Oxford bookmakers are reaping the rewards of open racing on Thursdays, reporting a 50 per cent increase in business.

What’s more, some are prepared to lay £1,000 bets – an amount which one punter said he couldn’t get on at Wimbledon, the Greyhound Racing Association’s flagship track!

Racing boss Gary Baiden said: “Such was the interest last week that I could have filled the card with 12 open races, but that would not have been fair to the Oxford owners.

It's almost 12 months since the last Pall Mall was run at Oxford.

Now former trainer John Mullins, who has since quit the sport, faces an inquiry following a positive sample on Buzz Doc in last year’s final. The initial inquiry was adjourned and will now be held at the GBGB on Thursday.

Ooutgoing trainer Michael Peterson signed off with his last runners on Sunday, notching a nice treble.

Meanwhile, he has sold 16 of his own dogs, all of whom are off to Denmark on Monday.

Nick Colton is very excited about his latest purchase from Ireland, El Poacher.

So much so, that he has listed the Gymcrack at Hall Green next month as his target.

Nearer to home, he hopes that Slick Sinatra and Ballycowan Dave make the Pall Mall line-up.

The same applies to Oxford owners Mick Lowe and Pete Dawson with the exciting Roseville Bullet and Aherlow Shaw, trained by Richard Yeates.