BRADYS BULLET was quickest in the heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing Puppy Derby at Monmore on Saturday as six heats of the GBGB Category One annual shared the stage with the Ladbrokes Winter Derby Final on a bumper night’s racing.

Trained by Belinda Green, who later sent out Hesoneofourown and Betsys Bullet to contest the Winter Derby before guiding Low Pressure to success in the supporting Ladbrokes.com Dual Distance Final on the card, Bradys Bullet started the night well for the Hove handler when winning heat two of the £20,000 youngsters’ competition.

The July 2021 son of Good News and Early Rise had won his warm-up impressively from off the pace seven days previously but this time broke in front and never looked in danger as he strode clear for a three lengths victory over Aero Arran (Richie Taberner) and Links Top Gun (Tom Heilbron) in 27.87sec for the 480m trip.

Next quickest was Links Maverick (Grangeview Ten-Havana Lottie, May 21), representing last year’s winning kennel, as Tom Heilbron’s dog began his campaign to add to his Arc Northern Puppy Derby title with victory in heat six as the Newcastle raider made all in 27.94sec from Untold Zloty (Carol Weatherall) and Havana Top Note (Liz McNair).

The event kicked off with victory in heat one for the Richard Rees-trained Churchfield Syd who made all outside for a runaway win in 27.99sec (normal). The June 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Millbank Jade raced away to score by five and a half lengths from Crossfield Riley (Patrick Janssens) and Rioja Joey (Kevin Hutton).

Romford raider Cooligold (Laughil Blake-Jays Gold, May 21) produced a batting performance to win heat three, coming through an early paced battle with Mallogs Calvin (Sharon Saberton) before drawing clear for a two and a half lengths success over the Harlow representative in 28.08sec (normal). Third here was Clona Uriel (Derek Knight).

The Northern Puppy Derby form was franked again in a thrilling heat four as John Marriott’s Fearsome Quest, third in the Newcastle event behind Links Maverick, finished best to edge out Droopys Fidget (Nathan Hunt) and Skywalker Isak (Ted Soppitt) in a driving finish. The British-bred May 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Nah Then Bella won by a head and short-head in 28.37sec (normal).

The remaining heat five went to the Patrick Janssens-trained Slick Saratoga in all-the-way style as the June 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Madgies Wish held the staying-on Havana Allago (Liz McNair) by half a length in 28.28sec (normal), with another Northern Puppy Derby finalist White Clover (Tom Heilbron) qualifying in third.

Monmore racing manager Tony Williamson was impressed by the overall quality of the six heats and was not surprised to see the Newcastle form upheld, given two years Jaguar Macie won the Northern Puppy Derby before winning the Monmore version, while last year Freedom Alibi made the final at the Wolverhampton track after winning at Newcastle.

“It was a cracking round of heats and, while Bradys Bullet was fastest and very impressive with lots more to come, I wasn’t surprised to see Northern Puppy Derby winner Links Maverick fare so well. Tom (Heilbron) brought him down as part of a strong team and will be hopeful of Maverick doing the double – Tom went pretty close last year, of course.

“All that said, there’s plenty of more racing to come in the event. I’m just delighted Saturday went so well in terms of staging the Ladbrokes Winter Derby and Dual Distance Stayers finals. Well done to Patrick Janssens and his owners for winning the Winter Derby with Coolavanny Shado and to Belinda Green and her owners for winning the Dual Distance with Low Pressure

“Belinda’s night started well with Bradys Bullet in the Puppy Derby and, while I’m sure they might have been disappointed with how their runners fared in the Winter Derby final, you’d say both Hesoneofourown and Betsys Bullet played their part in what was a great final. On any other day, they might well have won it. It was one of those races which could have gone any way.”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=394526&raceId=918040

Form and draw for Saturday’s semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing Puppy Derby: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Monmore/form-guides/Premier-Greyhound-Racing-Puppy-Derby-Semi-Finals.pd