PROPER HEIRESS lines up in Saturday’s semi-finals of the Arena Racing Company Kent Plate at Central Park with his sights firmly set on defending his title and crowning an excellent few weeks for Mark Wallis’s star.

Newly crowned 2025 Greyhound of the Year at the GBGB Awards, Proper Heiress made his seasonal bow in the 491m heats of the Category One competition and, overcoming a sluggish start, unleashed that now familiar burst of pace to lead at the bend in heat five on his way to a length-and-a-half 28.68sec (normal) win over Ballymac Axel (Maxine Locke).

Quickest of the six heats was the Richard Rees-trained Scooby The Lady who was quickly away in heat three and made all for a three-length win over Bruce Bay (Mark Wallis) and set the standard in the heats timewise with a 28.48sec (normal) success for the 491m trip.

Training honours went to Maxine Locke as the soon-to-be Central Park handler weighed in with success for last year’s Monmore Puppy Derby and Gold Cup winner Headford Dane (28.58sec) in heat two – including a best-of-night 2.97sec split – and The Other Chief (28.84sec) in heat six, while other heats went to Jason Heath’s Burrows Charm (28.98sec) in heat one and Patrick Janssens’ Droopys Graph (29.04sec) in heat four.

Rob Killingbeck, Central Park racing manager, said he was impressed with all the winners – and especially some of sectional times clocked on the night.

“To see a 2.97sec from Headford Dane and a 2.98sec from Scooby The Lady was very impressive and both were away-and-gone wins – and neither were far off the clock of 28.45sec track record. Both were also quicker than Proper Heiress, although I’m sure Mark (Wallis) is happy where he’s at with Heiress given the winter break.

“But it does seem like it’s not going to be easy pickings for the favourite as most thought it might be, especially now he faces a clash with Headford Dane in his semi-final on Saturday and Maxine’s dog has the red jacket.

“Scooby The Lady might just be the one to beat outright,” added Killingbeck.

The first two in each of Saturday’s semi-finals make it through to Saturday week’s £12,500 final.