KING CAPALDI proved quickest of an on-song Liz McNair team as the Central Park handler landed a treble in the rescheduled heats – switched to Monday from Friday because of a waterlogged track – of the RPGTV Cowley Puppy Collar at Oxford.

Lining up in heat four of a competition the McNairs won with the brilliant Fromposttopillar 12 months ago, the victories of King Capaldi, litter brother King Memphis, and Queen Dusty, proved timely given the career-ending injury suffered by last year’s champion in the heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby on Sunday.

Of the Olympic, Kent Plate and Summer Stayers Classic, Rab McNair said: “He’s doing good. The staff and vet at Central Park did a tremendous job and Postie’s in good enough shape. Sadly that’s it for him racing-wise but what a champion he’s been – now he can get ready to be a champion at stud!

“Brendan wants all his bitches mated with Postie so let’s hope the next round of pups can do as well as the current bunch who are doing us proud. Monday at Oxford went really well for us – and fair play to the track itself. Friday was a no-no. It was impossible, but switching the meeting to Monday was sensible.”

King Capaldi was matched early by fast-starting Lush (Maxine Locke) but was soon in command in the fourth and final heat as a 3.96sec sectional set up a trap-to-line victory in 26.98sec (-20), the December 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Queen Beyonce winning by two-and-a-half lengths from Droopys Hanover (Kevin Hutton) and Lush.

The McNair hat-trick was kick-started by King Memphis in heat two as King Capaldi’s litter brother overcame bumping on the run-up to turn in a pitch before hitting the front down the back-straight for a four-and-a-half-length success over Droopys Dingo (Dan Brabon) and Signet Batman (Kevin Hutton) in 27.14sec (-30).

Queen Dusty was the middle leg of the McNair treble as the January 2022 daughter of King Turbo and Queen Charlotte caught kennelmate Queen Leona approaching the third turn and went to score by a length and a half in 27.29sec (-20) from the staying-on Ballymac Rocky (Angie Kibble) and Queen Leona.

Michelle Brown’s Golden Palace reeled in longtime leader Cat Island (Mark Wallis) to win the opening heat. The latter clocked a fastest-of-the-session 3.96sec sectional time and went on, only for the December 2021 son of Pestana and Golden Mist to finish the stronger and land the spoils by a short-head in 27.57sec (-40).

Trap draw for Friday’s RPGTV Cowley Puppy Collar semi-finals: https://oxford-stadium.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FRI-20TH-OCT-PUPPY-COLLAR-ADVANCED-CARD.pdf