Rees double handed in bid to emulate Churchfield Syd’s Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby success
Churchfield Syd won the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby back in 2023, and trainer Richard Rees has two runners in this year’s final, Zenith Imminent and Texas Jack
Rees double handed in bid to emulate Churchfield Syd’s Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby success
Churchfield Syd won the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby back in 2023, and trainer Richard Rees has two runners in this year’s final, Zenith Imminent and Texas Jack
Having previously been beaten in his two previous Category One finals in 2023, the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Monmore in August when runner up behind Tom Heilbron’s Links Maverick, and the M Lambe Birmingham Cup Final at Monmore in September when finishing behind Jimmy Fenwick’s Brookside Richie, Churchfield Syd landed his first major final when making all the running of the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby at Central Park in October for Richard Rees, going on to beat the Patrick Janssens trained Romeo Command in the final, going unbeaten throughout the competition in doing so (below)
Syd was one of the most popular greyhounds in training in recent years and went on to win the Ladbrokes Winter Derby Final, and the Ladbrokes Gold Cup Final at Monmore in 2024, along with making the final of the Star Sports/TRC Greyhound Derby in that year, finishing fourth behind De Lahdedah. Having this year exited the StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby at the semi final stage this year behind that same rival, Churchfield Syd was retired and is now proving to be popular in the breeding paddocks.
Rees has two runners in Saturday’s £20,000 to the winner final, both looking to emulate success of Churchfield Syd, and Rees is hopeful of a bold showing from both runners, who have only had eleven previous outings between them
“Zenith Imminent has only had the four starts and he won his first couple of those but then he caught the cough that was going around at the time" he said " He was a little bit behind going into the heats but we took a chance on him, and he’s improved with each outing, so I’m not surprised that he has reached the final. He’s a nice dog, I think he’s more of a staying type but he really is a nice dog”
“Texas Jack has won five of his seven starts, but he was off from June until September with the cough. He was the first one to actually get it, but we laid him off with this competition in mind. We weren’t in any rush to bring him back and he went well enough in a few trials at Hove and Central Park and he's been improving over the last couple of weeks. and i'm happy that both runners have been able to reach such a top quality final.
This does indeed look to be a cracking final with the likes of Maxine Locke’s Headford Dane, who has won the Premier Greyhound Racing Puppy Derby and Ladbrokes Gold Cup, the Patrick Janssens trained Romeo Tomcat, who was runner up in the BresBet Gymcrack Final at Sheffield before winning two Category Two competitions, the Pricedup.Bet Derby Plate at Towcester on Derby Final night and the Yorkshire Derby at Doncaster a few weeks ago and Graham Holland’s Bombay Pat, who has reached the Semi Final of an Irish Derby, as well as making the final of the StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby behind Droopys Plunge at Towcester.
Not forgetting the John Mullins trained Acejukeboxpopper, who is on a winning run of four, including victories at 10/1 and 16/1 in both heat and semi final of this competition, but it is Texas Jack who has the fastest time on the clock of the six finalists when making all the running in his semi final on Saturday when defeating Zenith Imminent and Rees will be hoping for a repeat performance on Saturday
“It’s a cracking final and all the greyhounds in it are cracking aren’t they. It’s a top class final but if Texas Jack can put his best foot forward, then he would have every chance, he’s definitely not a no hoper at all."
"He did a 2.97 sectional on Saturday when recording the fastest time of the competition, and he’s coming forward and he’s getting better with every run but he can’t afford to do anything wrong on the night, but that said, neither can any of the others such is the quality of dogs in the final, but both runners are in great order and there’s no reason at all why either of them can’t improve again on Saturday"
