LOCAL near-senior Tractor Skinner set the standard in the heats of the MSCM Lowther Stakes at Nottingham on Monday as the Category One event – for bitches only – played the perfect supporting role to the GMG Puppy Classic final.

Four heats of the £10,000-to-the-winner competition, switched to Nottingham from Towcester by big-race sponsor and greyhound owner Mark Lowther, took place at the Colwick Park venue and the locals were buoyed by the performance of Terry Munslow’s runner.

“Tractor Skinner was superb for Terry and the team, and we’re delighted to see her qualify for the semis, let alone win her heat in the fastest time,” said track director Nathan Corden. “She’s been running well of late and is absolutely in the Lowther Stakes on merit. We’re delighted to see her take her chance in Monday’s semis now.”

Tractor Skinner made all in the opening heat to lead home the Philip Simmonds-trained Courts Ad Lee in 28.78sec (+30) for the 480m, with Maysthistlecrack (Pam Dolby) qualifying in third, while Newcastle bitch Move Over Evie (Angela Harrison) also landed a pillar-to-post success from Brinkleys Rosie (Mark Wallis) in heat two in 28.87sec (+30).

Oaks winner Wuheida qualified in third in heat two here, and she will be joined in Monday’s semi-finals by the Charlie Lister-trained Marians Dream (28.82sec +30) who took heat three from Kevin Hutton’s recent Henlow Maiden Summer Cup winner Naughty Molly and the Paul Young-trained Wildfire Gal.

Heat four was considered the best of the night and, in the words of winning trainer John Lambe, it was a race befitting an Oaks final itself. His Queen Adele came through strongly to win here and, according to her Perry Barr handler, she has her confidence back following some difficult races since winning the Bedfordshire Mini Derby at Henlow with three successive track records.

“She got a rough ride at Sunderland in the Classic heats and, despite trialling really well at Crayford, had no luck in the Guys & Dolls heats either,” said Lambe. “I thought she was great down the back on Monday and really has got her confidence back now, and I’m pleased with trap two in the semis.

“I’m not a great a fan of the red at Nottingham – it might have cost Arthur Noodle in the Puppy Classic final how the race was run – so hopefully Adele breaks well and gets a better run early this time. Either way, it’s great to have come through that heat. It was a very tough one!”

Donation (Heather Dimmock), second in the Angel of the North Oaks at Newcastle, and Juvenile Championship winner Bull Run Button (Barrie Draper) chased Queen Adele home to qualify for Monday’s semi-finals – on what promises to be a busy night for open-race kennels given the start of the Yarmouth Derby the same night.

Queen Adele’s trainer John Lambe will be represented at both venues given his champion sprinter Affane Party steps up in distance for a crack at the Category One event at the seaside venue. He trialled at the track yesterday and pleased his handler when posting 28.35sec. “That was his first four-bend run for a long while, so he’ll improve,” he said.

Trap draw for Monday’s semis:-

First semi: 1 Brinkeys Rosie, 2 Queen Adele, 3 Move Over Evie, 4 Marians Dream, 5 Wuheida, 6 Donation (w).

Second semi: 1 Courts Ad Lee, 2 Tractor Skinner, 3 Bull Run Button, 4 Wildfire Gal, 5 Maysthistlecrack (w), 6 Naughty Molly (w).