LIZ MCNAIR sent out a double in the heats of the Ladbrokes Gold Collar at Crayford on Saturday as both defending champion Warzone Tom and kennelmate Feora Noel struck for the Kent-based handler.

 

Last year’s winner Warzone Tom produced a stirring finish to land heat one of the former Catford showpiece. The August 2019 son of Good News and Bogger Bonnie was led from the boxes by Woodcocks Akia as Nick Deas’s evergreen sort, twice a winner of the Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy, raced into a long lead on her return.

 

However, Warzone Tom steadily made headway down the back second time and hit the front on the run for home, only to be pressed by the strong-running Bombardier, with a short-head separating the pair, with Woodcocks Akia another three-quarters of a length back in third to make Saturday’s semis. The winning time was 33.89sec (+20).

 

The McNair double was completed by Feora Noel in heat three as the December 2019 son of Droopys Sydney and Feora Inish reeled in pace-setting Chelms Switch off the fourth bend before going on to win by a length and a quarter from Luna Jezabelle (Keith Robins) and Slapdash Tommy (Nathan Hunt) in 33.69sec (+20).

 

Fastest of the first round winners was Iso Fantastic as Barry O’Sullivan marked his return to the track as a trainer – he will have a dual attachment with Central Park – by sending out the heat six winner of the 540m annual.

 

The September 2019 son of Iso Octane and Noeleens Choice was never headed as a fastest-of-the-round 12.72sec sectional set up a trap-to-line victory by two and a quarter lengths from Nipsey Hustle (Carol Weatherall) and Dapper Rodney (Nathan Hunt) in a standard-setting 33.50sec (+20).

 

The other heats were by the Keith Robins-trained Glenvale Tony (33.92sec -20), who finished best to deny Deanridge Lambo (Allison Kelly-Pilgrim) in heat two; Jason Gornall’s in-form Peejays Forever (33.67sec +20), who made all in heat four, while Makeit For Waz (33.62sec +20) maintained her prolific ways in heat five.

 

The latter made all to score by a length from the eye-catching Savana Ruinart (Diane Henry).

 

Graham Banks, deputy racing manager and in charge of the track’s social media output on the day, said: “It was another cracking start to a Ladbrokes Gold Collar here with some brilliant finishes and great efforts – none more so from Warzone Tom in the very first heat, which always looked a cracker.

 

“In fact, what more can you say about Warzone Tom – he’s just a star. He’s got a brilliant record at Crayford when you think he won both the Gold Collar and Autumn Trophy here last year before reaching the final of the (Premier Greyhound Racing) Golden Jacket – and he’s back winning here again.

 

“That said it was great to see Woodcocks Akia run such a great race herself against him. She’s won two Peter Busseys here and was having her first start after a long time off the track – in itself that was some training performance from Nick (Deas). Mention should be made of Bombardier who split Tom and Akia – he’s also run some race.

 

“Timewise Iso Fantastic saved the best for last with a fastest heat win. Barry O’Sullivan’s back having runners here so his effort was good for the kennel – and, of course, Barry won the second Gold Collar staged here with Yahoo Victor for Karl Brazier in 2016, so they’ve certainly got history in the race.”

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=390969&raceId=888564

 

Trap draw for Saturday’s semi-finals: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Crayford/form-guides/Gold-Collar-Grand-National-Semi-Finals-Form.pdf