The Category One Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic kicks off at Nottingham on Monday, while Droopys Plunge and Chelms Bear trial before racing

The Category One Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic kicks off at Nottingham on Monday

With Premier League Football not returning to Nottingham until Sunday August 17th, all eyes of the sporting world will be on Nottingham Greyhound Track on Monday evening as the heats of the Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic kick off. The £12,500 to the winner final takes place on a fantastic night of greyhound racing on Monday August 25th alongside the £12,500 to the winner Arena Racing Company Select Stakes and the £2,000 to the winner Arena Racing Select Stayers the highlights of the card

For information on admission, restaurant bookings or hospitality offers, click on www.nottingham-greyhounds.co.uk

A four bend maiden contest kicks off the open race action and it could go the way of Barry Denby’s Sharben Rose, who was a good winner in a top grade contest last time out and a repeat of that performance could see her landing the double. Main danger could be Esther Driver’s October 23 youngster Skyfall Mini, who won her first start for a month last time out and may have more to come from that run.

Velvet Madrid has been off the card since late June but moved well enough in a recent trial. Peter Holland’s runner is likely to improve on that run and if that’s the case, then she could take all the beating. Simon Deakin’s Coillbhui Boxer makes her Nottingham debut and looks sure to be doing her best work in the later stages

Sean Parker’s Droopys Artilery has been off just over a month but was a good winner when last seen here back in June. A trial at Sheffield shows that all is well again and he will look to make a winning return. Toolmaker Quick has yet to live up to his costly price tag but Dean Blackbird’s runner could go close here if able to lead on the rails

Heat One of the Arena Puppy Company Puppy Classic could go the way of Kevin Hutton’s highly regarded Kranky Drake. He ran a cracking race behind Romeo Alliance last week and if negotiating the opening bends with the minimum of fuss, he can advertise his outright claims with victory here. Nathan Hunt’s Mad For Cash showed good early pace in a recent trial and is likely to improve for the look, as is Paul Young’s Underground Fizz if she can avoid her rival on her inside in the early stages

Heat Two of the Arena Puppy Company Puppy Classic can see Romeo Ability getting back to winning ways. He found trouble in running in the early stages when defeated last week, but with the chance to lead down the middle, the Patrick Janssens runner can get back to winning ways. Paul Young’s Droopys Alldeway hasn’t raced since June but has moved well in recent trials and could prove to be a danger from a good location on the rails.

Heat Three of the Arena Puppy Company Puppy Classic looks set to go the way of the likely Ante-Post favourite Romeo Alliance. He advertised his claims for a second Category One title with an all the way victory last week and another fast start can see the Patrick Janssens runner away and gone. Chloe Hardy’s Bramble Shelby looks useful but lacks a look round, while Santas Amigo, trained by Dave Mullins has good pieces of form to his name but needs to brush up on his trapping skills

Heat Four of the Arena Puppy Company Puppy Classic can go the way of Patrick Janssens again courtesy of Not So Steady. He was well fancied when making all the running last week and a similar burst of early pace can see him tough to reel in. Kim Billingham-Hine’s Droopys Poker was only beaten a length and a quarter into second and will be looking to reverse form. He looks the most likely danger

Billingham-Hine could fare better in this sprint contest as Newinn Bachelor makes his first start since early June. With the chance of more to come from a recent trial, he could prove too strong for these if up with the pace early, while Jill Llewellin’s Time Counts ran well at 33/1 last time out in a tougher race and could feature again here

The first of two dual distance heats over six bend could go the way of Richie Taberner’s debutant Aero Honey, who has winning staying form at Shelbourne Park and if the gaps can open up, she can work her way through the field to pounce in the later stages. Beatties Electra could lead in the early stages and could make her presence felt if that's the case

The second heat can see Jill Llewellin’s Vale Bluebell landing the hat-trick over this distance. She has won her last two starts when staying on best in the later stages and a clear run early could see her tough to hold late. Borna Parachute has good pieces of form for Craig Morris and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him involved at the finish

Plunge and Bear trial before racing 

2025 StarSports/TRC Derby winner Droopys Plunge lines up in a solo trial over 500m before racing on Monday evening as part of his preparations for the Arena Racing Company Select Stakes in August 25th. The Patrick Janssens trained champion recorded 29.38 (+30) last week and will look to improve on that again here.

Last week's Coral Sussex Cup runner up Chelms Bear, trained by Craig Morris,  also has a look round over 500m, as does Sean Parker's Droopys Flare, who herself recorded 29.80 (+30) in a trial last Monday