Woltemade secured a third major competition win at Newcastle Greyhound Stadium on Thursday when powering to victory in the Time Greyhound Nutrition Northern Flat.
The Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby and Harry Burton Trophy champion confirmed his hat-trick by beating kennel mate Wicky Ned in the £12,500 final.
It marked a third Northern Flat triumph in four years for Ashington-based trainer Jimmy Fenwick, who first won the competition in 2023 with Brookside Richie before Wicky Ned scooped first prize a year later.
Deerjet Rocket finished third, while Ballymac Sargie, Bockos Buster and Droopys Link were fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
A tilt at the £12,500 Select Stakes at Nottingham is now being considered for the greyhound named after Newcastle United’s proven centre-forward.
Unbelievable start
“He (Woltemade) didn’t come away the quickest, unlike Wicky Ned who had an unbelievable start,” said Jimmy.
“But he showed incredible pace down the back straight which put us in a one-two position.
“First and second in a Category One competition is all you can ask for, especially as it was such a competitive race and we weren’t sure what would happen.
“Incredible is overused, but that was incredible.
“Also I must mention Wicky Ned who showed unbelievable heart. He clocked a fantastic time for a greyhound who turns four next month. We’re so very proud of him.
“Both dogs are very special greyhounds.”
Amazing feeling
Elsewhere on the night there was joy for Scottish trainer Brian Fairbairn and owner Craig Armstrong who lifted the £7,500 Arena Racing Company Angel of the North with Slingshot Poppy.
The brindled bitch clocked 28.02 to beat runner-up Coppice Saphire by five lengths and land a second Category Two title of her career after she won last year’s ARC Puppy Trophy at Sunderland.
Craig said: “We’ve waited a long time for this, the feeling watching her cross the line was amazing.
“I cannot put into words how proud and excited I am.
“We get total dedication from our team, and Poppy is a special greyhound.
“She was in tip-top form for the final and delivered a phenomenal run. It’s the Scottish porridge for breakfast, that’s the secret!”
Night to remember
Elsewhere on the night there were local wins for Tom Heilbron with Droopys Bookem who took the Arena Racing Company Maiden Stayers.
Jimmy Fenwick trebled up with victories for Elegant Shadow and Zenith Magic in the Time Greyhound Nutrition sponsored Bitches and Stayers races.
Meanwhile Brain Fairbairn had a night to remember with Slingshot Gazza taking the £1,000 ARC Summer Dash final. Slingshot Louie and Slingshot Blue were also on the podium, winning Divisions One and Two of the ARC Standard.
Stephen Caile’s Crooks Mackemboy also won the ARC Maiden Sprint.
Ian Walton, General Manager at Newcastle Stadium, added: “It was a fantastic evening of racing, and congratulations to all our winners.
“Slingshot Poppy was outstanding throughout the Angel of the North. It was wonderful to see what the result meant to connections and those who follow her career closely.
“Woltemade’s performance speaks for itself too. To win both of our Category One competitions this year and the Harry Burton Trophy is a great achievement.
“Our thanks go to Time Greyhound Nutrition for their continued support of the Northern Flat. It’s the third consecutive year they’ve sponsored this historic competition and we were delighted to host the team trackside.”
Tickets available
Greyhound racing continues at Newcastle Stadium on Thursday evenings, plus Friday and Saturday afternoons through the rest of 2026.
The track hosts its next Category One final on Boxing Day when the £20,000 Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup takes place.
Tickets for all fixtures are available online via www.newcastle-greyhounds.co.uk.
