KISHLAWN SHAKIRA underlined her growing reputation with a fastest-of-the-night victory in heat two of the Coral Regency at Hove on Saturday, as the six-bend GBGB Category One event shared the stage with the Sussex Cup heats on a superb night’s racing on the south coast.

Trained by David Mullins, Kishlawn Shakira was one of the stars of the Derby undercard last week at Towcester having won the GAIN Greyhound Nutrition Challenge Cup – and continued her fine form in the 695m contest at the Sussex venue.

Well away from the inside slot, the odds-on favourite never looked in danger as she dominated with a solid front-running performance to win by two and a half lengths in 41.38sec (normal), crossing the line in front of Nightingale Don (John Mullins).

Next quickest was Blue Tick George as the Yarmouth St Leger winner also produced a solid pillar-to-post victory in heat three.

Jim Daly’s kennel star was well away inside and always held the advantage from Mad Mash Bullet (Claude Gardiner), although the local hope kept up the pressure all the way to the line, going down by half a length. The winning time was 41.48sec.

Winning trainer Daly said: “We ran George over four bends at Towcester in the Excepcional Cup and the idea of dropping him in trip was to keep him ticking over ahead of the Regency heats – without taking too much out of him.

“While it served its purpose well, I’d say the six weeks period without a six-bend run maybe just took a slight edge off his stamina tonight.

“The time wasn’t bad but his recovery time after the race gives me the impression there’s a little bit more to come. I wouldn’t imagine it’ll be loads of improvement, but it might just be enough.”

Bo Shine Bullet impressed on the clock and to the eye as Mark Wallis’s recent Kent St Leger champion produced another polished performance in heat five.

Overcoming a slow start, the Jan 2019 daughter of Kinloch Brae and Fear Emoski powered to the front at the third bend, taking over from early leader Sampson Rocket (Jason Heath) and Getwiththetimes (David Elcock) to win by just over a length in 41.44sec.

Skilful Daisy kicked off the competition in style for Patrick Janssens in heat one as she paced up well to crucially edge favourite Burgess Puma (Jason Bloomfield) and seize the lead off the second bend.

Thereafter the August 2018 daughter of Pat C Sabbath and Global Liberty was always in control as she crossed the line five lengths clear of the local pair of Cashel Man (Wendy Short) and Galaxy Star (Stuart Maplesden) in 41.94sec.

The other heats were won by the Heather Dimmock-trained Alaskan Dawn (41.74sec), who led at the third bend in heat four before going on to score from Burgess Bruno (Julie Luckhurst), and Jimmy Fenwick’s Cold As Ice who held the running-on Ragtime Arthur (Samantha West) in heat six to win in 41.62sec.

Form and trap draw for Saturday’s semi-finals:- https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Brighton-Hove/form-guides/Sat-24th-Jluy-Form.pdf