LITTER brothers King Combs and King Memphis played their part in another huge weekend for Liz and Rab McNair with victory in their respective semi-finals of the Coral Olympic at Hove – securing places in Saturday’s £10,000-to-the-winner crackerjack decider at the Sussex venue.

Sandwiched between wins for Havana Lover in the Bet365 Challenge Cup semi-finals at Oxford and Queen Dusty’s success in Sunday’s Bet365 Puppy Oaks decider at Towcester, King Combs and King Memphis produced contrasting wins – with the former raising the roof with a last-to-first success in the first semi.

The December 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Queen Beyonce, third to King Memphis in the RPGTV Puppy Derby at Towcester, was slowly away and lost ground with crowding at the first bend, before powering through his field to reel in his rivals off the last bend for an astonishing win from Wasted Monday (Belinda Green) in 30.21sec (-30)

King Memphis then matched his littermate’s efforts – albeit was a deal more handy early! Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse champion Newinn Syd (Mark Wallis) just led up but King Memphis was soon challenging and took up the running down at the bottom of the back straight before coming away to score from that rival in 30.15sec (-30).

Despite defeat in what was the fastest of the semi-finals, the runner-up’s trainer Mark Wallis was delighted to see Newinn Syd in another GBGB Category One final and feels there is more to come from the two-year-old.

“There’s no doubt he’s come forward in recent weeks,” he said. “He showed plenty in the Puppy Classic at Nottingham but then really came of age during the Eclipse and we’re pretty hopeful he’ll continue to progress and establish himself one of our main hopes for the Derby next year at Towcester.

“He’s got the strength you need there and, maybe in time, we’ll try him other further. You’d have to say at Hove he’s come up against two of the very best dogs in the UK just now in King Memphis and Hollow Man – now he’s got them both in the Olympic final!

“I’d like to say well done to Hove. The Olympic has become a really great end-of-year competition and this year’s line-up looks one of the best and, having the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial Final as well, makes it a top-class meeting.”

Derek Knight’s local star Hollow Man extended his winning sequence to 13 with another exhibition of powerful front running in the third semi-final, pacing up to quickly lead the charge on his way to success over Seamus Cahill’s home-bred youngster Never Say No in 30.19sec (-30).

It means the Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes winner has a chance to land his trainer a sixth Olympic title.

Trap draw for Saturday’s finals: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Brighton-Hove/form-guides/23-12-2023-adv-form.pdf