Newcastle stages Category One action tonight with the final of the £12,500 Time Greyhound Nutrition Northern Flat - one of the sport's oldest competitions - and don't rule out an upset in the 480m decider!

Supported by the £7,500 Arena Racing Company Angel of The North Final, a bitches-only Category Two competition which this year has more than matched the Northern Flat in terms of quality, Newcastle hosts no less than ten open races on a quality card in the north-east, live on the Premier Greyhound Racing Service.

Starting with the main event - and some class acts look to succeed last year's winner Brookside Richie. His trainer Jimmy Fenwick is back with Gymcrack winner Wicky Ned, while another Northern Flat-winning trainer Tom Heilbron has well-drawn Romeo Crossfire. Throw in impressive semi-final winners Slingshot Sam and Delvin Cat for Brian Fairbairn and Stephen Caile respectively and it's a top final.

However, could there be value siding with the outsider Tonelagee (9.28)?

Savva Roberts's dog has serious leadability claims and could surprise these from the get-go. He has made a great start to his career with a number of wins already and has been game in front during the Northern Flat, especially last week in the semi-finals when repelling the unwanted attention of the subsequently disqualified Mickys Tribute.

Leighas Dream (9.11) will be a more popular choice when Barry Denby's bitch lines up in the Angel of The North final after her sensational 28.08sec win in the semis seven days ago. Her draw outside looks perfect and, while Newcastle trainers dominate the Northern Flat, Nottingham's Denby and Oxford's Kevin Hutton could upset the locals here.

Hutton has qualified sisters Southfield Daisy and Coppice Ella in the Angel of The North and deserves special praise for making the long journey to the north east a successful one, as has Denby, albeit fast stars for any of Untold Ruble (Tom Heilbron), Wraysbury Katie (Paul Rutherford) or Coolavanny Mercy (Angela Harrison) could see them escape.

Looking at the supporting opens and Jimmy Fenwick's Coppice Rusty (6.53) looks good for a winning return in a maiden 480m. This lightly raced sort has trialled back well and will improve - and a line of form from April behind a certain Delvin Cat looks good now.

Four finals take place at Newcastle tonight and the Arena Racing Company Sprint can go to Romeo To Victory (7.11) after Tom Heilbron's dog impressed in the heats and has scope for improvement having not run at Newcastle for a while, before Jimmy Fenwick's Skeard Josie (7.27) has the draw to shine in the Time Greyhound 28 Puppy Standard.

And the Fenwick camp might have the answer to division one of the Time Garmivit Extra Maiden Stayers in which Greenwell Ovett (8.36) makes appeal. He made the semis of the Northern Flat and has not been stopping in his four-bend races - the step up in distance can be handled, with the draw an added bonus, albeit there is plenty of pace outside him.

Antigua Eagle (8.54) looks to have a favourite's chance in the following 480m contest. Formerly known as Omuircheataigh, he reached the Northern Puppy Derby over C&D as a youngster and looked a touch unlucky not to make the Northern Flat final, finishing a close-up third in last week's semi-finals. Compensation awaits tonight.

Newcastle nuggets

Coppice Rusty (6.53)

Romeo To Victory (7.11)

Skeard Josie (7.27)

Greenwell Ovett (8.36)

Antigua Eagle (8.54)

Leighas Dream (9.11)

Tonelagee (9.28)