MONMORE will stage one of the races of the year on Thursday when the Ladbrokes Gold Cup takes place at the Wolverhampton venue – a £10,000-to-the-winner competition featuring a host of big-race victors.

Towcester Gold Cup winner King Turbo (pictured winning at towcester) will be joined by the reigning Greyhound of the Year in the shape of King Elvis to give trainer Liz McNair a huge hand, while Brinkleys Poet eyes another major prize having won the Gymcrack and Select Stakes.

Matt Dartnall’s runner, third in the Monmore Puppy Derby over C&D earlier this year behind kennelmate Rising Brandy, edged out King Turbo in a thrilling first semi-final on Thursday, Brinkleys Poet making all in 27.96sec and holding the runner-up by a neck.

King Elvis posted the night’s fastest 480m time when winning the second semi-final in 27.89sec, pacing up well after a quick exit to lead Bonito Amigo (Michael Hurst), the fastest first-round winner, and strike by two and a half lengths.

The performances of the two kennelmates delighted Rab McNair, husband of the winning trainer, who was also thrilled with trials before racing which saw King Bowie (28.28sec) and King Nelson (27.96sec) both impressed. The latter is a half-brother of King Elvis.

“It was a good night all-round,” he said. “It’s all new for the pups being before racing, but they’re doing great and exciting us all. Then Turbo ran a great race behind a fantastic dog of Matt’s in Brinkleys Poet – the ground he made up on him was superb.

“And what can you say about Elvis? He’s the Greyhound of the Year, a real star – and we’re not finished yet this year either! Hopefully the final works out for us – I couldn’t have asked for a better make-up with Turbo in red and Elvis inside of Matt’s dog. But what a race!”

Plan Ahead will represent the locals in Thursday’s final after scooting away from his field in the third semi-final for a 28.12sec victory to strike gold for Monmore’s Paul Sallis – Carol Weatherall’s Holdem Zidane gamely got up late to secure a place in the decider here.

Winning trainer Sallis said of the former Towcester-based runner: “He came to us only about five or six weeks ago. His owner Martin Lloyd wanted a change of scenery for him, and was looking at A1s and maybe minor opens for him.

“But he settled in really well and seems to be responding to what we’ve tried to do with him. I just thought as he was running so well to give him a chance in the Gold Cup – and it’s fantastic to be in the final now.

“It’s a great race, of course. But I’ve got to be happy being inside of some of top greyhounds – it gives him a chance, although I’d be pretty hopeful of the red jacket running well as our boy will definitely move middle in the run to the bend.

“We had a finalist in Starshineedifice a few years back – in Swift Hoffman’s year. He’d also arrived at the kennels, from Belle Vue this time, and ‘got’ Monmore quickly and improved. He missed the break in the final – hopefully we don’t do that this time!”

Trap draw for Thursday’s final:- 1 King Turbo, 2 Plan Ahead (m), 3 Holdem Zidane (m), 4 Bonito Amigo (m), 5 King Elvis (m), 6 Brinkleys Poet (m).

Monmore results: www.gbgb.org.uk/resultsMeeting.aspx?racedate=16/08/2018%2000:00:00&track=Monmore+Green