Opening night domination for Mark Wallis in the Golden Jacket at Monmore

New Destiny on her way to clocking the top time in the opening round of the PGR Golden Jacket heats for Mark Wallis. Photos: © Steve Nash

New Destiny goes quickest in the Golden Jacket Heats

Four of the six winners of the Premier Greyhound Racing Golden Jacket heats represented the Mark Wallis team. Three of them were odds on with New Destiny the shortest of the bunch at 1/11! She was the only winner to dip under 41 seconds on the night, always in control of the race from the traps opening.

Mongys Wild is the quickest of the year so far over the 684m trip but he didn't make it to the front until the fifth bend, forging clear late on. He was a 1/7 shot to get the job done with Bombay Nutty another odds on winner at 1/2. He came away better than is sometimes the case and was always going to prove difficult to pick up again from that position.

The Wallis winners were completed by Newinn Cloud. He was the slowest of the heat winners but it was a race that contained Magical Luna and recent bet365 Hunt Cup winner Hogans Hawk and a slow trap exit didn't help his cause. He showed his class to battle his way to the front.

Early ante-post money suggested that Diane Henry's Savanaregimental is well thought of so it was a little bit of a surprise that he was as big as 10/1 when his heat went off. He was against recent impressive winner Deadly Disco and Ballymac Taylor but he outran his starting price to come home in front. 

The final heat went to Nathan Hunt's Intriguing Iris. It was her third win from her last four starts, knocking out the likes of Garfiney Blaze and Clona Curly in the process. Tuesday will see the draw for the second round made at the GBGB.

Wallis and Hunt were also successful on the undercard. Ballinakill Liam added to his sprinting resume while Zebedee Cluasa scored for Hunt. Kim Billingham-Hine took the maiden final with New To Me and Richie Taberner saw his Fine Thanks score. 

Heat 1 - 1st Bombay Nutty (t5) - 2nd Baywatch Bullet (t4) - 3rd Radical Scoby (t2)

Heat 2 - 1st Mongys Wild (t3) - 2nd Alright Patricia (T5) - 3rd Haka Carlo (t1)

Heat 3 - 1st Newinn Cloud (t4) - 2nd Magical Luna (t1) - 3rd Hogans Hawk (t2)

Heat 4 - 1st Savanaregimental (t4) - 2nd Deadly Disco (t5) - 3rd Ballymac Taylor (t2)

Heat 5 - 1st Intriguing Iris (t5) - 2nd Alright Gordy (t6) - 3rd Savana Jackpot (t3)

Heat 6 - 1st New Destiny (t1) - 2nd Savana Ginger (t6) - 3rd Skylars Vision (t5)

Central Park track record gets all shook up

New figures were set over 277m at the Kent track last night by Liz McNair's King Presley. He was already the quickest of the year but shaved three spots off Kevinsfort Duke's record from last November. The wide runner has won a pair of Hove opens recently but this track really suits him, shaping as if there is a sub 16-second run in him.

It was expected that March On Freddie would get the job done for David Mullins, his 28.66 win was the third quickest of the year. Bluejig Baron and Queen Shakira were smart opponents but Freddie had his trapping boots on for his return to Central Park.

A clean sweep of odds on shots in the opens was completed by Half Jarred for Julie Luckhurst. Two other 491m contests on the card went to Dapper Ronnie for Gemma Davidson and Good Rainbow for Barry O'Sullivan.

Magical Bluebear flies to Perry Barr win

Reigning sprinter of the year Magical Bluebear produced the top performance of 2025 so far over Perry Barr's sprint trip, just 10 spots off Rioja Oisin's track record. It was the 12th open race win of his career and his second in three starts since Mark Russell took over the license from his dad William. 

The other six opens on the card were split equally between Kevin Hutton, Robert Short and Robert Hall. Signet Naylor and Southfield Poppy were both odds on scorers for Hutton. Danish Ruby and Cul Na Braithre were the winner for Short while Hall was on the scoresheet in the shape of Droopys Job and Glenrock Ace.

Hutton lands an Oxford treble

To go along with his Perry Barr double, Kevin Hutton also landed a hat-trick of winners at Oxford. Start The Engine and Union Piper were the two open winners to dip under 27 seconds on the card. The treble was completed by Dreamin Reggie who took out a sprint contest.

Signet Tess was a winner for Heather Dimmock. An ex-Hutton performer, she has regained the winning thread in recent weeks. Dalton Smith took the other open contest with Flomur Fern. It was her first win on her seventh start for the trainer since coming across from Angie Kibble. 

Mrs Doyle stays unbeaten over 843m

Roy Peckham's stayer had to dig deep to take her record over Yarmouth's eight-bend distance to 3/3 but she dug deep enough to hold off Aayamza Jackpot. Bombay The Joker completed his preparation for the tilt at the Star Sports/TRC Greyhound Derby with a solid 27.54 success over 462m. Tell On Aimee for Frank Macklin and Druids Luna for Craig Morris took out the six-bend contests.

Zivkovic doubles up as Kinsley dominates at Doncaster

Aikins Gift and How Ya Fixed produced the brace of winner for Ilijan Zivkovic. The former was winning for the sixth time in 12 starts so far in 2025, a strike rate matched by the latter who has four wins in eight runs. Barry Denby's veteran Bellmore Cricket got back to winning ways over 450m with Ballymac Alyssa (Beverley Heaton) and Tiermana Blaze (David Fradgley) taking the 483m contests to make if four winners for the Kinsley raiders on the night.