PROPER HEIRESS again comfortably posted the fastest time in the Coral Sussex Cup semi-finals at Hove on Saturday – and will line up a red-hot favourite to notch a major big-race double at the seaside track this weekend.

Already winner of the Coral Olympic in December – on a night kennelmate Garfiney Blaze won the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial – the Mark Wallis-trained star also raised the possibility of another big-race double for the kennel with the same runners given Garfiney Blaze goes in the Premier Greyhound Racing Regency Final also.

Lining up in the first Sussex Cup semi-final against, among others, 2023 Coral Olympic champion King Memphis (Liz McNair), Proper Heiress went off the 8-15 favourite and made the bend in front with a show of early pace off a level break. Thereafter, the September 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Powerful Mush was bossing proceedings.

Chelms Bear (Craig Morris) stayed on well for second to claim a place in Saturday’s £10,000-to-the-winner final ahead of King Memphis.

However, disappointment for the McNairs there was eased with victory for King Memphis’s litter sister Queen Shakira in the third semi as the December 2021 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Queen Beyonce led off the second bend before holding the challenge of always-handy Slick Sentinel (Patrick Janssens) by a short-head in 30.23sec (+10).

There was a surprise in the second semi-final as the Esther Driver-trained Quill Quids ran on strongly to edge out longtime leader Ower Mystery (June Harvey) in a race in which market leaders Ballymac Kobe and last year’s Sussex Cup champion Newinn Benni were bowled over but both were quickly back on their feet.

Quill Quids won by a head from Ower Mystery in 30.54sec (+10), the slow time reflecting the messy nature of the 515m contest, but the victory – and a place in such a prestigious final for connections – delighted Paul Sallis, assistant and partner of Esther Driver.

“It’s great to be back in a Sussex Cup final – for both of us,” said Sallis. “Esther was assistant to Derek Knight for many years, of course – it’s where she started – and we had a finalist a good few years back with Mark My Words.

“We’ve been delighted with Quill Quids and it’s great he’s qualified for his first group one final. He’s a very handsome and genuine blue dog who has a great temperament and is very lightly raced.

“I thought he ran well in the semis and he certainly wasn’t unfancied – some bigger prices were taken it seems. After a slow start he grabbed the rail and showed nice speed down the back-straight and went on to win nicely.

“Unfortunately his reward in the final is trap five, which wouldn’t be ideal. He’ll try his best as always but safe and sound is the main objective for us.”

Form and trap draw for Saturday’s semi-finals: https://brightonandhovegreyhounds.co.uk/racing/advance/races