Santas Amigo produces Classic performance of the night

Santas Amigo on the nice list at Sunderland 

David Mullins had the quickest of the three semi-final winners in the Premier Greyhound Racing Classic last night at Sunderland. Santas Amigo had caught the eye in the heats when missing the kick before being turned sideways at the opening bend. His form at the track from earlier in the year was smart and once he came away running, there was only going to be one winner. He eventually pulled more than six lengths clear, clocking 27.22.

The second semi-final saw a winner for Kevin Boon. Bockos Buster drove up the inside at the opening turn to get himself to the front and although Ryan Buckton's Whitehills Titan gave valiant chase, he was never going to pick the leader up. The winner has made three straight competition finals now following the East Anglian Derby and the Arena Racing Company Scurry prior to this.

Semi-final three was the one that everyone was waiting for, Romeo Steel V Slingshot Poppy. When the pair came away and headed towards the opening turn, viewers could be forgiven for thinking that we were set for a classic contest but sadly the pair spent most of the 450m getting in one another's way and ended up finishing fifth and sixth.

Coolavanny Mercy had turned last for Angela Harrison but her path out wide was the place to be to avoid the crowding, and she charged home to land a 33/1 success. Unanimous Leon got the better of his kennelmate Madabout Peck to add his name to the decider next week.

On the undercard there was a treble for Heilbron, including a pair of heats of the Arena Racing Company Shootout. Set up as an Australian style competition, just the winner of each of the six heats qualified for the final next Friday night.

Toddys Tank and Bower Sheeran were the pair on target, with the latter taking another step forward. An unexposed pup, he looks to have a nice future. Toddys Wolf was the other Heilbron winner.

Quickest of the Shootout winners was David McGlaughlin's Saleen Ri. He is a perfect 3/3 for the kennel, signing off in Ireland with a 28.47 Tralee success. He didn't race at all as a puppy and that patience is starting to pay off for his current connections. 

Cunnigar King exited the Classic in the opening round last week but Mark Bulmer's charge was quickly back on the winning trail, picking up his heat in 27.54. He has now won six of his last 10 starts.

Paul Miller and Savva Roberts collected the other two heats courtesy of Matts Bomber and Bogger Darling respectively. The former is a rock-solid local while the latter added a win to one she picked up recently at Star Pelaw.

There were two other open contests on the card. Ted Soppitt's Skywalker Schar won the first of them before Carl Jackson's Crafty Regalo sent favourite backers home happy with a smart front-running display in the last.

Romford double for O'Flaherty

Three 400m winners on Romford's Friday night card dipped under 24 seconds, two of them representing Katie O'Flaherty. Carmelfromcanew was the quickest of the bunch, stopping the clock at 23.80. It was his 13th career win in 25 starts, including three of his last four, going under by a short head in the other.

Tip Top Nitro was O'Flaherty's other winner, a fourth straight win for him. He kicked off his career in A7 grade back in March, winning 11 times in his 19 starts, including a pair of opens. 

Dave Lee was responsible for the other sub 24-second winner with Laughil Dan. He's won three of his first four career starts at three different tracks, for three different trainers! His 23.88 success reads well for one with so few miles on the clock.

Tiffield Tarquin has enjoyed an excellent 2025 and Roy Pekham's star added a smart 35.09 success over 575m despite missing the break a little bit. A Champion Stakes finalist, this track and trip clearly suits him well.

Also over six bends there were wins for Bacon Frazzles and Acejukeboxpopper for Paul Burr and John Mullins respectively. Maxine Locke took the other open race winner on the card with Dashaway Daisy who produced the quickest sectional over four bends of the night with a 3.68.

Butlers Lane stars again at Dunstall

A 1/4 starting price was to be expected as Premier Greyhound Racing Oaks heroine Butlers Lane returned to Dunstall Park for Barry Denby. She ran riot by 10 and a half lengths to notch up a fifth straight win at the track, stopping the clock in 28.07. 

The other heat of the bitches competition went to Kim Billingham-Hine's Kilwest Diva. She was runner-up in the Oaks, so those at Dunstall Park next Friday will be treated to another clash between the pair.

Magical Bertie made up for a rough ride last week to land the 660m contest. Mark Russell's charge is a solid performer on his day, adding a Dunstall Park open race success to prior wins at Monmore and Nottingham. 

There was a return to race action for the first time in four months for Southfield Duke, now in the care of Dalton Smith. It was the 10th open race win of his career, with eight of the other nine coming at Swindon.

A pair of sprints on the evening were won by Kellsboro Cilla for Tony Harmes and Rock Me Rosemary for Kate Harrison, the former the quicker of the pair by a hair under a length.