LIZ MCNAIR roared to the top of the GBGB Trainer of the Year standings after Havana Top Note – described by the owning KSS Syndicate’s Brendan Keogh as “as genuine a dog as you will see” – landed his second Category One title when scoring a runaway victory in the Bet365 Hunt Cup Final at Oxford on Friday.

Trained by the McNairs for the KSS Syndicate of Keogh, Simon Senyk and Ian Openshaw, Havana Top Note had won the Bet365 Challenge Cup at the Cowley track at the backend of last year and now repeated the feat over the same 650m six-bend trip – but was even more impressive this time around!

Pacing up quickly into the bend, passing fast-starting Tuono Bella (Paul Donovan) in the process, Havana Top Note was on his way to a superb 15.05sec sprint sectional, a sparkling effort given the soft underfoot conditions.

Soon in an unassailable lead, the April 2021 son of Eden The Kid and Mean Beauty never looked in danger and, while Tuono Bella kept on well, the winning margin over the Central Park raider was still two and three-quarter lengths at the line, with the winner’s kennelmate King Ezra finishing third for a McNair 1-3.

The winning time was 39.83sec (-60), with victory for Havana Top Note and third place for King Ezra lifting Liz McNair above 14-time champion trainer Mark Wallis in the race to be 2024 Trainer of the Year – although Brendan Keogh concedes that is very much a side issue with the team taking each competition as it comes.

“It’s been a busy weekend for us with runners in the (Arc) Laurels, (Coral) Brighton Belle and the (Time Greyhound Nutrition) Juvenile Championship and it’s certainly started well. I’m just delighted for the dog himself,” said Keogh. “He’s just so genuine, as genuine a dog as you will see, and clearly loves running round Oxford!”

Of the Trainer of the Year race between Liz McNair and Mark Wallis, Keogh added: “If the dogs continue to run well, the points will sort themselves out, but it’s not something we’re overthinking. As the KSS Syndicate we’ve managed to win a few Owner of the Year titles, but again that’s only something you look at when the year is coming to an end.”

As for Havana Top Note, a tilt at the Ladbrokes Summer Stakes Classic at Monmore could be on the cards, although before then a place might beckon in the kennel’s Trainers’ Judgement Night team at Hove on May 4. “He’s a versatile sort of dog with lots of speed, so he handles a stiff four bends or six bends,” added Keogh.

Keogh also thanked Oxford and Friday’s big-race sponsors for supporting the race, commenting: “Oxford put on a great show as usual and many thanks to Pat Cooney and Bet365 for supporting the competition, it’s so important to the sport. Our thanks also to Liz and Wayne Mazey who are always on hand for us at Oxford and played their part again.”