On the lead up to this year's Regal Scottish Derby at Shawfield, all the 'talk' centered around the brilliant Top Savings and the likely Irish challenge of Serene Rumble and Kings Cadet.

However, there was little or no mention of Micks Mystic and he was priced up accordingly at 50-1, a price connections had little hesitation in snapping up. A closer look at the racing credentials of this largely unknown dog in the UK would unveil a greyhound of the highest calibre, especially as he was now trained by Charlie Lister.

Micks Mystic had begun his career under the guidance of Paul Hennessy and he made a winning debut for his trainer, when scoring in 29.57 at Shelbourne Park, but he really sprung to prominence a matter of weeks later when he took the €10,000 Bank Of Ireland Puppy Stake at Cork by storm with a string of fine performances, 29.15, 28.91 and 28.46 en route to the final where he flashed from the traps to score easily in a brilliant 28.29, less than a length off Moyne Rebel's track record.

The Irish Laurels at the same venue the following week, looked a tall order for the puppy but he rose to the challenge and landed the opening two rounds in impressive manner. However, he was drawn against the brilliant Irish Derby Consolation winner, Premier County, in the quarter-finals but made everyone sit up and take note as he swept by him entering the back straight to score by two lengths in 28.59.

He suffered his first defeat at Curraheen Park when he was baulked at the third bend just as he attempted to take the lead in the semi-finals and was beaten half a length. The €25,000 decider produced a thrilling final, as Larkhill Lo blazed a trail, strongly pushed by Micks Mystic, who really forced the issue going into the third bend with Sonic Flight tucked in behind.

Turning for home, Larkhill Lo ran wide and Micks Mystic seized his chance, but Sonic Flight came with his customary big finish to deny Mick by half a length in 28.41, so near yet so far. However, Mick lost nothing in defeat, giving months away to his rivals.

He rounded off his first season with a superb, gutsy win in the €1,000 Cool Performance Open 525 at Shelbourne Park, defeating the highly-rated Whitefort Frazer by more than four lengths in 28.99sec. After such a successful first season, connections rightly looked forward to the 2002 season but, in truth, it became nothing short of a nightmare!

His new season started off in the Tote Gold Cup at Shelbourne Park, but unfortunately he broke a toe in the second round and trailled in at the rear of the field. Three months later he reappeared in the 18-runner Red Mills Guineas at Waterford and duly landed his heat in a race that was marred by the serious injury to the Produce Stakes winner, Give And Go. However, Mick did not go home unscathed either for Hennessy was forced to withdraw him from the decider after aggravating his injured toe.

Six weeks later he reappeared, this time it was the heats of the Cork Derby Trial Stake and he powered home, equalling the 550 yards track record. A week later he lined up in the decider and once again produced another powerful front-running performance as he defeated subsequent Derby finalist, Heavenly Hero, and once again equalled the clock.

In a preparation race for the Derby at Shelbourne Park, Mick damaged his shoulder, which forced him to miss the Derby, a bitter blow for connections. A 28.69 solo trial the week before the Derby final signalled all seemed okay, but it was a sorry sight to see him trail in lame last in a supporting race and the decision was made to retire him to stud.

It was then that he joined Martin Tucker at his Mount Cashel kennels in Roscommon where he served half a dozen or so bitches before the Scottish Derby raid was hatched. "I thought Roy was mad when he told me what he wanted to do," said Tucker on the dream of Mick's owner, Roy Nicholl, to go to Shawfield.

"To come back in your third season after seven months off," continued Tucker, "was asking a lot, although I never doubted the dog's ability. But the big question was could he return to show his true form? And so the dog joined Charlie Lister in January this year and Lister was delighted with his initial trials.

Subsequent Blue Riband winner and Derby runner-up Farloe Verdict caught him close home in the opening round of the Scottish Derby, but, after that, he got stronger and stronger and was really untroubled thereafter and he ran right away from his rivals in the decider on that never to be forgotten night.

He raced to the top of the ante-post lists for the English Derby but sustained an injury in a home gallop the week after his Shawfield success, which put his participation at Wimbledon in doubt. However, he took his chance in the opening round but was run out of a qualifying place close home in a heat that included subsequent Derby winner, Droopys Hewitt and Consolation winner, Farloe Style.

Even though he came back a few weeks later to win a small competition at Perry Barr and land a supporting open on Derby final night, it was decided to finally call it a day and he returned to resume his stud career with Tucker, where he has been very well received by breeders.

When considering a stud dog, breeders often overlook the fact that dogs are retired for one reason or another early in their careers and breeders do not have the opportunity to see if they 'train on.' Not the case with Micks Mystic, who was hunting it as hard in his third season as he was in his first and with no Aussie blood in his pedigree he will become a welcome addition to the stud scene.

His dam, Tracys Lady, had previously thrown English Derby runner-up and Select Stakes winner, Rackethall Jet, and also the ill-fated Puppy Derby winner, Micks Lotto, another worthwhile feature to add to his impressive racing CV.

For the husband and wife team of Roy and Maire Nicholl and his travelling supporters club, Micks Mystic gave them a racing career owner's dream of. Now that dream continues in the breeding paddocks.

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