheet over the six-bend distance. Joy Wild is another for the kennel with very few miles on the clock, getting off the mark at the third time of asking for Boon. Starshinesweetie rounded out the winners on the card, scoring for Jason Bloomfield. 

Upcoming Opens

Sunday: Towcester

Monday: Nottingham

Tuesday: Swindon

Friday: Romford ♦ Sunderland