The spotlight was on breeder 'Romeo Dave' Firmager as the BGBF British Bred Maiden Derby kicked off at Newcastle.
Firmager's breeding prowess was evident as three standout performances of the night were all from pups bred by him. Leading the pack was Romeo Crossfire, who despite debuting in last September's Romford Puppy Cup, secured his first win in just the fifth race of his career, clocking a winning time of 28.52.
Following closely was Romeo Jackson, another product of the Firmager/Heilbron connection, finishing in 28.60. Carol Weatherall-trained Untold Quetzal trailed just behind, showcasing the night's fastest sectional.
Despite being a joint ante-post favourite, Rioja Bungle (4/9) faced defeat at the hands of the lightly raced Witton Myles. A Bit Of Noah, stepping up from A4 local company, claimed victory in 29.14 in the opening heat, while Central Park A1 regular Queen Ariana secured the second winning favourite spot of the night.