Trainer Richard Yeates is enjoying a good spell of open racing and has guided Boherna Blackie through to the final of the Brighton Belle at the Hove track tonight.

Blackie recorded the fastest time in the semi-finals and is favourite to land the £2,500 tonight.

Meanwhile, his top bitch Freedom Emma has lost none of her zip during her seasonal rest and recorded a good sprint trial at Hall Green.

She trials again tonight at Hove, but her main target is the Oaks, where she finished runner-up last year.

AT least 20 new greyhounds are registered every month at Oxford and according to the racing office, the figure is up on last year. The new rule, announced by the BGRB, insist that all greyhounds, whether they race or not, have to be registered to improve safety and welfare.

THE imbalance between sprinters and stayers is still below the national average at Cowley.

According to the latest figures, there are only 55 595 metre runners as opposed to 300 over the 450 metre trip.