At Hove on Saturday, Cooladerry Dust once again demonstrated his speed in the semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing Regency. This event is the highlight of the Sussex track's year, leading up to the grand meeting this coming weekend.
Nathan Hunt’s champion dog started strong, ultimately overtaking Queen Georgia in the first semi-final. He ran impressively on the outside, eventually surpassing the 3 Steps winner on the far side to secure a two-and-a-quarter lengths win over Haka Carlo, clocking 41.48 seconds for the 695m distance. Both dogs advanced to Saturday’s final, where the winner will take home £20,000.
Joining them in the six-bend Cat One final is Ballymac Taylor, Haka Carlo’s littermate, who finished strong in the second semi-final. She chased down Paul Young-trained Bubbly Scorcher, who dominated the race by surging ahead at the third bend, winning by two and three-quarter lengths in 41.73 seconds.
In the third semi-final, Baywatch Bullet, trained locally by Belinda Green, repeated her earlier heat victory by leading from the start and never relinquishing her position, finishing three-and-a-quarter lengths ahead of Seamus Cahill’s Lightfoot Falcon in 41.59 seconds.
Hove trainers Seamus Cahill and Belinda Green will also be competing in the Coral Sussex Cup final. Cahill’s Greyhound of the Year, Droopys Clue, won the second semi-final of the 515m Cat One competition in a remarkable 29.56 seconds, beating Green’s Wasted Monday by two and a half lengths.
Premier Greyhound Racing Regency (695m) Final - Saturday, Hove:
1. Bubbly Scorcher (Paul Young)
2. Baywatch Bullet (Belinda Green)
3. Ballymac Taylor (Mark Wallis)
4. Haka Carlo (Jason Heath)
5. Lightfoot Falcon (m) (Seamus Cahill)
6. Cooladerry Dust (w) (Nathan Hunt)