Big guns safely through in a depleted Regency.

GREENACRE LIN (4-7F), one of the most successful competition greyhounds Brian Clemenson has been associated with since he joined the training ranks at Hove in November, 1994, gave her 2006 Coral Regency aspirations a massive boost with a runaway success in the first eliminator at a rain-lashed Hove on Tuesday, writes Patrick Kelly.

Clemenson's bitch, already the winner of the St Leger, Golden Jacket and two Dorando Marathons, rolled back the years with a superb display of front-running before her home fans.

Greenacre Lin simply ran her rivals ragged and, at the line, was ten lengths clear of Archers Sparkler in 41.30sec (-15).

"I could not be more pleased with her," said Clemenson yesterday. "She's involved in a very tough semi-final, but I'm very happy that she's drawn trap one. She always recovers well from her races and, obviously respecting the claims of Westmead Aoifa and Caloona Striker, she must have a great chance."

The latest edition of the Regency - reduced to 26 runners on the eve of the competition - was depleted still further when Rumbling Joe (off-colour) was a late absentee and Clemenson was very forthright in his views regarding the future format of the competition.

"We should go with quality rather than quantity and, to also eliminate the scenario of the first two going through at the semi-final stage, the Regency should become a 24-runner event," he said. "Owners and trainers much prefer a competition that allows the first three to go forward from each round and, in all fairness, is it really necessary to pad out any 36-runner event nationwide with a dozen or so makeweights?"

Westmead Aoifa (1-3F), making a hugely impressive transition to six-bend racing, conclusively proved her stamina in heat two.

Nick Savva's bitch swept past leader Black Pear at the penultimate bend and, pulling away with every stride, hacked up from the latter in 41.45sec (-15).

Caloona Striker, no stranger to big-race success having landed last year's Silver Collar at Walthamstow, extended his sequence of wins in long-distance races on home soil in heat five.

Latest outright betting from local layer Steve Joel: 6-4 Westmead Aoifa, 9-4 Caloona Striker, 7-2 Greenacre Lin, 8 Call Girl, 10 Jordans Glory, 14 bar.

DRAW

First semi: 1 Farleyhill Fifi, 2 Coulombs Joy, 3 Bombersgoinghome (m), 4 Call Girl (m), 5 Westmead Swift (m), 6 Jordans Glory (w).

Second: 1 Greenacre Lin, 2 Sofem, 3 Top Bombin, 4 Caloona Striker (m), 5 Black Pear (m), 6 Archers Sparkler (w).

Third: 1 Rio Limo, 2 Glengar Leader, 3 Droopys Teddy, 4 Kelleroo (m), 5 Blackmagic Guy (m), 6 Westmead Aoifa (w).

CAPTION(S):

Greenacre Lin treated her adoring home fans to an exhibition performance on Tuesday