THE stage is set for a high-class bet365 English Puppy Oaks Final at Towcester on Saturday – as part of a gala Christmas Bonanza at the track – after Sunday’s semi-finals produced some cracking performances from the youngsters.

Droopys Smily underlined her huge promise and highlighted her breeding once again when racing away for success in the third semi-final – posting the fastest time of the round at the Northamptonshire venue and is vying for outright favouritism now.

A sister of Irish sensation Droopys Kathleen, Carol Weatherall’s May 2023 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Dancer powered clear off the first bend before racing away for a facile four and three-quarter length success over Magical Kirsty (Patrick Browne) in a standard-setting 29.07sec (normal) for the 500m trip.

Dark Madam had started the Sunday session at the Northamptonshire venue with success in heat one as the Seamus Cahill-trained runner unleashed a cracking burst of early pace to grab fast-starting favourite Innfield Storm (Tom Heilbron) at the bend.

Able to boss proceedings thereafter, the April 2023 daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Lemon Stacey, a half-sister of the likes of Cochise and Murrow Inkosi, went on for a three-length success over Brinkleys Betty (Tom Heilbron) in 29.27sec (normal) to secure her place in Saturday’s £10,000-to-the-winner decider.

The final two places for the Category One bitches-only contest went to two Maxine Locke-trained runners as all-the-way winner Yahoo Maizey held on from kennelmate and English Puppy Derby finalist Ballymac Lucia by a short-head, the last-named finishing well inside. The winning time was 29.51sec (normal).

James Chalkley, director of racing at Towcester, said: “All three semi-finals had something and, while Ballymac Lucia and Droopys Smily pretty much top the betting with sponsors bet365, the final has a real competitive feel to it.

“All the action will be on SIS and Gone To The Dogs – Live!

“They’ve certainly got a great night’s racing in store. All races are sponsored with nine £3,000 invitations, four £750 kennel sweepstakes finals and, of course, the £10,000 bet365 English Puppy Oaks Final.

“The card is fantastic from top to bottom with major competition winners aplenty – it’s like a ‘Night of Stars’ here at Towcester and is definitely something we’d be looking to stage in the future. The response has been really good.”

Trap draw for Saturday’s bet365 English Puppy Oaks Final: 1 Dark Madam, 2 Ballymac Lucia, 3 Brinkleys Betty, 4 Droopys Smily, 5 Yazoo Maizy (m), 6 Magical Kirsty (m).