Poppy favourite for Classic clash

SLINGSHOT POPPY shades ante-post favourite Romeo Steel in the betting for their red-hot Premier Greyhound Racing Classic semi-final clash on Friday night after an impressive display in the opening round.

While the Patrick Janssens-trained Romeo Steel remains favourite for the title with a handful of layers, Brian Fairbairn’s flying bitch went quickest in the heats with a brilliant 26.78sec effort.

The Arc Puppy Trophy winner remains unbeaten in the UK after her six-length romp and heads the market for the 450m showdown at 6-5 with Ladbrokes and Coral.

Romeo Steel, who also won smartly in the first round, is 5-4 and switches to trap one and has won his last five starts when drawn red, while Slingshot Poppy races again from trap four.

Heat winners Madabout Peck and Coolavanny Mercy are also in the line-up for Newcastle handlers Tom Heilbron and Angela Harrison.

The first semi-final, which lacks a heat winner, sees Peter Harnden’s Salacres Senan and Romford raider Santas Amigo for Dave Mullins the joint-favourites at 11-4.

Mullins is also represented in the second eliminator with 9-4 chance Brindle Bully, who is second favourite to score behind Kevin Boon’s East Anglian Derby and Scurry Gold Cup finalist Bockos Buster, with the latter 2-1 for the contest.

The £20,000 final takes place on Friday, November 21.

Betting

PGR Classic (best prices): 2-1 Romeo Steel (general), 9-4 Slingshot Poppy (bet365/PP), 14-1 Bockos Buster (Coral/Ladbrokes, 18-1 Brindle Bully (Coral/Ladbrokes), Droopys Sort (Coral/Ladbrokes), 20-1 Salacres Senan (bet365/Hills), Carrick Fergie (bet365/Hills), 22-1 Unanimous Leon (Hills), 25-1 Bar.

PGR Classic semi-finals (Ladbrokes/Coral). 1st: 1 Salacres Senan 11-4, 2 Bouncing Monarch 4-1, 3 Droopys Sort 9-2, 4 Carrick Fergie 5-1, 5 Sunnyside Gurkha (m) 11-2, 6 Santas Amigo 11-4.
2nd: 1 Deerjet Rocket 4-1, 2 Bockos Buster 2-1, 3 Sunnyside Jayden 3-1, 4 Ballymac Deboss (m) 16-1, 5 Whitehills Titan (m) 12-1, 6 Brindle Bully (w) 9-4.
3rd: 1 Romeo Steel 5-4, 2 No Better Feelin 10-1, 3 Unanimous Leon 10-1, 4 Slingshot Poppy (m) 6-5, 5 Madabout Peck (m) 12-1, 6 Coolavanny Mercy (w) 14-1.

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