Yet again the ante-post favourite for the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket will not win the event after hot favourite Fear Emoski was eliminated in the heats stage on Saturday.

This was a shock exit for a greyhound that is probably in the top three stayers in the country.

The dog went off at odds of 4-7 on and while she had a decent enough start, she was crowded at three bends before finishing fourth.

The first three qualified, so she was somewhat unlucky but over this distance of 714 metres, there is plenty of time to improve your race position.

This heat went to surprise winner Boltawelldigger, who came home at massive odds of 16-1.

Boltawelldigger recorded the fastest win time of the six heats, 46.30sec. The other five heats were won by Airforce General (46.80), Lenson Pele (47.39), Curraleigh Rock (46.52), Midway Nick (47.10) and my tip for the Jacket, Hometown Honey (46.50).

I was happy enough with the performance of my selection Hometown Honey, who after an indifferent start, progressed nicely throughout her race and was pulling away from the field across the winning line.

I see no reason to change her as my tip to win the final here on the morning of Saturday, February 22.

We now move onto the three semi-finals on Saturday morning.

With just 18 runners remaining, the first two greyhounds in each semi go through to the final worth £17,500.

Crayford’s sole representative this year, Pony Bride, did well to get through in her heat from trap six.

She came home in third place behind Airforce General and is in her favourite trap four in the semis.

Having looked at the winner’s sectional times in the six heats, I am still confident about Hometown Honey’s chances.

Despite a slowish start away from the traps, she still registered the fastest time after a circuit and looks even stronger over the second circuit.

The momentum is building, so why not come along on Saturday and watch one of the country’s top greyhound events? Gates open at 10am with the first race going off at 10.38am.