The Lowther Stakes sponsored by MSCM Limited looked like being a top class competition and last weeks first round heats didn’t disappoint.  The competition is still wide open in my view and connections of any number of the competing bitches will still be fancying their chances at the semi final stage which takes place at Nottingham tonight.

The bookmakers generally have Donation as a marginal favourite over Queen Adele , however that’s not a unanimous view and value can be had by shopping around.  The two antepost favourites meet each other in semi final one tonight at 9.06pm , but with Brinkleys Rosie , Move Over Evie , Marians Dream and Wuheida in the line up , they will both have to be at their best if they’re too progress to next weeks final.  It’s another classic bitch race at Nottingham and one not to be missed.

Semi final 2 takes place at 9.22pm and is another terrific race.  Courts Ad Lee lines up from trap 1 , Terry Munslow’s local winning machine Tractor Skinner is in two , Bull Run Button is drawn better this week in trap three with Wildfire Gal in four and Maysthistlecrack in five.  Naughty Molly who lines up for Kevin Hutton from trap six went into many notebooks after last week’s run.  Finishing a 1 3/4 length second to Marians Dream , Molly can only improve for that first look at the track and is sure to go well for this years Star Sports Bookmakers English Greyhound Derby winning trainer.
Whichever six greyhounds fill the qualifying slots , next weeks Lowther Stakes Final is sure to be full of quality and a night that greyhound racing enthusiasts will not want to miss.
Elsewhere on the card MSCM Limited sponsor a puppy competition, with the first 3 from each of two heats qualifying for the final on next weeks gala card.
Salacres Barley, trained by Peter Harnden, lines up from trap 1 in heat one of the competition.  Always highly rated by connections , this strong running black dog had gone under the radar of many so called experts.  His run in last weeks GMG Puppy Classic Final however had everybody sitting up to take notice.
Badly drawn in trap 3 he was hampered throughout the final but ran with bravery and guts to fail to get up by just a neck before pulling clear to the pick up.  His future looks sure to be over further when fully mature but from what looks like a good make up on the rail this evening he should take the beating.
Heat two of the MSCM Limited Puppy Trophy see’s the Kevin Hutton trained Madabout Philip making his first appearance since an eye catching run in defeat at Newcastle in the William Hill Northern Puppy Derby Final.  Philip got no kind of run around the opening two bends but made up a huge amount of ground on the leaders.
This is another greyhound who’s future could potentially lay over staying trips , he trialed well over course and distance last week in 29.01 (+10) and with improvement likely he’s sure to take the beating.  This isn’t a two dog competition though , there are some nice pups lining up in both heats , with a good few of them open to any amount of improvement in the coming weeks and months.
A couple of 500m open races make up the rest of the open race card , whilst there are a number of competitive graded races throughout the evening.