Nicky Swithin goes quickest in Nottingham's Puppy Classic

Puppy Classic underway at Nottingham

The first round of the Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic was nothing if not dramatic last night at Nottingham, but often these puppy competitions can be that way with inexperienced dogs. 

The honour of being quickest in the heats went to Sean Parker's Nicky Swithin. He has lacked consistency so far in his career, but as with this performance, there have been flashes of him being a potential star. He was already well in control by the time the field crossed the line for the first time, eventually stretching almost eight lengths clear after some trouble behind.

Just five spots slower was Scooby Mustang for Carol Weatherall. He was electric early on, producing a 4.94 split on his way to a six and a half length victory. He had split the first two home in the Juvenile Classic in the opening round at Towcester before missing the semis, so he clearly has a serious engine.

Weatherall would double up on the card later on with Poly Styrene. It ended up just a three-runner affair which was a little disappointing, but the pair she beat were No Better Feelin, who is a very tough dog to better on his own patch, and 2025 Derby finalist Zenith Tanju.

Patrick Guilfoyle sent three runners over for the Puppy Classic, heading home with a heat win courtesy of Daleroad Magic, and the other pair safely through. He shaped as if he will come on plenty for this first race experience of the track, getting lost at the opening bend. He showed smart middle speed to chase down a decent local in Jackierua at the third bend in an impressive performance.

The unbeaten start of Lady Gambet's career stretched to three for Craig Morris. She wasn't the quickest into stride but she showed enough pace to the bend to turn third and put herself in position to take advantage of a gap that opened up on the inside. Once she had hit the front off the second bend, she was not going to be coming back to them.

Samantha Lapidge had a winner with Cockneys Crafty who benefitted from being the slowest into stride. There was plenty of trouble in front of him at the opening bend which he was able to pick his way past, and stay on too strongly for his rivals up the run-in. This was only his third start for the kennel, the winner of two of them now.

It was Kevin Boon who produced the biggest shock in the heats with True Trend. He had been drawn in what was comfortably the toughest of the six heats, with three of the Juvenile Classic finalists all in together. The inside runners came together out the traps while he showed the best speed to the bend. Annadown Shadow turned second with Annadown Warrior in third and although they both loomed up to challenge, the winner just kept finding to land a 40/1 surprise.

There were two sprint opens early on in the evening, with Gallant Star showing again that she is a bitch to be reckoned with. The Guys And Dolls runner-up made it three straight victories over 305m for Philip Short, stopping the clock in a sparkling 17.59. She was campaigned over four bends in Ireland but had really found her calling now that she is sprinting. 

Bogger Bale took the other one for Simon Deakin. A Fair Warrior finalist last year, that level of sprinting talent had seen him winning a couple of D1 races at his home track of Dunstall Park of late, including one which took Performance of the Week honours. This was his first look around Nottingham, clocking 17.70.

The final open went to Hasselbomb and Kelli Windibank. All three of his wins for the kennel have come at this venue, and while he has been far from disgraced when in action at the likes of Doncaster, Monmore and Sheffield, this track really does seem to bring out the best in him, with the long run to the bend a benefit. 

Craig Marston had a trio of open winners at the Valley on Sunday, and continued that run with the first open race winner on the card. He has a open win at Doncaster on his card for Marston but arguably his best run before this for the kennel had come when chasing home Mickeys Tribute in a hurdle at Star Pelaw.