Gymcrack surprise as 22/1 Droopys Typical scores for Susan Watson

Picture - Rob Crawford

Droopys Typical lands the Gymcrack

The final of the Bet St George Gymcrack had a surprise for the majority of punters as Susan Watson's Droopys Typical popped out from her middle draw to turn in front. She had shaped well in both her runner-up efforts in her heat and semi, but this was a step up on her sectional, out quick and moving towards the rails.

She had to be brave to drive the bend with Annadown Shadow putting pace pressure on her inside, but with that rival led up, Copney Queen threw down a challenge to keep her honest. Out of Cat One winning stayer Blueberry Bullet, one thing that she was never going to do was fail for lack of stamina, continuing to pull out enough all the way to the line.

John Flaherty's bitch made it a one-two for the girls in the race, losing nothing in defeat, with Arena Racing Company Northern Puppy Derby winner Woltemade helping to show the strength of the form in third for Jimmy Fenwick. Annadown Shadow, Harton Whirlwind and Romeo Arran completed the final for Sean Parker, Rose Draper and Patrick Janssens respectively. 

It was noted in this column back on March 7 after a win at Doncaster than the £2,300 that Droopys Typical had cost at the sales looked like money well spent, that now looking like one of the bargains of 2025 after her £17,500 triumph. She has five wins from eight career starts so far, runner-up in her other three.

There were just two invitational races on the undercard, both won by Kelly Hodson. Romeo Cobra took the 480m contest, a fifth win on the bounce for him. The last three of those have come over this distance with a win each from traps four, five and six. 

Romeo Force landed a 500m race, adding to a win on the same afternoon as the opening round. He provided Hodson with a Category One finalist in the BGBF British Breeders Stakes at Nottingham, nudging his career strike rate north of 33% with this victory, 21/62.

Dimmock and Peckover take two each at Towcester

Sunday afternoon at Towcester was the calm before the storm in racing terms with the start of the Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby set for Friday night. 

Four of the nine opens came over the new 460m trip, including one won by Heather Dimmock's Jacktavern Pele. A regular A2 winner through 2025 over 500m, he had been seen only in sprints so far this year in limited action but looked well-suited to this shorter four bend trip. Quickest away, he was in control of proceedings from the opening strides.

712m saw the opening leg of the Dimmock double as Chasing Larry justified his position at the head of the market. He had to be patient and wait for a run behind early leader Rolo Rosie but he nosed up her inside halfway down the back to get himself into the lead and hold off the closers.

Ron Peckover also landed a double on the card, including a 25/1 surprise in the first open on the afternoon. Salthill Selby won an A4 at Oxford on his final start there, and perhaps found 500m at Towcester a little too taxing in a trial. Dropped to 460m for his first race at the track proved the right move as he popped out in front in a puppies contest. 

The double was completed by Mulveys Champ who was only in action for the fourth time. He had won an open at Oxford on his race debut, just clearing the pair to his left and driving up the inside at the opening bend to get himself in pole position coming off the second turn.

The pick of the runs over 460m came from Frank Gray's Makeit Home. A smart 29.20 winner on February 1 over 500m, she had not been seen in race action since but there was no hint of any ring rust, nor inexperience given it was only the third run of her life. Her 26.61 is the early best time that has been seen over the trip.

A marathon contest saw Remember Betty a street clear as they passed the stands the first time for Matt Dartnall. She was closed down to three and a half lengths come the line but she never looked like she was going to be caught as she put her TV Trophy credentials on the line. 

On a tricky afternoon for punters, Laurence Tuffin took a 500m contest with 9/1 shot Fabulous Eva. It was only her third run back from almost six months off, successful in a D3 when last seen in action. Her 29.25 was a clear career best effort over 500m.

Easy Vegas was a 7/1 scorer for David Lewis, another to make all of the running over 460m. A four-timer top-grade winner at Oxford over 450m, this was his first open race success in his 52nd career start. 

Rounding out the open race winners on the card is Angie Kibble's Haverhill Lass. She picked up a bitches contest that saw plenty of trouble at the opening bend, getting up in the final strides to take third win in her last four starts.

Davy with a Valley brace

Two of Donna Davy's top performers went head-to-head at the Valley, with Droopys Nijinsky coming out on top over Epic Evelyn. It was not as competitive a contest as perhaps might have been expected, with the winner proving far too strong in the latter stages and pulling right away.

Random Vicky produced a decent sprint time to land the Davy double, dipping under 16 seconds in the process. The veteran was away and gone to avoid the trouble behind her, coming home almost 10 lengths to the good over her rivals. 

Frank Bryce picked up the winner of a staying contest with Baggios Dilemma. It was her first race action since Oxford shut, adding to a string of staying wins at Swindon last year where she had a pair of wins in the top 15 times.

It had been a fair while between drinks for Selker Bay Belle whose losing run stretched back to last September at Oxford, a run of 19 starts without a win. She had only had one start at this track prior to yesterday, popping out in front and keeping on too strongly for her rivals to get her head back in front. That September success was her third in six starts so look for her to get hot.

There was a winning debut for Shaun Chappell. from Simpson Sniper. The ex-Newcastle A2 performer had picked up an open at Sunderland back in January and wasted no time in getting off the mark for his new handler. 

A six-bend contest saw plenty of back and forth between eventual winner Grovenor Sienna and Swift Francesca. Adrian Rawlings's bitch got the job done in the end but not before it looked like the pair might let the third Hawkfield Elvis mug the pair of them.

The biggest of the prices in the opens was left to Craig Marston's First Sight who picked up a sprint contest at 12/1. She was slow to stride in a messy contest that saw the field all close up at the finish but managed to ward off the attentions of the runner-up to pick up a debut success.