LIVELY LAUREN set the standard as the Time Greyhound Nutrition 3 Steps To Victory, a unique competition in the GBGB Calendar, kicked off with six heats over 480m at Sheffield on Tuesday. A tri-distance event, the semi-finals take place over 500m on Tuesday ahead of a £10,000-to-the-winner final over 660m at the Owlerton venue on Tuesday, May 30.

Trained by Matt Dartnall, Coral Brighton Belle runner-up Lively Lauren was quickly into stride in heat five and never headed as the February 2021 daughter of Ballymac Anton and Art Of Illusion, a six-bend winner at Oxford, made all for a three and three-quarter lengths success over Black Racket (Barrie Draper) and Romeo Turbo (Patrick Janssens) in 27.36sec (+30).

Next quickest was recent KAB Maiden Derby third Crossfield Cora as Mark Wallis’s bitch edged out Maximum Security (Nigel Saunders) after a cracking battle from the three-quarter pole, the former just coming out on top by half a length from last year’s 3 Steps To Victory runner-up, who also qualified for the 2021 final before being withdrawn, in 27.41sec (+30). Third here was Beatties Sparkle for Kim Billingham.

Monmore handler Billingham had struck in the opening heat as Mirrenofpaisley kept on well to edge out Arc Grand Prix winner Coonough Crow (Mark Wallis) in 27.69sec, with favourite Distant Emma (Barrie Draper) a close-up third in a humdinger of a contest. The winning time was 27.69sec (+30).

Liz McNair’s Bet365 Hunt Cup runner-up King Ezra struck in a hot heat two, winning in 27.53sec (+30) from Fearsome Quest (John Marriott) and Aayamza Magic (Mark Wallis); Carl Gardiner’s Clairekeith Remy scored a narrow 27.64sec (+30) victory over Garryvoe Rocky (Patrick Janssens) and Arthur Trifle (Patrick Godfrey) in heat four, while the sixth and concluding heat went to the Diane Henry-trained Savana Heross.

The latter started quickly and raced away for a four-and-a-half-length win over Skywalker Stan (Ted Soppitt) and Swift Regina (Phil Barlow) in 27.55sec (+30).

Sheffield racing manager Andrew Mascarenhas was delighted with the overall quality of the heats – and the event itself.

He said: “Once again the 3 Steps To Victory, now sponsored by Time Greyhound Nutrition, has proved popular and top-quality. We had 51 entries with all but two of the entries boasting open-race winning form – and those two has contested Category One finals! So we were very happy with the entry.

“It always looked a competitive opening round of the Time Greyhound Nutrition 3 Steps To Victory and there are clearly plenty in with a chance of emulating last year’s winner Coolavanny Aunty, who went on to be crowned Greyhound of the Year.

“Matt Dartnall’s Lively Lauren set the standard with a fastest-of-the-night 27.36sec, while champion trainer Mark Wallis’s three entries all made the semis, with his Crossfield Cora recording the second fastest heat time.

“I’d like to take this opportunity of thanking Time Greyhound Nutrition for their backing of the competition. They are quickly establishing themselves as a major sponsor in the industry and will have a significant advertising and branding presence here at Owlerton Stadium as they look to grow their business by supporting Irish and UK greyhound racing.”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=397218&raceId=938938

Trap draw for Tuesday’s semi-finals:-