Bertie bang on the ball in Flat final.

ANHID BERTIE (4-1) completed an unbeaten run through the competition as he credited Martin Cutler with his biggest success as a trainer when winning the pounds 3,500 final of the Ben Holmes Northern Flat Championship at Belle Vue on Thursday, writes Jonathan Kay.

With favourite Ping The Lids fluffing his lines at the start, the pace was set by Step On Brett and Uncle Ollie but the last-named lost his promising pitch when bumped at the bend.

Step On Brett had a handy advantage entering the back straight though he looked vulnerable with Anhid Bertie turning behind and any doubt about the outcome was ended when the leader checked at the sough.

Anhid Bertie needed no second invitation and the Neil, Janet and Sam Russell-owned greyhound powered clear from the third bend to beat Step On Brett by five lengths in 27.61sec (normal) with Pearly Queen staying on for third, a further three-parts of a length away.

"He came over from Ireland with not a lot of form on the card and originally went to Ted Soppitt with the idea of being qualified in time to run in the Derby this year," said Cutler yesterday. "Unfortunately he got hurt and that had to be scrapped, then he came to me and I ran him in the Steel City Cup at Sheffield.

"He wasn't an expensive dog, but started improving and he's been very consistent for us. He takes quite a bit of maintaining rather than training as he has a couple of problems, most notably a track leg, so we don't run him too often although fortunately he goes well fresh. "He got the breaks in the final, but couldn't do any more than win like he did and in such a good time. The chances are he'll have one more run this year before we put him away, probably at Doncaster on Yorkshire Leger final night."