EL TORNILLO rewrote the record books at Oxford on Saturday as Dave Lee’s Crayford raider set a new track record in heat two of the BetGoodwin Pall Mall over 450m.

A year on from the return of the famous competition after the track’s reopening, a smash break from the March 2022 son of Dromana Bucko and Slaneyside Darby set up a runaway six and a half lengths success over hot favourite Aero Sacundai (Richie Taberner) in 26.24sec (+10), well inside the previous best for the four-bend trip.

A Star Sports English Greyhound Derby entry at Towcester, El Tornillo exited the Classic at the second-round stage behind Edwards and eventual Derby runner-up Boylesports Bob before subsequently flying round Monmore, posting a rapid-fire in 27.88sec for the 480m trip in the process. He is certainly at the top of his game.

The Pall Mall, with a new sponsor this year in BetGoodwin, kicked off with victory for the Richard Rees-trained Nowitsmyturn as the September 2021 son of Pestana and Whitings Gift produced a strong-running effort to catch longtime leader Darley Diglake (Robert Hall) and win by half a length in 26.63sec (+10).

King Capaldi, a semi-finalist in the Puppy Collar last year having won his heat in good style, made a successful return to the Cowley track as Liz McNair’s runner paced up to head fast-starting Madabout Peck (Tom Heilbron) into the turn before winning by two and a half lengths win fro the Newcastle raider in 26.48sec (+10), only to be withdrawn lame on Wednesday.

There was a cracking finish to heat four as Phil Milner’s Keefill Maverick and favourite Droopys Hanover (Kevin Hutton) had a fantastic buckle with the eventual winner trapping in front, then giving best to the runner-up from the second bend to close home, before getting back up for a short-head victory in 26.37sec (+10).

Druids Say Go struck for Patrick Janssens in heat five as the Coral Golden Sprint finalist unleashed her trademark early pace to edge Romeo Crusade (David Mullins) at the turn before holding the keeping-on Eze (Angle Kibble) by three-quarters of a length in 26.54sec (+10), before John Mullins’ Wrighty wrapped up the heats with a game and fast-finishing victory to catch leaders Crossfield Larry (Richie Taberner) and Headford Sonny (Robert Hall) by half a length in heat six in 26.83sec (+10).

Reflecting on Saturday’s heats and looking forward to the semi-finals, Oxford joint-racing manager Paul Johnson said: “Saturday was a great night with some good performances across the board with the impressive El Tornillo stealing the limelight unsurprisingly with a new track record.

“I spoke to Dave Lee at kennelling and he said he remembered him missing the break in a trial stakes for the Puppy Collar last year – a certain King Memphis won that race! He’d not been back to Oxford with him since but it was certainly a cracking return – he certainly made no mistake at the traps this time and was soon away and gone.

“A flying 3.79sec split set things up for El Tornillo and he was soon clear. I knew it was quick because I had 26.29sec on my stopwatch – I was only four spots off!

“I thought Nowitsmyturn also ran well, finishing strongly, and Wrighty also caught the eye in what was a driving finish and will improve next time. Druids Say Go, Keefill Maverick all showed what a great trapper he is by leading all the way. We’re set for some great semi-finals.”