WOLTEMADE aims to enhance his GBGB Greyhound of the Year claims still further with victory in the BetGoodwin Steel City Cup Final, Sunday’s showpiece event at Sheffield.

Already a winner of the Arc Northern Puppy Derby and Time Northern Flat at Newcastle plus the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Monmore and the Arc Birmingham Cup at Dunstall Park, not to mention the Harry Burton Trophy, a Category Two back on his home soil at the Byker venue, victory in the Steel City Cup would secure him a sixth major trophy in 2026.

However, his trainer Jimmy Fenwick knows only his best will do in a cracking line-up for the £12,500 final, although reports his runner to have come out of last week’s semis well.

“He never really had a chance to stretch out in the heats, but last week for the semis was more like it,” said Fenwick. “I actually think at Sheffield a more middlle draw suits him more. He was always leaning in from five in the heats, but was a lot more straighter from four come the semis, so back to five at first glance wasn’t ideal but it might work for him.

“The make-up of the race is different from the heats, but he’s still got to do things right. I’d say all the trainers will think they have a chance of winning on Sunday and Richie’s (Taberner) team is clearly in good shape, but Woltemade is well. He finished third in the Gymcrack as a pup earlier this year so it’d be nice to go a couple better!

“Either way it’s a great sponsorship and thanks to BetGoodwin for stepping in.”

Woltemade heads into £12,500-to-the-winner BetGoodwin Steel City Cup Final as the fastest semi-final winner after landing the third semi and so saving the best for last as he made all from Holding Blaze (Richie Taberner) to score by a length from the Monmore raider in 28.81sec (-20) for the 500m trip to set the standard.

The other semi-finals were won by the Richie Taberner-trained Moanteen Hatton who caught kennelmate Adelinesfirstdog to score by three-quarters of a length in 29.10sec (-20), meaning Monmore handler Taberner has half the field for the decider, and Diane Henry’s Grouchos Cossie who also finished best to edge Magical Keith (Gary Griffiths) to win by a neck in 28.95sec (-20). The winner is owned by BetGoodwin boss Julian Head.