Coral Olympic and Memorial Heats Shine at Hove

Hove hosted an electrifying evening of greyhound racing, featuring six heats of the prestigious Coral Olympic and the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial. The event celebrated two icons of the sport while delivering standout performances that captivated fans.

Proper Heiress, an emerging talent, clocked the fastest time over the 515m distance in the Coral Olympic heats. Competing in the opening heat, Mark Wallis’s charge gained an early advantage and surged ahead at the halfway mark, winning by nearly seven lengths in an impressive 29.64 seconds—just a fraction shy of Droopys Clue’s season-best 29.56 seconds. Wallis enjoyed a stellar night, also securing victory in heat six with Newinn Syd (30.64 seconds), who powered through to win after a sluggish start from favourite Droopys Plunge.

The evening wasn’t short on drama. Rapido Ali (30.63 seconds) stunned in heat two, edging out the fast-finishing Barntick Bear in a nail-biter. John Mullins’s Aayamza Sydney, fresh off breaking Crayford’s Gold Collar record, dominated heat three with another smart start, clocking 29.73 seconds. Other highlights included Starshinestunner (30.11 seconds) leading all the way in heat four and Antigua Kestrel (30.12 seconds) impressing in heat six.

In the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial heats, Garfiney Blaze made a triumphant return to the track. Leading from the outset in heat one, the Arc Cesarewitch winner posted the fastest time over 740m, finishing in 44.49 seconds, just a length ahead of Alright Gordy. Other heat winners included Breton Molly (45.01 seconds) after a thrilling duel with Tuono Bella, Minstrels Six (45.17 seconds) at 16-1, Move Over Ogie (44.94 seconds), Droopys Flotilla (44.92 seconds), and marathon runner Beach Babe (44.79 seconds).

Upcoming Competitions

Hove announced that entries for supporting events ahead of the gala night on Saturday, December 14th, will close on Monday. Featured races include the Coral Christmas Trophy and Coral Christmas Maiden Trophy, both over 500m with £1,000 prizes for the winners. Finals night will also showcase various one-off open races, including consolation events for the Coral Olympic and Memorial heats.

It was a night to remember at Hove, showcasing the speed, skill, and unpredictability that make greyhound racing an enduring spectacle.