Lenson Joker, unbeaten throughout the William Hill Cesarewitch, stamped his authority on Tuesday's final with a blistering display to land the £5,000 booty before a decent crowd at Oxford Stadium.

The rest didn't have a look in as Joker set out his stall just a few metres out of the traps and it was a case of catch me if you can.

Runner-up Primitive Way may have had a bigger say in things had he trapped on terms, but he languished at the back for most of the race before moving into overdrive when it was all too late.

The big prize may have gone to Joker, but the biggest roar of the night came as the Maurice Massey-trained Positive Step, a Pall Mall finalist, grabbed his best victory yet when landing the £500 William Hill poker.com Stakes in brilliant style.

Rarely given the red jacket at Sandy Lane, he showed what a different dog he is on the rails and the white and black dog took up the running at the second bend and noise reached a crescendo as he came home almost five lengths to the good in an impressive 26.63.

One of the owners had a nice touch of £1,800 to £300, but leading bookmaker RD Racing reported a break-even night.

  • IT was not all glory for the locals though at Tuesday night's meeting, as trainer Paul Clarke's fancied Meintown Lotto, due to run in the William Hill on 0800 44 440 40 Stakes, slipped his lead at kennelling and was subsequently found two hours later at the Kassam Stadium.

Apparently he was one the worse for his escapade save grazed pads.

He will be out for around eight weeks.

  • TRAINER Michael Peterson (www.greyhoundtrainers.com/oxford/michaelpeterson.htm) and his owners are sponsoring tonight's all-trophy card at Oxford Stadium.

They will be entertained in the executive suites.

Peterson has sent six hounds to Denmark to race, the first Oxford trainer to achieve such a feat.

  • ASCOT racegoers who show their programme next week, will be allowed in free at the Stadium.
  • HIGHVIEW Abbey, owned by Roy Shorter, and who homed with him for the last eleven years, has been put down suffering from cancer.
  • DUE to the vast number of greyhounds waiting to trial, trainers are restricted to just seven triallists.
  • FORTY Tote betting shop staff in the Oxford area joined frontman Gary Wiltshire at Tuesday's Sky meeting.