MY GIRL MIA laid down a real marker for the event when posting the fastest time in the second round of the Bet365 Puppy Oaks at Towcester on Sunday.

 

Trained by Seamus Cahill, the March 2021 daughter of Broadstrand Bono and Lightfoot Feery had been pegged back late in the first round by Makeit Swallow but was always in command this time in heat one before crossing the line a length and a half clear of Baggios Emoski (Frank Bryce) and Slaneyside Frend (Barrie Draper) in 29.87sec (-20).

 

A winner now of six of her nine races, Hove trainer Cahill was delighted with the effort from the youngster who he feels is coming forward nicely.

 

He said: “To be 18 months old and be running A1 at Hove tells you something, but Towcester was all new to her and we’re delighted how she’s handled it. There was always a chance she’d break better from the middle, and so it proved. Hopefully she can do it again in the semis and you’d like to think she’ll improve.”

 

Ballymac Mags caught the eye again when coming home powerfully to win heat two as Angie Kibble’s youngster, a February 2021 daughter of Ballymac Kingdom and Are Nagini, maintained her position as one of the leading contenders for outright honours with an impressive display.

 

Led from the traps by Fabulous Bling (David Mullins), the eventual winner was always handy and proved the stronger on the run for home to score by half a length from the Romford raider and Tracey Went Mad (Kevin Hutton) in 29.98sec (-20).

 

Selsey Bullet struck for Belinda Green in heat three as the April 2021 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Killeacle Tammy produced a strong-running performance.

 

Aero Wilma (Arran Dunn) led up here and ran a stormer before being reeled in by the eventual winner and Fabulous Lynx (Patrick Janssens) on the run for home – Selsey Bullet securing a neck success in 30.42sec (-20) for the 500m trip.

 

The fourth and final heat saw Mark Wallis’s Minnies Bullet soon handy before powering to the front off the last bend – the January 2021 daughter of Good News and Moanduff Daisy scoring by a length and three-quarters from longtime leader Agilis Faith (Gary Griffiths) and favourite Bubbly Bluebelle in 30.00sec (-20).

 

The four second round heats of the Bet365 Puppy Oaks were supported by the semi-finals of the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Sovereign Stakes, a GBGB Category Two competition, which went to Eric Cantillon’s Newtown Sydney (15.77sec -10) and John Mullins’s Ballymac Slapup (15.83sec -10).

 

Trap draws for Sunday’s Bet365 Puppy Oaks semi-finals and the final of the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Sovereign Stakes: https://towcester-racecourse.co.uk/racecards-results/

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=391077&raceId=889334