PROPER HEIRESS landed a fourth Category One title – and a fifth major event – with an ultra impressive win in the Coral Sussex Cup Final at Hove on Saturday.

Already winner of the Coral Olympic, Ladbrokes Winter Derby and Arc Kent Plate, as well as the Time Greyhound Nutrition Juvenile Championship, Proper Heiress bolstered his CV still further with success in the £10,000-to-the-winner competition over 515m on a night the south coast venue also hosted the Premier Greyhound Racing Regency Final.

Trained by Mark Wallis for the MWD Partnership, Proper Heiress went to traps the 4-9 favourite after fluent wins in heat and semi-final as he looked to land the first leg of a major big-race double for the champion trainer given his long odds-on Mongys Wild would later claim gold in the Regency decider over 695m.

Led from the boxes by the fast-starting Slick Sentinel (Patrick Janssens), Proper Heiress motored to the first bend to range up alongside the leader into the bend, the pair going head to head into the turn. However, using the inside line, the eventual winner established a crucial advantage as they swung round and was away.

Not stopping thereafter, the September 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Powerful Mush established a clear advantage down the far side and was on his way to a famous big-race double at Hove after claiming Olympic gold in December.

Chelms Bear (Craig Morris) stayed on best to grab second, some two and three-quarter lengths behind the 29.64sec winner (normal), and might have got closer but for being held up at the third bend – albeit the winner was not for catching.

 

“He definitely would have got closer, but nothing was getting to Proper Heiress on the night,” reflected Hove racing manager Rob Abrey. “That was an ultra professional performance from a real winner – as we saw here in December in the Olympic.

“I’m not surprised connections are now looking at a possible crack at the Irish Derby. Not too many UK greyhounds travel across we know, but Proper Heiress would be up there with the very best of those who have made the trip in recent years.

“His record is second to none really in the number of competitions he’s won in a short space of time and he gives Mark (Wallis) a very strong hand across four bends and further given what Mongys Wild is doing over six bends and more. They must be delighted.

“Overall, I thought it was a great night’s racing here. It was full of quality and, while we might have had a few odds-on chances going into the night across all the races, we had a few surprises. Not all the favourites had an easy ride – and that’s the beauty of greyhound racing. They’re not machines and some handle the big occasion better than others.

“I thought the race of the night was Shadow Storm, for our own Richard Rees, edging out Mark’s (Wallis) Ballinakill Liam in the sprint final, while it was great to see Carl Gardiner among the winners with Clairkeith Liana in the Droopys Clue retirement race.

“In fact it was great to see ‘Cluedo’ and Churchfield Syd both here to parade their own races. They looked an absolute picture and are a credit to connections as they head off to stud. Both looked as if they would have given Saturday’s runners a race!”

Photo: © Steve Nash