Four favourites and one second favourite made it painful night for the bookies in the heats of the Caffreys Puppy classic over 500 metres at Nottingham writes Jason Craddock.
Droopys Buick (evens) was one of the best supported of the runners and was an easy winner of heat three.
Jimmy Wright’s runner was soon clear and went on to slam My Mate Max by almost eight lengths in a fastest of the night 29.55sec.
Wright doubled up with another hot-pot in heat five in the shape of 8-11 chance Droopys Vodka, who led from the opening turn to beat Hell Letloose by just over six lengths in 29.88sec.
Paul Young’s Johns Present (7-4f) was soon clear in the second qualifier to score a three and a half length victory over Romeo Original in 29.82sec.
Young had high hopes of a double with Sussex Puppy Cup winner Droopys Dart, but he was thwarted by Pat Rosney’s all the way winner Camp Joker (evens fav) who scored by almost five lengths in 29.96sec.
Crossfield Cesar, a 9-4 chance, had a glance to his left on the run-up in heat one before going on to beat Fred The Shred by two and a quarter lengths in 29.57sec.
Roxholme Hottie (evs) was all the rage in heat six but didn’t trap well and found early trouble.
She did get to the front off the penultimate turn but was run out of it by Tony Gifkins’ Coolavanny Bisto who scored by just over a length in 30.15sec.
Charlie Lister had a 1-2-3 in the final of the Betfred 480.
His Fast fit Lexus led to the third turn but was passed by Johnny Vivaro, who in the end was all out to hold his renewed effort by three quarters of a length in 28.61sec.
Be Up Front, a finalist in last year’s Puppy classic, clocked a fastest of the session 17.72sec in trials before racing over 305 metres.
Charlie Lister’s Teds Last, who won the Puppy race on Derby Final night, clocked 17.85sec.
