PROPER HEIRESS, trained by Mark Wallis for the MWD Partnership, emerged victorious from a brilliant – and possibly best ever – Juvenile Championship at Towcester on Sunday.

Sponsored by Time Greyhound Nutrition, the record £10,000 one-off was the highlight of a cracking card at the Northamptonshire venue which also featured the BetGoodwin and JR Racing Maiden Derby Final and trial stakes for the upcoming Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby.

And it was Proper Heiress, a September son of Droopys Sydney and Powerful Mush, who proved the star of the show, but only after a titanic battle with BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby and English Derby favourite Bockos Diamond (Graham Holland).

Proper Heiress and Droopys Plunge trapped best from their midfield pitches and it was the former who crucially headed the field into the turn, albeit Bockos Diamond was now rushing up to the turn after just mistiming the star.

It was now race-on between Proper Heiress and Bockos Diamond as the pair flew round the second bend with the Wallis star, a three-time Category One winner, always holding a narrow advantage and beginning to turn the screw into the third turn.

With the challenge of Bockos Diamond beaten off, it was now Proper Heiress’s Juvenile Championship and the Coral Olympic, Ladbrokes Winter Derby and Arc Kent Plate winner powered on for a famous victory, with Droopys Plunge (12-1) coming through strongly to take second ahead of Bockos Diamond.

The winning time was a super-slick 28.62sec (normal) for the 500m trip.

Andy Lisemore, Towcester racing manager, said: “It was a privilege to be here, overseeing such a great race and really whets the appetite for what is to come in the Derby.

“Proper Heiress was just brilliant and, while in some places it was billed as a clash between Ireland’s Greyhound of the Year Bockos Diamond and the UK’s Greyhound of the Year Wicky Ned, you always felt Mark’s dog would have a say if he trapped.

“He’s certainly been the best greyhound here in the last three of fours months, picking up those three major trophies, so his record was second to none going into the Juvenile. I’m just happy the race has lived up to expectations. When we saw the six runners entered it was mouthwatering, but sometimes these races cut up. This one didn’t.

“And when Proper Heiress and Bockos Diamond went toe-to-toe down the back that was something else. All true greyhound fans will have had the hairs on the back of their necks standing up because there’s no better sight – it was a great battle between them.

“There were plenty of people telling me afterwards that Bockos Diamond would have needed the run and will come on for that. That’s right I’m sure, but Proper Heiress was quite brilliant on his way and full deseved his win.

“Fair play to Patrick’s dog (Droopys Plunge) coming through as strongly as he did. He runs Towcester well and will no doubt be back to give the Derby a crack as will the others.”

*THE £175,000 Star Sports English Greyhound Derby closes to entries on Monday, April 28, at 7pm.

The draw takes place on Friday, May 2, with the first round across three nights from Thursday, May 8 to Saturday, May 10.