DROOPYS CONRAD was fastest of the round as he spearheaded a Angela Harrison-trained treble in the heats of the Stadium Bookmakers Juvenile Classic at Towcester on Friday.

The GBGB’s newest Category One competition was the highlight of an eve-of-Derby meeting at the Northamptonshire venue and Droopys Conrad, an August 2019 son of Out Of Range ASB and Droopys Ant, set the quickest time in the opening heat as he produced a powerful effort.

Led by Billis Tudor (Mark Wallis) early, Droopys Conrad showed good back-straight speed to hit the front at the third turn and draw clear to win by four and a quarter lengths in 29.41sec (normal) for the 500m, with the fast-finishing Bellmore Sally (Jimmy Fenwick) making it a Newcastle-trained one-two.

The Harrison hat-trick was completed by Coolavanny Aunty (30.05sec -50) who overcame first-bend crowding to overhaul leader March On Leo (Jamie Kingsley) close home to win by a half a length on slower going in heat four, before Potent Touch (29.84sec -30) made all in heat five (4.07sec fastest sectional) from Longrange Dick (Tom Heilbron) for another Newcastle one-two.

David Mullins landed a double on the night. Distant Archie (29.65sec normal) was first up in heat two for the Romford trainer as he made all to score from Trumps Benefit (Carol Weatherall), while kennelmate Brookside Richie also landed a pillar-to-post victory in the concluding heat six, winning from favourite Warzone Tom (Liz McNair) in 29.63sec (-20).

Another Romford trainer Nathan Hunt made it three wins on the night for the Essex venue to match Newcastle’s haul as Aero Donnie struck in heat two, making all the running to win by one and a quarter lengths in 29.65sec (normal) from another entry from the north east in Anynamewilldo (Tom Heilbron).

Winning trainer Hunt said he was delighted with the greyhound formerly known as Dapper Donnie, in whom Stuart Forsdike has recently taken a share in.

He said: “Johnny Fletcher owned him by himself but asked me would I have anyone interested in a half-share just to share the enjoyment with someone more than anything.

“I knew Johnny was getting plenty of interest in the dog after getting to the Monmore Puppy Derby Final at such a young age. I also think a lot of Donnie so was keen to get one of my owners involved to keep him in the kennel – and that’s when Stuart stepped in a couple of months ago.

“It was only recently we had the name changed to Aero Donnie – bringing in Stuart’s well-known Aero prefix.

“He missed the break from the inside in the Derby but has always been a dog I’d prefer in trap three anyway so decided to trial him from the middle in preparation for this competition – and it paid off at Towcester when he flew out from five.

“Johnny and Stuart have teamed up again since and purchased Aero Windmill who should be starting his racing career shortly.”

Form for Tuesday’s semi-finals here