NEWINN SYD heads into Monday’s semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse at Nottingham as the fastest winner after running amok in heat three.

Mark Wallis’s runner, a semi-finalist in the recent Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby at Central Park, had finished third to Glenvale Bill (now Slick Sabo) in the Puppy Classic over C&D in August and now made a successful return to the Colwick Park venue with a fast start setting up an eight-and-half length win in 29.48sec (+20).

The victory over Nathan Hunt’s pair of Allowdale Cazoo and Hopes Rhino completed a double for Mark Wallis after Derby Plate winner Whyaye Man paced up best to lead at the turn before also winning comfortably, crossing the line eight lengths clear of Atomic Gun (Patrick Browne) and Cooladerry Dust (Alex Hopkins) in 29.62sec (+20).

Graham Holland matched Wallis’s feat by also notching a double as the Irish-based handler sent out both Clona Duke and Bockos Crystal to win their heats.

Clona Duke, already winner of the Time Greyhound Nutrition Select Stakes (Waterford) and JenningsBet Select Stakes this year as well as making the Star Sports English Derby Final at Towcester with track records on route, made a successful return to Nottingham in the opening heat one of the £20,000 event.

Posting a slick 5.07sec sectional on his way to a first-bend lead, the Irish entry was never headed thereafter for a five-length win over Ballymac John (Mark Wallis) and Kilara Volcano (Alex Hopkins) in 29.70sec (+20) for the 500m trip.

Irish Derby runner-up Bockos Crystal then completed the Holland double in heat five as the M Lambe Birmingham Cup third posted a night’s best 5.01sec split on the way to beating her English Derby counterpart Romeo Command – Patrick Janssens’ dog finished second to Holland’s Gaytime Nemo at Towcester – and Headford Chief (Paula Timmins) by a length in 29.59sec (+20).

The Towcester form was also upheld by English Derby semi-finalist Burj Khalifa in heat three as Diane Henry’s recent arrival finished strongest of all to cross the line a length in front of early leader and Oaks finalist Droopys Request (Chris Fereday) and local hope Culture Day (Adrian McPherson) in 29.94sec (+20).

Droopys Google grabbed gold in the sixth and final heat of the GBGB Category One event as Nathan Hunt’s in-form and strong-running sort followed up a place in the recent Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes final by leading at the bend on his way to a three-length win over 2022 English Derby finalist Savana Beau (Diane Henry) and Antigua Bingo, another Nathan Hunt runner, in 29.76sec (+20).

David Evans, Nottingham’s general manager, said: “Monday’s racing was top drawer with some great times clocked in some very blustery conditions. Obviously the delay mid-card wasn’t ideal but our track team worked as quickly as they could to fix the tyre issue and we got the rest of the meeting completed with no further interruptions.

“As for the action on the track, Newinn Syd flew round and really impressed on the clock and will take some beating in the semi-final, while the Irish dogs made Graham Holland’s trip over worthwhile once again, so we look forward to their involvement in the semis next week and obviously having three Nottingham trainers running four greyhounds in the semi-finals is a massive plus for us.”

Trap draw for Monday’s semis: https://www.nottingham-greyhounds.co.uk/racing/