Times Cryptic

[mra1]

missing something here - dogs retain a passion ultimately for sports M?T?N?S (Only thing I can fit in is mutants which does not make sense) and also picked up needle point ?E?K

[scorpiojo]

Mutts around a (passio)n

[scorpiojo]

From Chambers

Sport: to deviate from the normal (biol).

[Lie-in King]

Mutants (sports) - 'mutts' (round) 'a (passio)n'

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/sport

^Def 3

Peak (point) - 'pique' (needle, picked up; heard)

[Mamyalynne]

Peak, sounds like pique 'to needle'

[mra1]

Many thanks everyone!