Last-gasp Spy as Cat One year ends with a Puppy Oaks thriller

RAPIDO SPY, a £4,500 purchase at Greyhound Trader's October sale at the track, pounced late to spring a 33/1 surprise in the £10,000 final of the bet365 English Puppy Oaks over 450m at Oxford.

Picking the perfect time to lose her open-race maiden tag, Rapido Spy broke well on the outside and, although both Scooby Diamond and Headford Lily showed better early pace, was able to turn third in behind them whereas odds-on favourite Soapy Suds was effectively out of the contest after first bend trouble.

Scooby Diamond led into the back straight without ever quite giving the impression she was in command and, sure enough Headford Lily came to challenge off the final bend, where she ran wide, only for Rapido Spy to blindside the duo on the inner as the finish approached.

The trio flashed across the line together with the evidence of the camera showing that the Shaun Gresham-trained Rapido Spy, owned by his wife Chris, had prevailed in the last Category One decider of the year by a short-head in 26.98sec (-10) with Headford Lily the same distance back in third.