Noellie gives Coral Gold Collar rivals no chance with flying exit

Paul Young's Noellie lands the Coral Gold Collar

A move to Hove from Crayford gave the 2025 Coral Gold Collar a different feel to it. The 2005 edition at Belle Vue which was won by Charlie Lister's Bat On was the only other Gold Collar to be run over four bends since 1962 at the competition's spiritual home of Catford. 

Hove's 500m test only came into being in 2019, but the competition had served up a pulsating opening round with the track record equalled and broken before the old clock was surpassed again, all within the six heats! 

It is a competition that saw Paul Young victorious for the first time. Noellie has taken well to his trips to the south coast, winning five of his nine starts at Hove, producing a clear career-best at the perfect time. 29.00 is the joint 12th quickest time of the year there, with eight of those 13 times during the Gold Collar.

Noellie had not quite made the corner off a 3.45 split in the semis from a wider draw in five and from a slot that was still wider than ideal in four in the final, he was sent off at 14/1. 

This time, a 3.43 saw him clear Droopys String on his inside at the opening bend, fend off Slick Sentinel who loomed up to challenge at halfway before still having enough in the tank to hold off the late charges of Antigua Kestrel and Rackethall Brute.

Romeo Tomcat was sent off the 1/2 favourite for Patrick Janssens but a slow break saw him only fifth around the opening bend. Even with his ability, it was too much ground for him to make up.

Young added a pair of other winners on the card courtesy of Droopys Alldeway and Underground Arlo. The pair of them used exactly the same template of away and gone. The latter was picking up his third win in four career starts, backing up the impression he made when landing a Clonmel race in 28.33 back in August.

Strike It Skye, Fabulous Sonique and Silverhill Adam gave Mark Wallis a treble on the afternoon. After missing out on a spot in the Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks final by a short head, Skye clocked a smart 29.03 on her first start since. The latter missed 13 months of action, winning on just his second start back in a smart 29.89 for the 515m distance.

Wallis found the marathon out of his reach as Garfiney Blaze found Swift Jarvis in a rampant mood. Belinda Green's winner is a mercurial talent, showing again that when he is on his game, he is a performer out of the top drawer. Ballymac Blanco is a striking looker for Maxine Locke, and he is not short on ability, beating Derby winner Droopys Plunge.

Carl Gardiner picked up open race winner number 18 on the year with Westwind Ace, Cmon The Brom closed out the afternoon with a winner for Seamus Cahill and it was Ower Cracker who picked up the other open on the afternoon for June Harvey.

New Oxford 650m track record

Two of the three contests over six bends on the card went to Angie Kibble courtesy of Eagles Respect and Ballymac Local. The former set a new clock for the 650m distance. He already had a course and distance win as well as a Swindon success over 682m. The Produce Stakes winner looks set for a big year in 2026 over six bends. 

The other 650m race went to David Lewis's Alright Irene who added another win to her already bulging CV of successes at the track. There was a double on the card for Lewis completed by Alright Twinkle, who made it 2/2 since joining the kennel.

It was another excellent Sunday afternoon haul at Oxford for Kevin Hutton which saw him edge to a 182-181 lead over Mark Wallis for the most open race winners in 2025. Start The Engine justified his typically prohibitive odds but he was not the quickest of the Hutton battalion, that honour going to Coppice Lottie who went a couple of spots faster, clocking 26.60 compared to 26.62. 

Baran Tombstone was only a spot slower than Start The Engine, an impressive return to winning ways for the son of Signet Ace. Rioja Oisin landed a sprint contest in 14.88 before Dreamin Reggie closed out the card with a fifth and final winner for Hutton.

The two semi-finals of a sprint maiden competition went to Barrie Blackhurst's Cutabovetherest and Paddy Curtin's Droopys Version. The former was comfortably the quicker of the pair with a 15.00 performance, just 12 spots off the time clocked by Rioja Oisin.

Two other open races on the card were won by Alfie Herbert's Shesasassylassy and Terence Nevin's Fluff The Punt.

Star Pelaw treble for Tom Heilbron

10 opens were on the card at Star Pelaw with Tom Heilbron taking three of them. Lightfoot Jamie landed a sprint early in the evening before a pair of six-bend contests were won by Glengar Lisa and Sunnyside Nellie. The former got off the mark at the 21st attempt, so it will be interesting to see if it sparks her into a winning spree.

Just three spots split Heilbron's pair of winners over six bends but it was Glenn Foot's Untold Ariary who was the quickest of the winners over the distance. She is the winner of four of her first eight starts, showing plenty of promise in the process. 

Dean Blackbird was out of luck with his Killieford Goram behind Untold Ariary but he had the quickest sprint winner on the night courtesy of Tullymurry Shine. She has won three of her four starts at Star Pelaw now.

Recent Rose Bowl winner Hillside Lily made it a four-timer for Martin Stout, producing a 25.71 effort over 435m. Barnfield Duke has recently joined the range of George Walker and was off the mark at the second. time of asking for the new trainer. Henry Young kicked off the winners with Tromora Grace, Paul Philpott scored with Policia and Samantha Atkinson saw Caseys Jake successful. 

Cobra strikes for Sheffield hat-trick

Kelly Hodson has Romeo Cobra is great heart at present, adding a third straight win to his resume. He struck a blow for his litter with his brother Romeo Tomcat in action down at Hove. 

The 480m contest saw a great finish with the first three separated by just three spots. Catunda Maura did just enough on the front end to give Stephen Naylor the winner. Orchid Legend picked up the sprint contest for Michael O'Donnell and Croagh Patrick landed the other contest for Colin Handford.