Possible Clues:

• One with little status
• Make rare gaffe, initially, as outsider
• Outsider grounded, prepared
• Dicky, grounded little man?
• A French poodle perhaps biting the German one not expected to win
• Reporting to greatly admired person set back the little guy
• Competitor unlikely to win
• Greyhound expected to lose?
• One thought to have little chance of winning
• Peacekeeper with the German pup one is likely to lose