Droopys Flare and Woltemade show their star quality at Dunstall Park

Picture from Dunstall Park X feed

Parker and Fenwick land Dunstall Cat Ones

Droopys Flare won the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger at Dunstall Park on Saturday night, but she needed every last ounce of courage and tenacity to pick up the front-running Zenith Pasha who was carried out on his shield after the bravest of displays.

Zenith Pasha was the first to make his move, driving to the front at the opening bend. Once Sean Parker's winner had turned second, it looked only a matter of when but that did a huge disservice to the runner-up who produced the race of his life to go under by a short head.

Droopys Flare got her head in front as they turned for home, pushing herself into a lead that looked like it would extend the closer they got to the line. The runner-up had other ideas, dug deep, and was coming back as the line came with the powerhouse Malcolm Bosh running on into third for Angie Kibble.

There was a rock-solid run in fourth from Radical Story. Craig Morris's Select Stayers champion trapped best to lead up briefly heading into the opening bend but just couldn't quite hold his pitch. He lost nothing in defeat. Both of the Kevin Hutton pair, Lets Go Girl and Venetian Mick ideally needed to get around in front to show their best form here. 

Jimmy Fenwick was a short head away from a massive Category One double on the night as orange once more proved to be the favourite colour of Woltemade. Despite his semi-final defeat at the paws of Signet Nayla, punters only wanted to back one dog, the front runner for Greyhound of the Year.

A 2.90 split was the same as he produced in the opening round and that was enough to see him around in front when it mattered most. Once he had got on the bunny, there was no way back for his opponents as he stretched three and a half lengths clear of his rivals to claim Category One number four on the year in a new best of 2026, 27.92.

Signet Nayla had run a monster of a race for Hutton in the semis to turn over Woltemade, chasing him home here at a respectful distance. She was a semi-finalist in the Oaks last year at this venue after making the same stage of the Produce Stakes. The Oaks starts in two weeks.

There was just a short head back to Betgoodwin Eddy in third who was looking for a litter double after Aayamza Shazza won the Click Competitions East Anglian Derby on Wednesday night. After just 15 starts, there should be more to come from Diane Henry's charge. Headford Cian, Tomahawk and Droopys Alldeway rounded out the field for Maxine Locke, Michelle Brown and Paul Young resepctively.

It was a great night for the Locke kennel, picking up a treble on the card with Turnthemagicon getting things started in a sprint to open things up. He already has the best sprint time of the year around Dunstall after his win at the centenary meeting, but had to work a touch harder than perhaps his 2/11 starting price would have suggested to pick up Simon Deakin's Bogger Bale.

Locke topped and tailed the opens on the card with Headford Lily landing the nightcap. She has won on three different tracks in her last three starts now on a run that has seen her successful in eight of her last 11 races from four different traps! Turning handy here, she kicked on down the back.

The middle leg of the treble was Bluebells Looker. It was only a four runner contest but given she didn't hit the front until the three-quarters mark, it was a visually taking performance as she scorched away to win by almost five lengths. She looks a well above average recruit for a kennel full of them!

There was a second winner on the card for Parker as Magical Supreme landed a six-bend contest over the shorter of the two trips. He'd rattled off a hat-trick at Doncaster to kick off his staying career and Parker's charge made it 4/4, beating a couple of Category One finalists over six bends in the process.

Richie Taberner landed a pair of winners on the card, with Holding Blaze the quicker of the pair. He found his trapping boots again at Monmore last week, backing that up with another solid enough break to see him turn second before leaving his field for dead off the second bend. 

Monateen Hatton had started the double, another to win on his most recent start at Monmore, though that coming two weeks ago. He used his inside slot to perfection, pacing up well into the first turn, making a little space for himself before he opened up down the back.

Another to land a success from the red jacket was Kibble's Rioja Wanda. She was no more than fairly away but the pace she showed to the bend was exceptional, winning her race with that turn of foot, able to squeeze through to make the best of her way home, scoring in an impressive 28.19.

There was a win for David Lewis as Alright Tallent got off the mark at the third time of asking for the kennel. She had run well in starts at both Central Park and Hove but really looked to take a shine to Dunstall Park on her first viewing of the track. There were a couple of nice types behind her here, looking form to treat positively. 

The other open on the card was won by Ruth Lambe and Advantage Rule. Give her family's history with the Birmingham Cup, Lambe was a very fitting winner on the night, her charge keeping on strongly to grab the front-running Parkview Jack late on in the day.

Locke takes four at Central Park

With the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby just over the horizon the quality of the opens is hotting up at Central Park with Annadown Warrior producing the quickest run on Saturday night for Maxine Locke. The newly crowned Puppy Classic champion paced up superbly to the opening turn, not needing the trouble that happened behind him to score in an impressive 28.85 (-30).

Highview Levi is still a pup but he has won both of his starts at this track now, pulling well clear of some smart rivals in the process. He had scored by a wide margin in his other start as well, form that was franked at Dunstall Park with the win of Alright Tallent. He clearly has well above average talent himself. 

