Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby starts with a bang

Central Park lit up with the Kent Derby heats

Maxine Locke and the JR Racing Syndicate took the 2024 Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby with Droopys Display, and while a stumble at the start saw his back-to-back bid foiled, kennelmate Headford Dane stepped into the breech with a spectacular run.

He already has a pair of Category One titles under his belt in a career that has spanned just nine races to this point. It looks a competitive field to beat if he is to make that a third win at the top table but his 28.75 success on a track marked -20 set the standard from the six opening round heats.

The Graham Holland kennel saw their long journey to the south east corner of the UK worthwhile with Bombay Pat leading up his heat and running away from rivals that included Romeo Alliance. A big gallop like Central Park was always likely to suit the English Derby finalist, breaking the beam in 28.83.

Pat was not the second quickest heat winner, however, that honour belonged to Jason Heath's Burrows Eclipse who went a single spot faster. A bet365 Hunt Cup finalist back in April, he flew out and with stamina proven, he was always going to prove hard to catch. He just went further clear to score by 11 lengths. 

On a great night for the Heath kennel, they added a second heat winner with Burrows Charm. He has a pair of Cat One finals on his resume already this year, runner-up in the East Anglian Derby and a fourth placed finish in the BetGoodwin and JR Racing Maiden Derby at Towcester. He picked up the final heat of the night in 29.26. 

Romeo Topcat clocked a rock solid 29 dead in his heat win for Patrick Janssens. He missed his break but paced up to squeeze himself around, missing some of the scrimmaging that cost his kennelmate Droopys Plunge a spot in the semis. 

John Mullins landed the other heat as Acejukeboxpopper provided the surprise of the opening round, winning at 10/1. He is in rude health at present, winning the supporting sprint competition on East Anglian Derby final night before an A1 success at Yarmouth last time out. A 29.44 win saw him safely into the draw.

On the undercard, King Presley and Romeo Empire both justified short odds for Liz McNair and Janssens respectively. The pair both clocked very smart times (16.07 and 40.25) given the going was on the slow side.

Lets Go Girl had opened the night with a winner for Spencer Mavrias, with Nick Carter, Patrick Browne, Barry O'Sullivan and Julie Luckhurst all picking up winners courtesy of Elaines Poppit, Magical Kirsty, Good Rainbow and Epic Princess respectively. 

Six for Glenn Foot including a new track record for Emilys Superstar at Star Pelaw

A busy Saturday night at Star Pelaw saw both the SR Transport Rose Bowl and Untold Racing Stewards Cup got underway. The latter competition was crowned by a new track record from Glenn Foot's Emilys Superstar. The 590m distance is just tailor-made for her, winning 10 of her 11 starts over the trip. She has also made the semis of the ARC Grand Prix and Angel of the North this year so she isn't just a one track performer by any stretch but Star Pelaw really brings out the best in her.

Killieford Goram chased home Emilys Superstar on a couple of occasions in August. The veteran had little worry in booking his place in next week's semi-final stage for Dean Blackbird. He had made it a stage further in the Grand Prix than his old rival did but has found her too good on her favourite track so far.

The other two heats went to Troy Robbo for Ryan Buckton and Diane Henry's Clona Curly. Although the latter was the slowest of the four heat winners, he has plenty of back class and looks the type to improve for the look around. Buckton is a superb 11/40 with open runners in his first year with a license. 

Sunnysiede Jayden went quickest in the Rose Bowl heats for Ted Soppitt, landing the money in a smart 25.61. Given his lack of a look, it will be interesting to see what he is capable of doing in the semis. He has been in excellent form this year, adding to wins at Sunderland, Doncaster, Sheffield and Newcastle. 

Less than two lengths behind Sunnyside Jayden were two of the other heat winners,  Dreamin Porcha and Barnfield Duke, both for Foot. The former has won four of her last seven races, while the latter has made an excellent start to racing in the UK, winning six of his first 10 starts. The other heat went the way of Moolah for Paul Philpott.

There were three further winners for Foot on the undercard. He topped and tailed the night with Ballinabola Eve and Mags Star with Tassie Twirl also adding her name to the list on a spectacular evening for the kennel.

Dairyhill Suzi made it a double on the night for Blackbird in a supporting stayers contest. At the other end of the distance scale, the sole sprint on the evening saw Hugo Be Slick living up to his name for Stuart Tighe.

Doncaster treble for David Fradgely

The Doncaster Saturday night opens saw a string of short prices, three of those doing the business for the kennel of David Fradgely. The three combined only paid about evens but those who ran up the multiple rarely had a moment of worry.

Rental Crisis is one of the most consistent sprinters on the northern circuit at present, winning his 13th open of the year on just his 16th open race start to kick off the card. Daring Moaner made every yard of the running in the 661m contest before Stonepark Wes repeated the trick with a slick 483m display.

There was a double on the card for Sam Lapidge. She also had an odds on favourite oblige, though Portman Blue had to work a lot harder to justify the odds, overcoming a bump on the run-in to forge to the front late on. Glideaway Onana added to the winners in a sprint contest, doing enough after pacing to the lead into the bend.

Phil Milner picked up a winner with Epic Rebel over 450m while Kirsty Grayson and Jason Smith took another pair of 483m contests with Kilgarran Dolly and Westfield Sniper respectively. The evening was rounded off with a win for Michelle Brown's Lucky Spinner.

Afternoon double for John Mullins at Yarmouth

Ahead of Acejukeboxpopper winning his Kent Derby heat, the John Mullins kennel picked up a pair of the open contests at Yarmouth. In a similar vein to Central Park, both of them were sent off at double figure prices! Dick Turpin stole around the outside to go from last to first in the sprint open before Always Wrighty doubled the tally in a 462m maiden.

The stayers contest on the card went to Ballymac Nova for Pamela Cross. It was the first win for the strong stayer since an eight bend contest back in April but he had gone close over that same trip on East Anglian Derby final night. Heartandhalf won the other opening contest on the card for Sandra Clayton.

Upcoming Opens

Sunday: Sheffield

Monday: Nottingham

Tuesday: Swindon

Friday: Romford 

Saturday: Central Park