DROOPYS GOOGLE set the standard for the competition with a fastest-of-the-round victory of the Coral Sussex Cup at Hove on Saturday, albeit much of the talk on the night was how ante-post favourite Frompostopillar just made it through to the semi-finals!

The Nathan Hunt-trained Droopys Google had set the ball rolling at a decent pace when scoring in heat one, unleashing a superb turn of back-straight pace which saw the March 2021 son of Malachi and Droopys Saga catch leader Rathnagore Syd before the third bend before drawing clear to win in 30.12sec (-30). Local star Clairekeith Remy (Carl Gardiner) qualified in third here.

Frompostopillar went to traps a warm order for heat five and all seemed to be be going to plan for the Olympic champion as Liz McNair’s dog tracked the leaders down the far side. However, challenging and crowded wide rounding the final bends, he just edged Fabulous Azurra (Patrick Janssens) for third place behind impressive and strong-running 12-1 winner Candolim Monsoon (Derek Knight) and Savana Top Cat (Chris Hamblin).

The winning time for the locally trained September 2020 son of Magical Bale and Maireads Shauna was 30.53sec (-30).

The McNairs did get on the scoresheet, however, courtesy of last year’s Sussex Cup third Havana Bale Out who was the easiest winner on the night as a fast start set up a first-bend lead in heat three. Thereafter, the April 2020 daughter of Magical Bale and Comeout To Play stretched clear down the back to score by seven and three-quarter lengths from kennelmates Whats Up Eva (Richard Rees) and Stellas Fruity in 30.16sec (-30).

Carol Weatherall’s No Rush, a Coral Brighton Belle finalist behind Betsys Bullet in April, landed a 6-1 victory in heat two as the June 2020 son of King Elvis and Vahsel Bay produced a strong-running performance to overhaul longtime leader Queen Pink (Liz McNair) on the run to the wire to score by half a length in 30.25sec (-30). Belinda Green’s Beggers Bullet finished third here.

The Green camp were later on the mark with the aforementioned Betsys Bullet, the Brighton Belle winner, who made a fantastic return to the track with victory in heat four. Breaking smartly, the June 2020 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Razzler was never headed and repelled all-comers in a good contest, holding off the always-handy Four From Two (Seamus Cahill) and Wasted Monday (Belinda Green) in 30.68sec (-30).

The concluding Coral Sussex Cup heat went to the Tony Collett-trained King Stevens who burst clear from the boxes and always held sway before the June 2021 son of Hiya Butt and Queen Anna crossing the line a length clear of reigning champion Ninja Kerry (Belinda Green) and Maiden Derby winner Drive On Lad (Richard Rees) in 30.76sec (-30).

Rob Abrey, Hove’s racing manager, said: “It was certainly an eventful and exciting first round of the Coral Sussex Cup, with ante-post favourite Fromposttopillar certainly making his followers sweat before qualifying in third place after the judges had a good look at the photo-finish! His Sussex Cup hopes are still alive and he goes again in the third semi-final on Saturday.

“It was good to see last year’s victor and recent Derby finalist Ninja Kerry finish second in his heat as he bids to become the first ever greyhound in the competition’s long history to defend the title. He’s obviously one of the leading local hopes, as is four-time Category One finalist Clairekeith Remy, who might have still have a say in the competition and will be looking to make it fifth time lucky in a Cat One after his battling third-place finish.

“Nathan Hunt’s Droopys Google clocked the fastest time of the heats with a calculated time of 29.82sec and goes in the third semi-final against Fromposttopillar, while the latter’s kennelmate Havana Bale Out, also trained by Liz McNair, won her heat well enough to propel herself to ante-post favouritism with the sponsors.

“My advice to greyhound fans is don’t miss the action on Saturday as, along with the Coral Sussex Cup and Premier Greyhound Racing Regency semi-finals, we also kick off the Coral Springbok, staged for the first time here at Hove, and the Coral Sprint Trophy.”

Form and trap draw for Saturday’s semi-finals: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Brighton-Hove/form-guides/Sat-22nd-July-Form-Adv.pdf