NOTTINGHAM will kick off National Greyhound Week with a stunning Bank Holiday Monday card featuring an appearance from new 500m track record holder March On Freddie after David Mullins’ high-class youngster produced one of the best runs of 2024 in the semi-finals of the JenningsBet Puppy Classic.

In securing his place in the £12,500-to-the-winner final, which will be staged on Monday alongside the JenningsBet Select Stakes and JenningsBet Select Stayers, March On Freddie, a September 2022 son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow, took five spots off Skywalker Logan’s previous best set during the 2019 English Derby.

Lining up in the third semi-final of the Category One event at the Colwick Park venue, the Romford representative was soon in charge before racing away for a brilliant 11-length success in 29.00sec (+30) with Rioja Bungle (Kevin Hutton) crossing the line in second ahead of Fire And Ice (Matt Dartnall) to secure his place in next week’s one-lap decider.

The victory delighted winning trainer Mullins, who said: “It was a cracking run and certainly didn’t go unnoticed – the phone didn’t stop ringing on Tuesday morning! That’s always a good sign and we’re proud of what he’s been doing at Nottingham. That’s four in a row there and he’s just developed into a really nice dog.

“The wide draws are suiting him. He got beat at Hove from three which was my fault, especially after going under 29 seconds there which was some run second time up. This will be his last race as a puppy – hopefully it’s a good one!”

The Heather Dimmock-trained Droopys Extragud swooped late to collar Monmore raider No Better Feelin (Chris Fereday) in the first semi-final. Caught up in first-bend crowding, the September 2022 son of King Sheeran and Droopys Meteor finished best for a head victory in 29.93sec (+30).

Paula Timmins then landed a local victory courtesy of Kilgarran Jay in the second semi-final as the September 2022 son of Pestana and Lemon Juliet who raced away off the back of a slick exit for a trap to line success by a length and a quarter from Newcastle entry Blackhouse Kim (Stuart Ray) in 30.25sec (+30).

Trap draw for the JenningsBet Puppy Classic Final: 1 Rioja Bungle, 2 Droopys Extragud, 3 No Better Feelin, 4 Kilgarran Jay, 5 March On Freddie (w), 6 Blackhouse Kim (w).