SIGNET ACE returned to the scene of his Select Stakes triumph in August with a fastest-of-the-night heat victory as the Arena Racing Company Eclipse kicked off at Nottingham on Monday.

The Kevin Hutton-trained star, also a winner this year of the Winter Derby at Monmore, finished third in the recent BresBet Steel City Cup at Sheffield and continued his fine big-race form with a fluent success in heat one of this latest GBGB Category One annual over 500m at Colwick Park.

Pacing up well to lead off the back of a 4.77sec sectional, also the quickest of the night, the September 2018 son of Laughil Blake and Forest Natalee never looked in any danger as he raced clear and crossed the line four and three-quarter lengths clear of Nipsey Hustle (Carol Weatherall) in 29.37sec (+30).

Bubbly Apache also made a successful return to Nottingham with an impressive comeback in heat two.

The Paul Young-trained runner, winner of the Puppy Classic on the same August night as Signet Ace won the Select Stakes, had been sidelined since the heats of the Romford Puppy Cup but was soon in command as he crossed the line four and a half lengths clear of the staying-on Candy Man (Carol Weatherall) in 29.43sec (+30).

Next quickest was Churchill Holly in the sixth and final heat as Lynn Cook’s popular local landed another Nottingham success, leading off the second bend to score by a length and a half from Chasing Landy (Stuart Buckland) in 29.48sec (+30).

A delighted winning trainer Cook said: “We were all really happy with Holly considering she didn’t trap like we know she can, but still managed to take up the lead on the second bend.

“She’s got trap two in the semis and we’re pretty happy with that and are just hoping she can produce a similar kind of run, or perhaps even improve on her sectional, which we know she’s more than capable of.

“Then possibly with a bit of luck here’s hoping she can make the final!”

The other Eclipse heats were won by the Angela Harrison-trained Hardy Rebel (29.67sec +30), Gavin Holman’s Easy Warrior (29.76sec +30), while the Chris Fereday-trained Goldies Mabbutt (29.66sec +30) landed a 25-1 surprise in his heat.

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=379495&raceId=791846

Trap draw for Monday’s semis: https://www.nottingham-greyhounds.co.uk/racing/