All three favourites were eliminated in the semi finals of the Coral Romford Puppy Cup on Friday evening.

Three local runners made it through to the decider with Phil Simmonds’ Grays Cup Winner marginally fastest on the clock with a 23.81 victory.

Paternal half brother Calzaghe Flash rewarded Ted Soppit with a trip from Country Durham with an impressive front running display off easily the fastest sectional of the evening. How good was it? Roxholme Nidge broke the 400 track record off the identical sectional a year ago.

The biggest turn up saw Pantone Slippy romp up at 25-1 and with Droopys Noodle not in the three, the trio was not won on course. Anybody chancing a £1 in the betting shops would have been rewarded with a return of £492.54.

With the three semi final winners the worst drawn among the four middle seeds in the final, the market remain fluid with the sponsors who bet: 13-8 Grays Cup Winner, 2-1 Calzaghe Flash, 6-1 Bubbly Bonanza, Dantes Inferno, Drive On Hunter, 16-1 Pantone Slippy

CALZAGHE FLASH is well clear at the third bend in the first Romford Puppy Cup semi final. Photo: © Steve Nash

PANTONE SLIPPY (t5) on her way to landing a 25-1 shock in the second Puppy Cup semi final, with Bubbly Bonanza (t1) staying on to book a place in the decider. Photo: © Steve Nash