Flare so explosive

READY TO FIRE: Droopys Flare (red jacket) is taken to reach the final of the Golden Jacket

- by JONATHAN HOBBS

DROOPYS FLARE (8.34) can strike in a red-hot second semifinal of the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket on a star-studded night of action at Monmore, live on the Premier Greyhound Racing service.

Sean Parker's top-class bitch takes on big-race winners Vhagar and Romeo Empire in a crackerjack affair and, while giving best early to that pair, he can turn close enough to the action to take some holding after an imperious return to the track in the heats.

The Golden Jacket, with its Crayford years still fresh in the memory, remains one of greyhound racing’s biggest competitions and has found a new home in the Wolverhampton venue — and this year’s 684m looks exceptional.