COOLAVANNY SHADO underlined his high reputation with a fastest-of-the-first-round 27.45sec in heat five of the BresBet 76th East Anglian Greyhound Derby at Yarmouth.

The famous event on the east coast was back to a 48-runner this year and it was the Patrick Janssens-trained June 2020 son of Droopys Sydney and Yahoo Perlena who set the standard with a trap-to-line performance.

Racing to a 5.24sec sectional, the one-time leading English Derby contender before a setback in the Maiden Derby at Towcester was soon in command as he powered clear to win impressively by seven and a quarter lengths from Zara Rosie (Paul Burr) and Drahan Jet (Seamus Cahill) in 27.45sec (-10).

Next quickest was Gracias Lorenzo as Mark Brighton’s local led at the first bend and was never headed to make it four wins from his last five starts as the in-form favourite stretched three and a half lengths clear of the chasing pack led by Glatton Gianni (Richard Devenish) and Ballymac Izzy (Allison Kelly-Pilgrim). The winning time was 27.78sec (-10).

John Mullins returned to a happy hunting ground for the kennel with victory in heat one courtesy of Ohalabamaslama.

The son of Laughil Blake, boasting A1 and D1 sprint form at home track Towcester, showed the best early pace to lead at the turn before crossing the line a length clear of Illkeepitdark (Allison Kelly-Pilgrim) and Carols Legacy (Seamus Cahill) in 28.01sec (-10).

Champion trainer Mark Wallis, who won last year’s BresBet East Anglian Derby with Antigua Storm, sent out Antigua Woofwoof to win heat two and would later complete a double with Early Knight in heat seven.

A December 2019 son of Droopys Jet and Belle, Antigua Woofwoof finished best to reel in longtime leader Liffeyside Blake (Jason Bloomfield) before crossing the line and a length and a quarter clear of Farneys Buster (Kevin Boon) in 28.10sec. Early Knight subsequently made all for Imperial Kennels in the penultimate heat, leading home Maxi Twister (Sandra Clayton) and Jura Go Max (Maurice Rice) in 27.81sec (-10).

Irene Barnard’s Come Asyouare (27.99sec -10) scored a local victory in heat three and, while Martyn Wiley’s kennel suffered the disappointment of seeing heat six winner Millridge Conor (28.05sec -10) disqualified, the Romford handler won the last heat of the night with all-the-way scorer Whosquickernow (27.82sec -10).

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=388475&raceId=868278