Chip and Rocky land Sunderland features plus a treble for Heilbron

Sunderland features light up Friday night

Friday nights often don't feel the same when Romford aren't racing but thankfully, Sunderland put on an excellent card last night to more than make up for it with a double-header of Category Two finals to enjoy.

Maxine Locke took the Arena Racing Company Puppy Trophy with Annadown Chip, as he made it five straight wins, going from the front. He has a perfect profile for a four-bend dog, the early pace to lead up a Sunderland field but the stamina to have no issues with 500m at the likes of Hove and Towcester. It's very early days but there is no surprise to see him so prominent in the 2027 Derby market.

Keefill Rocky came wearing his trapping boots for Phil Milner to take out the final of the BGBF British Bred Cup. He was quickly in control of his two main markets rivals drawn either side of him and that was plenty enough to see him away and gone to pick up the £7,500 prize on offer.

There are few dogs in recent years that deserved to win a Cat One more than Unanimous Leon. Tom Heilbron's veteran went out on a high with a 450m win, taking on others of his age to justify the shortest odds he has ever been sent off at. Heilbron posted on X last night that "Unanimous Leon finished his career a champion" and who could argue with that?

It was an excellent night for the Heilbron team, picking up three wins in total. Romeo Dutch was the second on the evening, closing out his puppy status with a third Sunderland win in four starts since joining Link Kennels. Those wins each came from a different one of the outside three traps which should stand him in good stead as his career progresses. 

The final race of the night saw the treble brought up by Adamant Keane. This was the only race that he will see as a puppy, making a winning career debut. He showed the best gears on the run to the bend to go around in front, helped by his kennelmate in two outside of him moving right to give him the freedom of the inside. 

Slingshot Poppy produced the quickest 450m run, stopping the clock in 26.48, a new quickest of the year. The Brian Fairbairn-trained speedster has some flying times for the kennel but is yet to put it all together through a competition to this point for them. She showed when landing the Puppy Trophy on this night last year when with Pat Buckley that she can do it, so maybe it is just a matter of time. 

Over two bends there was another success for Ted Soppitt's Sunnyside Jayden. He has been one of the top sprinters on the northern circuit over the last 15 months, adding his name into the top 25 times of 2026 for the fifth time here whilst picking up win number 26 for his career. 

A dual distance final went to Mossend Fox for George Power. He popped out in front and when his main market rival stumbled leaving the traps, it was game over, as he ran out a wide-margin winner. Seven and a half lengths was the official margin, backing up his smart 15.55 clocking in the sprint heats from last week.

The night opened with a success for Savva Roberts and Millhill May, who dipped under 27 seconds to get the card off to a flying start. She was a very smart performer at this track when in the care of George Stark and the return to Sunderland after a pair of runs at Sheffield saw her right at home.  

The distance races both provided a surprise for punters with Newmoors Amore taking the 640m contest for Mark Bulmer. Proper Rockett looked like she would take some catching once she had hit the front early on, with the winner in last on her six-bend debut. She looks like further still will suit, and as a half-sister to New Destiny and Coonough Crow, she is a nice prospect for after racing as well. 

It was a 12/1 chance that landed the 828m contest in the form of Ross Miller's Fruity Beauty. She had run into Greenwell Gypsy and Droopys Rated on the two occasions that she had been seen over eight bends to this point in her career. The easier opportunity was taken in style, powering clear late on to score by seven and three-quarter lengths. 

Another to land a bit of a surprise was Trooper Trippett who took a maiden contest for Ian Hopper at 9/1. He was one of four July 24 whelps to win on the card and sign off his puppy status in style, using the red jacket to his advantage to miss plenty of bumping outside of him at the opening bend.