SALACRES PIPPY set the standard in the heats of the Jay & Kay Coach Tours Kent St Leger at Crayford on Saturday as Peter Harnden’s bitch posted the night’s fastest 714m time – to help make it a good evening for the Nottingham handler.

His Kilara Icon was a real eyecatcher in qualifying for the second round of the Star Sports & Arc Greyhound Derby second round back at base – and Salacres Pippy was equally impressive as she opened her UK account at the third time of asking in heat one.

Bumped at the bend but always handy, the September 2018 daughter of Definate Opinion and Pippy hit the front at the sixth bend and went on to score from Golden Jacket and last year’s St Leger third Avastorm (Mark Wallis) by two and a quarter lengths in 45.28sec.

Next quickest was Michelle Brown’s Cesarewitch second Micks Little Gem who returned to the scene of her Boxing Day Marathon and 1,048m triumphs at the Kent venue when a powerful 45.66sec winner of heat four from Droopys Bird (Simon Harms).

Hayley Keightley suffered disappointment in the Derby with the first-round elimination of both Hiya Boyo and Roxholme Kristof, but a 1-2 in heat six of the Crayford competition put the smile back on the kennel’s face as 3 Steps finalist Ballydoyle Bee led home Roxholme Poppy in 45.73sec.

Mark Keightley, husband of the winning trainer, said: “Most people would probably be devastated to go out the Derby with your only two participants on the first night – and, yes, it’s tough at the time but it was more of a relief to get both lads home safe after they got rough rides.

“Boyo had an horrendous make-up to contend with and, while he may have helped himself with a better start, he was always pinned against the fence after Deerjet Sydney dived left causing havoc inside. His race was over before he got any chance to attempt a recovery.

“Kristof was given a better make-up on paper and all seemed fine given he was just sat off the pace before an uncharacteristic manoeuvre by the three-dog caused him severe interference at the bend. Once again his Derby challenge was quickly over.

“He’ll be given a solo 500m on Saturday to overcome any possible doubts about Nottingham in his head and then there’s a potential entry for the 680m competition.

“Thankfully Saturday night at Crayford was a much happier night for the kennel. Ballydoyle Bee put up a good performance given she had no look round and the lovable Poppy ran another great race.

“Both seem fine and go into the hat for the semis – and we hope they don’t clash again in the semi-finals!”

There was a popular local triumph in heat two as Beechgrove Bell, a finalist in the event last year, produced a strong-running effort to lead off the last bend and edge longtime leader Ballymac Zoro (Terry Nevin) by three-quarters of a length in 46.20sec.

Winning trainer Tom Levers said: “I thought it was a really gutsy run. She showed a lot of determination to get through the pack.

“I couldn’t prepare her as I’d have liked. Her previous race was some five weeks ago in the final at Monmore (Summer Stayers Classic) and she knocked up a toe. It meant only a couple of gallops and a 380m trial since. She’ll come on for the run and should come away better in the next round.”

The other heats were won by Mark Wallis’s Glassmoss Sis (46.59sec), after an injury to Patrick Janssens’ Golden Jacket winner Skilful Sandie, and the Stuart Maplesden-trained Punk Rock Mutley, who was always handy before drawing clear impressively in 45.86sec.

Results: www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=366505&raceId=677270