Steel caps perfect weekend for Janssens and Firmager

Picture from Rob Crawford.  L-R, Sarah Laycock, Ria Tillett and Carl Perry.

Steel completes Category One weekend double for Janssens

Following on from victory in the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby on Saturday night, the Patrick Janssens/David Firmager juggernaut rolled into Sheffield on Sunday afternoon to claim another Category One title. 

Romeo Steel has won more than half of his career starts (and 13 of his last 15), adding the BresBet Steel City Cup to his Click Competitions East Anglian Derby crown from last month. His early pace won him the day once more, and it will be interesting to see if he heads back to Nottingham next up and a date with the Eclipse, a race that he was third in last year. 

Ria Tillett, in discussion with Rob Crawford at Sheffield yesterday, would not be drawn into speculation of where their champion performer goes next, so it is a case of wait and see how he comes out of this competition. 

It was a one-two for connections as Romeo Ability followed his kennelmate home. He had been chasing the generous bonus from the sponsors Bresbet for any greyhound who could win their sponsored Gymcrack and Steel City Cup double. Wicky Ned had won the extra on offer in 2024.

Chelms Bear picked the wrong time to miss his break in the final. Having set a track record in the semis, he turned last off a slow exit, and although he scythed through half of the field down the back straight, he was not able to chase down the Janssens pair.

Team Janssens didn't have it all their own way in the supporting races with Rose Draper's Distant Fox seeing off the Select Stayers champion Fabulous Heka in a 660m contest. The local has enjoyed an excellent year on home soil. Tricky Wiggles for Robert Holt and Tiermana Lucky for David Fradgely won the other main supporting contests on the afternoon.

Competitive KAB Puppy Collar heats at Oxford

The KAB Puppy Collar was 6/1 the field ahead of the opening round on Sunday afternoon and the wide open nature of the competition was evident in the results. Three lengths separated the six winners, with five of the six split by just seven spots which should make for some fascinating semis next weekend.

It was Kevin Hutton's Ollie The Ox who just produced the pick of the heat times with his 26.80 victory. Tipping the scales at a hair under 39 kg, he is now the winner of three of his first four career starts. He is out of the 2020 Oaks winner Antigua Princess and produced the second quickest split of the pups.

Jacktavern Don had the honour of being the quickest to the sectional for Maxine Locke, winning the opening heat of the competition in 26.84. Connections had given him three trials prior to the start of this event and that practise made for a perfect start, running out as the widest margin winner.

Locke doubled up in heat four with Newinn Jolie who turned over a 1/4 hotpot in Outa The Clouds. The winner is only an April '24 whelp who had just an A6 win at Romford to her credit, though that was a smart 24.18. Her 26.86 win came despite moving off from the inside trap, so she remains capable of better.

The same 26.84 as Jacktavern Don was clocked by Nathan Hunt's Coral Puppy Cup winner Scooby Princess. She has taken some huge steps forward since winning a couple of graded races at Monmore in August, heading the market coming into this competition.

David Mullins landed the final heat with Zenith Jimbombom in 26.87. He had the benefit of a prior open race win at the track, as well as a success at Hove over 500m. One of the oldest in the competition, that experience could stand him in good stead.

Just one winner didn't break the 27-second barrier and that was Aero Najem for Richie Taberner who clocked 27.04. She made the final of the Romford Puppy Cup, seemingly well suited to a sharper four-bend trip for all that she does boast a 480m open race success at Monmore on her card. She came well clear in her heat on her first race action since that final.

There was further success for Hutton and Mullins on the undercard with Start The Engine and Brigadir Brindle justifying cramped odds. A pair of staying races went to Gagas Merry for Robin Jury and Alright Twinkle for David Lewis with other contests seeing wins for Rachel Hill's Berties Decision and Alanas Eske for Diane Yeates. 

Hove trebles for Cahill and Wallis

Although there was no Category One racing at Hove, there was some good quality action on the track, including trial stakes for the upcoming Gold Collar. They were both won by the Mark Wallis kennel with Kilmore Dancer and Rackethall Brute doing the business. Fire Height Lila was an impressive 28.98 winner over 500m earlier on the card to kick off the treble.

Seamus Cahill matched Wallis with three winners of his own. Missile One got the ball rolling in a deep 515m contest. Brighton Belle runner-up Dark Madam returned with a winning effort after five months off, showing again what a talent she is when she is healthy, before Cloheena Boyce finished off the hat-trick of winners.

There were doubles for Richard Rees in the opening two races on the card with Scooby The Lady and Zenith Rocket and also for Paul Young with Mahoonagh Hoffa and Droopys Rated. Belinda Green's Dangerous Billy and Sean White's Broadway Murty rounded out the winners on the afternoon. 

Upcoming Opens

Monday: Nottingham

Friday: Dunstall Park ♦ Romford ♦ Sunderland