NO RUSH was quickest again in the semi-finals of the Coral Brighton Belle at Hove on Saturday as Carol Weatherall’s British-bred star, a June 2020 daughter of King Elvis and Vahsel Bay, caught defending champion Whats Up Eva in a cracking second semi-final of the bitches-only GBGB Category One.

First to show from the boxes, Whats Up Eva set a furious pace up ahead but the eventual winner was never far off the pace and came with a strong challenge from halfway to close on the leader and edge ahead close home to win by a neck in 30.34sec (-10) for the 515m – the pair securing their places in Saturday’s £10,000 decider.

It means Whats Up Eva has a chance to become only the first greyhound to successfully defend the title in the famous event’s history, which stretches back to 1975.

Her trainer Richard Rees said: “Look, it’s great to have a chance to doing the double and she’s got every chance – although it won’t be easy. She’s got to lead to win and needs to do exactly what she did last year, but so far, so good.

“We pretty much mapped out a plan for her last year leading to her defending the title and she’s in the final. It’s a tougher final this year, for sure, but she’s only been beaten a neck in the fastest semi-final time so is definitely in the mix.

“Either way, it’ll be an emotional night. Her part-owner Di Benson lost her husband Alf recently and he loved Eva, so our thoughts recently have been very much with their family. Eva has done them proud up to now and maybe, just maybe she can run another big race just as last year. Alf collected the trophy along with Di then.”

Like No Rush, Lively Lauren followed up her heat success with victory in the first semi-final as Matt Dartnall’s bitch continued her successful return to four bends.

It was a typically strong-running performance from the February 2021 daughter of Ballymac Anton and Art Of Illusion who overcame hardly the clearest of runs through to catch leader Gatling Gun ( Patrick Browne) before crossing the line three-quarters of a length in front of the always-handy Betsys Bullet (Belinda Green) in 30.43sec (-10).

My Girl Mia made it three unbeaten runners through to the final when making all in the third semi-final when scoring a local victory for Seamus Cahill.

The March 2021 daughter of Broadstrand Bono and Lightfoot Feery paced up well to lead into the turn and, making the most of her inside slot, slipped to the front and continued her rich vein of form by coming home half a length in front of the keeping-on Newinn Touch (Mark Wallis) in 30.46sec  (-10).

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=396242&raceId=931536

Trap draw for Saturday’s finals of the Coral Brighton Belle: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Brighton-Hove/form-guides/Saturday-29-4-23-adv-form.pdf