BROOKSIDE RICHIE will head to Perry Barr on Thursday for a one-off contest in with Coolavanny Shado as part of Premier Greyhound Racing Trainers’ Judgement Night, in preparation for a crack at the Laurels, after landing his latest GBGB Category One title in last week’s Arena Racing Company Northern Flat Final at Newcastle.

The Jimmy Fenwick-trained, Richie Vickers-owned runner, made all in the longstanding £12,500-to-the-winner annual at the Byker venue – overcoming on paper a tough-looking trap five draw – to add to victories in the Juvenile Classic at Towcester and Romford Puppy Cup, both in 2021, and in last year’s Select Stakes at Nottingham.

However, as drawn, the railer had to be foot-perfect in Thursday’s final of the 480m competition given his orange-jacket pitch but the October 2019 son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Greatest did not let his supporters down as he trapped superbly, posted a slick 4.48sec split, and raced away for a comfortable victory.

Leading into the turn, Brookside Richie was never in trouble as he crossed the line four and three-quarter lengths clear of Swift Silly (Raymond Hale) and Freedom Epic (Tom Heilbron) to score in 28.18sec (normal) for the 480m trip.

Winning trainer Fenwick was delighted to have notched a first Northern Flat victory, especially given the event – first run at Belle Vue in 1927 – is now very much part of the big-race schedule at his home track Newcastle. The first running at the north-east venue took place in 2021 when another local hope in Tom Heilbron’s Pacemaker Ted struck gold.

Fenwick said: “It’s always great to win any major competition, but especially when it’s in front of your own people and against some of the best trainers and dogs around. The quality of both is really good here at Newcastle so you never take anything for granted.

“Richie needed to start well. He’d won from trap four at Towcester, but had never won from trap five – and we just hoped he’d get a better run than he did from the orange-box in last year’s Steel City Cup final at Sheffield. Thankfully he did once trapping like that!

“He’s in a great place at the moment, physically in really good shape, and loves his racing anyway – and we know he runs Perry Barr well. I took him there last year and he clocked 27.96sec which equalled the track record at the time before Slick Sakina and then Coolavanny Shado bettered it.

“So it’s a race at Perry Barr on Thursday and then the Laurels. Towcester and the Derby is also on the agenda for him.”

Ian Walton, Newcastle’s Stadium Manager, paid his own tribute.

“It was a fantastic performance by Richie, showing once again he’s at the top of his game,” said Walton. “Trap five was no hindrance. He showed great early pace and, keeping a middle line, won like the true high-class competition dog he is.”

Result: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=395527&raceId=926355