SANTAS AMIGO followed up a fastest-of-the-night semi-final victory with an even more impressive victory in the final of the Premier Greyhound Racing Classic on Sunderland’s biggest night of the year – as David Mullins completed a happy return to his former track.

Once based out of Sunderland, Romford trainer Mullins watched from his Essex kennels this time as the September 2023 son of Ballymac Best and Santas Jet produced the big race-winning performance his talents always looked likely to deliver as he took the £20,000 prize and Category One glory at the north east venue.

A finalist in the JR Racing Juvenile Classic at Towcester in July, as well as at the semi-finals of the Arc Puppy Classic at Nottingham, Santas Amigo had earlier also reached the semi-finals of the Arc Puppy Trophy over Sunderland’s 450m trip – and it was that experience that ultimately served him well.

Winning trainer Mullins explained: “He won his trial stakes well but just didn’t quite get the clearest runs in the heats or the semis, but that gave him the experience of the track – although come the Classic it was just whether he was back to something like his best after a spell on the sidelines. Thankfully he was!

“Sunderland can be a tricky track to run and difficult to come from behind at – and Santas Amigo is definitely best off the front. But it was good to go double handed there with Brindle Bully who’d run so well the previous year to finish third.”

Owned by Nadeem Raja, Greg White and Michael Young, Santas Amigo went off a 15-8 chance in the final – Scurry Gold Cup fourth Bockos Buster (Kevin Boon) was 7-4 favourite – but crucially the second favourite got first run with a superb burst of early pace, a first-bend lead, and a runaway five-length victory thereafter.

Crossing the line clear of Bockos Buster and Droopys Sort (Carl Jackson), Santas Amigo posted a slick 26.92sec (normal) for the 450m trip and will likely be aimed now at the Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup at Newcastle.

“He likes the north east air it seems, so that’s the plan!” added Mullins, who paid particular tribute to kennelhand Kelly Gutteridge.

“Kelly did all the trips up to Sunderland – and represented the kennel really well. I always like going back to Sunderland but Julie (Mullins, wife and assistant) had an operation recently and, while she’s absolutely on the road to recovery, she’s not able to go racing or work at the kennels so I was needed here.

“I’m delighted for the owners – they’re a good bunch of lads – and I’m just delighted how well Santas Amigo has come back. He’s a good dog, for sure, and we’ll see how good he really is down the line, but to get a Cat One on his CV is fantastic.

“Thank-you to Sunderland to the sponsors. It was a great win for us all.”