“IT’S shaping up to be one of the best Eclipses since I’ve been here,” so said David Evans, Nottingham’s general manager, after Monday’s heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing-backed Category One, which continues with three semi-finals at the Colwick Park track on Monday.

After the Patrick Janssens-trained Droopys Plunge set a high standard in the heats, supported by a strong team of his kennelmates and other classy heat winners and qualifiers, Evans said the competition for the £20,000 first prize on Monday week remains fierce with plenty in with a chance of outright honours.

“You looked at the entry and, even betting-wise, the entry was deep and the quality of entry was top class,” said Evans, “and Monday’s heats definitely lived up to the billing.

“Patrick’s (Janssens) team is obviously superb and I know Barntick Bear is a favourite of most greyhound fans – he’s such a powerhouse of a greyhound – so fair play to his kennelmate Droopys Plunge leading him home on Monday, although Barntick Bear was definitely held up early on and lost nothing in defeat.

“I’m delighted we’ve got plenty of local interest, too, in Peter Holland’s Velvet Madrid and Colin Wilton’s Sambar Kian both through to the semi-finals and fingers crossed they can progress but we know it’ll be difficult with just the first two going through to the final. Some cracking sorts are going to miss out, but either way it’s going to be a great final.

“We’ve got the cameras from the Gone To The Dogs – Live! team and they’ve chosen a cracking meeting for their next broadcast. The production team paid us a visit earlier this week and hopefully with free entry to the track on the night, plus plenty of offers out their for customers, we’ll get a decent Monday night crowd in.

“For us it’s almost the start of the Christmas season and we’ve got a few parties in.”

Droopys Plunge heads into Monday’s semis as the fastest heat winner after racing away for an impressive heat six victory over Barntick Bear for a Patrick Janssens-trained one-two, with the reigning Eclipse champion Newinn Syd making the semis in third. The winning time was a fast 29.16sec (+30) from the youngest runner the 500m competition.

The victory landed a double on the night for Janssens after Romeo Steel’s victory in 29.55sec (+30), while other heats went to Kevin Hutton’s Antigua Kestrel (29.55sec +30), Mark Wallis’s lightly raced Proper Heiress (29.68sec +30), Jimmy Fenwick’s Steel City Cup hero Wicky Ned (29.35sec +30) and Peter Holland’s Velvet Madrid (29.90sec +30).

Trap draw for Monday’s Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse semis:-

First semi: 1 Velvet Madrid, 2 Proper Heiress, 3 Droopys Plunge, 4 Romeo Steel, 5 Newinn Syd, 6 Slick Sentinel (m).

Second semi: 1 Wicky Ned, 2 Barntick Bear, 3 Stonepark Wes, 4 Salacres Tipster, 5 Antigua Kestrel, 6 Avongate Venus (m).

Third semi: 1 Sambar Kian, 2 Clodcar Rosie, 3 Keefill Goose, 4 Romeo Command, 5 Tricky Wiggles (m), 6 Droopys Doughnut (w).