SWIFT ICONIC heads into this Friday’s semi-finals of the Arc Classic at Sunderland as the fastest heat winner after a faultless performance from the Steel City Cup champion in heat one of the GBGB Category One competition over 450m at Sunderland.

John Mullins’ consistent sort now replaces Links Maverick as ante-post favourite for the £12,500 prize after Tom Heilbron’s star bowed out of the event after suffering an injury setback in heat four. Never really in contention off a moderate start, the hot favourite moved off at the first bend, which is where his trainer believes the three-time Category One champion damaged a muscle before finishing out of the places.

“He’s done a shoulder unfortunately, and that will be him for the year,” said Heilbron. “He’s had a fantastic year and we couldn’t have asked anymore. He’s a Greyhound of the Year contender and it would have nice to round things off with a Sunderland win.

“However, that’s not be now and we’ll give him plenty of time – he’ll mate a few bitches over the winter and hopefully make his mark at stud – and then we’ll bring him back when the better weather arrives. He’s still the star of the kennel!”

Swift Iconic is a major star at John Mullins’ kennel as the Yarmouth Derby runner-up and Steel City Cup winner – he also won Oxford’s Gold Cup last year – kicked off the event in the best possible style with a runaway success in heat one.

The October 2020 son of Droopys Roddick and Swift Biology broke smartly inside and was always bossing proceedings as he drew away to score by five lengths from Keefill George (Phil Milner) and Watchall Sid (Carl Jackson) in 26.70sec (normal).

Next quickest was posted by Jonny Whiskers as Harry Burton’s May 2021 son of Skywalker Logan and Cudkevinbewrong clocked a fastest-of-the-session 4.71sec sectional before coming away to score by five and a quarter lengths from Pape Di Oreo (Savva Roberts) and March On Frankie (Neil Brown) to win in 26.76sec, with Links Maverick (Tom Heilbron) fading in fourth after suffering a shoulder injury.

However, there was better luck for the Heilbron camp in heat as Magical Rubble reeled in longtime leader Bluejig Hank (Yvonne Bell) in heat two to land the odds in 26.98sec, winning by one and three-quarter lengths from that rival and the winner’s kennelmate Links Dasher to give Heilbron two semi-finalists.

Michael Hurst will also be double represented in the semis after his Stormy News, the Gymcrack winner at Kinsley earlier this year, struck in heat six with a superb exhibition of front-running as he denied favourite Whisky Champ (Craig Marston) by a length and a half in 26.96sec, with March On Larry in third. The latter will be one of three Harry Burton-trained semi-finalists.

Jill Sutherst struck for the locals in heat five as Witton Venus, a British-bred October 2020 daughter of Laughil Blake and Witton Derecho, was soon in charge on her way to an impressive four-and-a-half lengths win over Riverside Lisa (Raymond Hale) and another Sunderland-based runner Kitty The Step (Paul Miller) in 26.92sec.

Heat three had been voided after the hare was stopped for safety reasons. Following the race a draw was made for places in the semi-finals with the connections of Droopys Soldier (Michael Hurst), Paisley Pearl (Harry Burton) and Trouble Shooter (Stuart Tighe) successful and securing places in the last-18 stage.

Trap draw for Friday’s Arc Classic semi-finals: https://www.sunderland-greyhounds.co.uk/racing/results/