Kent Derby trial stakes feature at Central Park

Kent Derby clues on offer

The build-up to the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby gathers pace with two trial stakes at Central Park on Saturday evening.

£20,000 is on offer to the winner of the competition, which gets underway on Saturday 4th October, with the semi-finals taking place a week later and the valuable decider on Saturday 18th October.

With the news that Irish star Bombay Pat is expected head to the Category One event, this year’s renewal looks like being a strong one and there is an interesting trial session at the track on Friday.

The highlight of this weekend’s trial stakes is the rematch between Ballymac Blanco and Texas Jack at 8.45pm, after the latter came out on top when the pair met here a week ago.

That was the Richard Rees-trained winner’s first outing in over three months and his third victory in four UK starts, so he has scope for improvement. That said, Ballymac Blanco did run out an impressive winner over the same course and distance the week before and Maxine Locke’s charge is a nice sort on his day.

Adding further spice to the contest is Gingers Prince, the Pall Mall winner who hasn’t raced since contesting the Ladbrokes Monmore Gold Cup final on Saturday 23rd August.

Division two of the Kent Derby trial stakes is at 8.05pm and features four locals, including Blastoff Kobe, who beat the reopposing Tiermana Ziggy (second) when winning an open in style here a fortnight ago.

The aforementioned Rees is represented by Zenith Sultan, a recent Hove open winner who fluffed the start behind the smart Headford Dane here last Saturday, while fellow Hove raider Punk Rock Rose goes for Stuart Maplesden.

Further information on tickets and hospitality bookings can be found on Central Park’s website here.