Ashford trainer Rab McNair hoping it’s fourth time lucky in English Greyhound Derby at Towcester with ante-post favourite FromPostToPillar

An Ashford-based greyhound racing trainer is dreaming of landing the sport’s most valuable prize when the English Greyhound Derby returns to Towcester Racecourse.

Rab McNair has trained greyhounds with his wife Elizabeth for over four decades from their Kent base where they have reached the historic Derby Final on three occasions with Eden The Kid (2015, third), Farloe Trent (2014, sixth) and Caulry Fast (2007, sixth).

The couple stand their best chance of landing the £175,000 first prize this year, though, with kennel star FromPostToPillar, owned by the KSS Syndicate.

Aged two, ‘Postie’ has won 10 of his 13 races to date and already amassed more than £33,000 in prize money having landed the Cowley Puppy Collar at Oxford, the Coral Olympic at Hove and the ARC Kent Plate at Central Park.

McNair’s talented dog is the competition’s ante-post favourite, but he will face his stiffest task to date when his Derby campaign begins on Saturday in Heat 23.

“The Derby is the pinnacle of our sport and gives every trainer all the motivation they need to carry on working seven days a week all year round,” said McNair. “Postie is probably the fastest greyhound I have ever had the priviledge to work with.

“Not only that, he’s a clever dog, too, with an outstanding brain and he’s got himself out of awkward situations on more than one occasion in his career to date. It’s exciting to approach the Derby with him in the kennel and we’re doing our best to ensure he’s mentally and physically prepared to the best of our ability.”

FromPostToPillar started preparations for this year’s Derby with a blistering 500m trial at the Northamptonshire venue in 28.61sec – an average speed of 39.09mph.

With the first three greyhounds in each race advancing