New Central Park best for Locke’s impressive Outlaw

BLUEJIG OUTLAW continued his love affair with Central Park as he set a new best for the Kent track’s 664m course with a wide-margin victory in the feature Jenningsbet Stayers Trophy final on Saturday night.

Trained by Maxine Locke, who is in the process of switching her kennel to the track from her current Romford base, the Monmore Golden Jacket finalist was completing a C&D hat-trick as he roared home almost nine lengths clear of Patrick Janssens’ Fabulous Heka in a flying 39.36sec (+15) – eclipsing the previous best of 39.77sec set by Tony Dean’s Bubbly Evie last month.

The victory was one of four for Locke on the card, a haul which included a win for her Abigails Cian in the third heat of the 491m Arc Standard Trophy in 29.10sec (+10).

Fastest of the qualifiers was Paul Donovan’s Cinderalla Tell, as the recent Arc Kent Plate finalist made all in a best-of-night 28.79sec, with the Mick Mavrias-trained Droopys Topnotch taking the other heat in 29.26sec.

Standout run on Saturday’s Yarmouth card came courtesy of Irene Barnard’s Strathrannoch, as last year’s East Anglian Derby and Romford Champion Stakes semi-finalist took flight early over the 462m course to win the Click Competitions Standard in 27.50sec (normal).

Barnard also won the maiden with Whyaye Lass (28.05sec), while Jane Craske took both 659m opens with Lottie Blue (40.91sec) and the impressive New Ground (40.46sec).

At Doncaster, feature race on the card was the £750 Doncaster Dual Distance final over 661m, which was reduced to a five-runner affair with the withdrawal (lame) of Rose Draper’s Sheffield raider Rockmount Lucy.

Victory here went to Martin Haythorne’s local runner Rapido Ana, who had finished behind Draper’s runner on her last three runs over the six-bend trip and took full advantage of her absence to strike in 42.37sec (normal).

Draper’s Audience later produced the best run of the night over the 450m course when making all to complete a four-timer over track and trip in 27.45sec (normal), while quickest over the 483m course was Phil Milner’s British-bred ace Keefill Goose, who stopped the clock in 29.13sec (+10).

Jimmy Gaskin’s prolific two-bender Roanna Mamba was another to add to his win tally when comfortably justifying odds of 1-5 to strike over 275m in 16.72sec (normal).

Trainer George Power was the man in form at Star Pelaw as he notched a treble, highlighted by a superb run from his Lotties Big Wave, who slammed her 435m rivals in her first competitive start at the Durham circuit in a rapid 25.50sec (-10).

Ballymac Lix shines for Dowling in Suncroft showdown

BALLYMAC LIX, bred and trained by Liam Dowling, produced another superb break at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night to make all and land the Suncroft Festival Puppy Oaks crown, writes Phil Donaldson.

The run to the corner was always likely to be crucial in the €10,000, 525-yard showdown and Ballymac Lix matched her best split of 2.06sec to lead the charge, avoiding crowding which saw 5-2 joint-favourites Droopys Croia and Singalong Cherry denied clear runs.

The August pup then kept on gamely from the front, first seeing off the challenge of Silent Noelle down the back-straight and then digging in when pressed hard by Pat Buckley’s Glengar Blitz late on, prevailing by a head in 28.87sec.

Buckley had earlier sent out Grouchos Gregor to strike in the second of the two semi-finals of the Shelbourne Bookmakers 600 in 32.46sec, setting up a clash with Tom O’Neill’s Easter Cup queen Lemon Orla, who won the first qualifier in a fastest 32.30sec.

Trap draw
Shelbourne Open 600 final: 1 Grouchos Gregor, 2 Blue Belle, 3 Lemon Orla, 4 Callaway Knegare, 5 Mydras Opinion, 6 Lemon Hidalgo.

Want top greyhound betting advice and the latest greyhound racing news? Make sure you take a look at Racing Post Greyhounds for more

Commercial notice: This article contains affiliate links. Offers are handpicked and come from operators our experts have first-hand experience of. Opening an account via one of these links will earn revenue for the Racing Post, which will be used to continue producing our award-winning coverage of horseracing and sports betting.