COONOUGH CROW began the defence of her title with a brilliant display in the heats of the Arc Grand Prix at Sunderland and will be a huge player in Friday’s semi-finals as Mark Wallis’s bitch aims to become the first to land back-to-back victories in the 640m event, first run in 2007.

Lining up in heat five, the October 2020 daughter of Eden the Kid and Coonough Dolly produced a typically strong-running effort to win by seven lengths, catching early leader Westside Bocko before going on to score from the latter’s kennelmate Innfield Ciara (Yvonne Bell) in 39.26sec (normal).

Sharing the headlines with Coonough Crow’s fastest-of-the-night effort was the hat-trick landed by Diane Henry’s kennel as Savana Shay, Savana Heross and Savana Jazz rattled off victories in heats one, two and three respectively.

First up was Savana Shay in heat one as the September 2021 son of Ballymac Cashout and Ballymac Arminta, a litter brother of big-race winners Ballymac John and Kinturk Road, started well and made all by three-quarters of a length from Knockalton Duza (Darren Little) and Agile Ange (Debbie Calvert) in 39.99sec (normal).

Queen Mother Cup winner Savana Heross, a May 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Blundel Spark, was next up for the Henry kennel with a powerful effort to claim gold by four and three-quarter lengths after leading off the last bend to score from Aayamza Dancer (John Mullins) and Coppice Kaiser (Jimmy Fenwick) in 39.88sec (normal).

The Henry hat-trick was completed by Savana Jazz, a TV Trophy finalist, who landed heat three in a similar power-packed style as the January 2021 daughter of Good News and Slippery Jade led at the three-quarter pole to win by five and a quarter lengths from Farneys Willie (Richard Wales) and Emers Bonnie (Dean Blackbird) in 39.91sec (normal).

Henry was delighted with her kennel’s efforts, especially given a lack of experience of the Wearside venue, commenting: “All the dogs ran brilliantly for their first look and handled Sunderland very well. It was nice to see.

“Savana Shay would be the interesting one given three weeks off the track and his first time over an extended trip, although he did cramp coming home which was reflected in his time. All that considered, I think with a second look and not cramping he could take a healthy lead again and stay on better next time.

“He definitely has some nice pace, but not being a consistent trapper meant he wasn’t making the corner with the good four-bend dogs so extending the trip could see him get his head in front. The way he’s being finishing his races of late I felt Sunderland could be perfect for him. He seems to run the smaller tracks better I’ve found.

“Savana Jazz is just a little firecracker! She reached the TV Trophy final and then beat Ballymac Taylor over 900m at Monmore, so Friday’s run in the heats at Sunderland shows how versatile this little girl is dropping back to a six-bend trip. Again she has a great chance for a place in the semis given the room to be able to finish well.

“Savana Heross is a classy six-bend performer. I was intrigued to see how he would handle Sunderland as, with Heross, if he doesn’t like a track he won’t run – he can be a little stubborn – but he ran it great. Heross can really start when he wants and, if he gets it right from the boxes, he’s usually a hard dog to pull back.

“It’s an exciting competition with some lovely dogs in all the semis.”

The John Flaherty-trained Greenwell Ange caught the eye in heat four after the British-bred July 2021 daughter off Broadstrand Bono and Ballycian Bella justified favouritism, albeit only hitting the front off the last bend for a two and a quarter lengths win over Ballymac Jonjo (Mark Wallis) and Brinkleys Magic (Tom Heilbron) in 39.34sec (normal).

The sixth and final went to Tom Heilbron’s Innfield Charm who finished best for a last-gasp victory to win by a length from Greenwell Halle (John Flaherty) and Aayamza Sydney (John Mullins) in 39.50sec (normal). The latter, the 2-7 favourite, had led for much of the way before succumbing late on – albeit still makes the semi-finals.

Trap draw for Friday’s Arc Grand Prix semi-finals – Sunderland, 640m:-

First semi-final: 1 Savana Shay, 2 Emers Bonnie, 3 Aayamza Dancer, 4 Knockalton Duza, 5 Coppice Kaiser (w), 6 Agile Ange (w).

Second semi-final: 1 Coonough Crow, 2 Aayamza Sydney, 3 Innfield Ciara, 4 Farneys Willie (m), 5 Allowdale Icon (w), 6 Savana Jazz (w).

Third semi-final: 1 Innfield Charm, 2 Brinkleys Magic, 3 Savana Heross, 4 Greenwell Ange (m), 5 Ballymac Jonjo (w), 6 Greenwell Halle (w).