IVANEXILE roared back to his very best with a brilliant fastest-of-the-night victory in heat four of the Stadium Bookmakers Pall Mall at Oxford on Saturday.

On a superb night for the Matt Dartnall camp given victories for Space Jet and Lively Lauren in the heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing Regency at Hove, last year’s M Lambe Birmingham Cup winner at Perry Barr was foot-perfect at lid-rise and never headed as the August 2020 son of Laughil Blake and Trusted Exile quickly raced clear.

Keeping up the gallop, Ivanexile stopped the clock in 26.71sec (-20) – his calculated time one spot inside Links Maverick’s track record, incidentally – as he crossed the line four and a quarter lengths clear of Coppice Tenzin (Kevin Hutton) and Links Dasher.

The latter’s trainer Tom Heilbron had earlier been on the mark in heat two as Links Maverick followed up a cracking track record-breaking official trial stakes victory a week before with another all-the-way triumph, winning by three and a quarter lengths from Eze (Angie Kibble) and Churchtown Annie (Kevin Hutton) in 27.08sec (-20).

Winning trainer Heilbron, delighted once again with the May 2021 son of Grangeview Ten and Havana Lottie, said of Links Maverick and Links Dasher: “The pair of them are doing me proud and Maverick’s form at Oxford, especially, has justified the decision not to take him to Towcester for the Derby.

“The aim this last eight weeks has been about having him ready for the Pall Mall. It’s a great competition and the semi-finals will be hot.

“I think the track conditions were against both of mine on Saturday, with them being out-and-gone types, so hopefully we don’t get the same weather the next few weeks! The Dasher pup is coming on really well and was game to hang on against Rioja Joey to make the semis in third.

“I’d prefer him closer to the rails and Maverick out in two or three would be perfect, but overall I couldn’t be happier with them and think we’ve got to hold a big chance in the competition now – albeit you always need that slice of luck.”

The heats kicked off with victory for Kevin Hutton’s Singalong Stacey as the BGBF Truframe British Bred Champion Stakes runner-up at Towcester produced a strong-running  performance to reel in her rivals in heat one – albeit only in the last stride.

Led for almost all the 450m trip by kennelmate Mustang Ojay, the December 2020 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Bull Run Byte swooped to conquer on the run for home and got up in the shadow of the post to score by a short-head from Mustang Ojay, with Moments Of Magic making it a brilliant 1-2-3 for the Hutton camp back in third.

Out of luck with fourth-placed Coolavanny Shado in that heat, the Patrick Janssens camp nevertheless struck gold with Arc Laurels winner Hawkfield Ozark in heat three.

A fast start set up a runaway seven-and-a-quarter length victory for the January 2020 son of Laughil Blake and Brownstown Tango who raced away to score from Milton Noah (Laurence Tuffin) and Salthill Ranger (Ron Peckover) in 27.01sec (-20).

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=399208&raceId=954970