OXFORD have high hopes of success in the £5,000 to the winner Springbok Stakes over hurdles at Wimbledon.

Both Johnny Mayo’s Special Image, backed from 7-2 to 5-2 favourite winning in 28.99 and Nick Colton’s Tick Tick Boom crossed the line in 28.79 to become a leading fancy.

Both qualified for last night’s semi-finals at the Plough Lane track.

The final is scheduled for Tuesday.

  • VIERI Cullane, who posted 26.80 in a trial spin, looks a leading contender for the Oxford Bookmakers Trafalgar Cup, which starts next Thursday with one of the 18 runners hoping to land the £1,000 booty on finals night February 18.
  • THE family of the late Stuart Locke-Hart collected his Greyhound Racing Lifetime Achievement Award.

He was chairman of the National Greyhound Owners Association and a regular at Oxford Stadium.

  • THE funeral has been held of Ken Blackburn who died last week aged 87.

He was an owner with the late Jim Morgan for many years.