Just a spot slower than Levi was Honey Rex who got off the mark at the third time of asking by almost 10 lengths. He very simply set his stall out from the front, showing the best early pace in the field before running them into the ground. 

A sprint produced the other winner for Locke in the form of Headford Fiona. She has won every other start for her last seven races doing so on four different tracks which makes for impressive reading. This was a smart sprint field she beat, clocking a very solid 16.25 on a slow track.

The other big star on show on the card was Scooby The Lady for Richard Rees. She was just 10 spots shy of Annadown Warrior's time with her win, maintaining her unbeaten record here. She saw off her old rival Brunch Pal once more, leading around the opening bends to produce another impressive display. The Kent Derby is shaping up to be one of the competitions of the year.

If there was one dog that everybody wanted to win last night it was Dereks Legend to land Rees a double. After the passing of Derek Burridge in the week, the huge fawn had read the script, knew his role in the process and set about coming home in front by two and a half lengths to add to the victory of Dereks Champ at Towcester in the afternoon. 

Barrie Backhurst continued his fine recent form with a double. Foxwood Zach kicked things off to add an open win to his recent successes in A3 and A2 grade. It was a race that changed complexion late, Zach picking up the longtime leader off the final bend but then having to hold off some deep closers himself.

Havana Jetstream landed the other half of the Backhurst double in a sprint contest. She has been running well in recent weeks without being able to get her head in front, so this was a well deserved change of fortune for her, getting her first win since June.

The other 491m contest on the card went to Luke Morrison's Maree Geordiepav. Although he did not get his head in front in three starts in Ireland, he dipped under 29 seconds with each of them, finishing fourth to Dunstall winner Highview Levi in the last of those. He was quickly in control of his rivals here on his UK debut to win by seven and three-quarter lengths.

There was a bit of a surprise in the final race of the night as Tony Taylor's Jacktavern Usain turned over the 2/7 favourite Gruszka in a stayers contest. Neither of the pair had much experience over six bends coming in, the favourite setting off in front but unable to hold a stronger runner. 

Dixie lands smart Monmore win for Page

David Page has enjoyed an excellent year with his open race runners at Monmore, adding another win with Ballymac Dixie who stopped the clock in 28.07, the 15th fastest time of the year so far. In her final month as a pup, she took the win away from Richie Taberner's Holding Aero in the dying strides. The winner is not entirely straightforward but she has a serious engine.

Taberner had better luck with Zenith Imminent who made it 2/2 over the 630m trip since joining from Richard Rees. He was given a lovely tow into the third bend from his kenenlmate Aero Pepinillo, getting the better of that rival as he avoided some of the crowding at the bends. 

Another to enjoy the staying distances at this track is Carrick Scholsey. He returned to Monmore for Mike Burton with a 630m win last week, backing that up over the 684m distance in the final of a stayers dual distance competition. It was his eighth win over six bends at this track since joining the kennel. 

The sole sprint on the card went to Pat Doocey and Longacres Danny. He was electric from the boxes to lead up Newinn Batchelor who had been sent off as favourite and that was all she wrote, with no way back for the market leader from there. It was a fourth win in five starts for Danny.

Three for Hunt on bumper Donny card

Doncaster has become a target for Nathan Hunt in recent weeks, grabbing a treble there on Saturday night over three different trips. Toolmaker Dynomo won over six bends, Cascabel over four and Vixons Riccheeze landed a sprint win in the final race of the night to complete the three.

Kevin Cobbold has been sending them to Doncaster a few weeks longer than Hunt and has picked up a good number of winners, 9/23 to be exact, winning at a 39% clip. Swift You and Decoy Luca were the pair to get the job done for the Yarmouth trainer yesterday.

Another man to pick up a pair of winners on the night was Phil Milner. Headford Asher was a very smart winner of a 483m contest, stopping the clock in 29.29 while Droopys Gabby produced a winning display in a 450m contest, 

Look Smart was the pick of the 450m winners on the night representing David Fradgley, showing the best speed from the outside draw to take control early on. Sally Clark's Salems Amaretto,  Ballymac Panzara for Esther Driver and Beverly Heaton's Grovenor Eevee were the other scorers over the trip.

Another staying contest went the way of John Flaherty's Greenwell Gypsy, her third straight win here. Bonnies Baby Boy was the biggest priced winner on the card at 12/1, winning for Terence Nevin. A further sprint on the card went the way of Krak On Katie for Danny Gomersall.  

Star Pelaw doubles for Glenn Foot and Ricky Holloway

The fastest times of the night over both two and four bends represented the Glenn Foot kennel. Caister Kay picked up the two-bend contest in a smart 14.33 while a 25.50 was produced from Clonlost Dexter over 435m

Ricky Holloway continues to target Star Pelaw with his open race runners, landing another staying contest with Droopys Graph to back up his win on debut at this track at the end of August as well as the hurdle contest on the night with Punk Rock Legend.

There was a winner for John Watson late on the card with Here Comes Bob who was winning for the third time in four starts. Rebel Eclipse was successful over six bends for Debbie Calvert, while the biggest surprise on the night came from the 25/1 score from David Wilkinson's Spy Master.