Young replaces Janssens in Judgement Night switch

Romford handler accepts place for six-trainer showdown

PAUL YOUNG has stepped in to replace Patrick Janssens in the David Lipsey Trophy, otherwise known as Trainers Judgement Night at Monmore on Thursday, June 18.

The six-trainer, six-race shootout features the top six trainers from the previous year but Romford handler Young, seventh in the 2025 Trainer of the Year standings, comes into the high-class one-off event after Janssens informed Monmore than he would be unable to field a strong enough team to compete.

"We've just been very unlucky with injuries," explained Janssens. "A couple of months back I'd have been confident that we had a really good team to go to work with at Monmore, but we've had a tough run.

"Romeo Alliance and Romeo Steel have been retired, Romeo Tomcat and Romeo Empire are injured, so too Droopys Plunge - and while I reckon one or two of them could be back in time, getting the team back together is not going to happen.

"We don't actually have a huge team here but it's all just come at the wrong time for us," added Janssens who is still in the picture when it comes to defending his English Derby title.

A year on from Droopys Plunge's victory, his Slick Sentinel runs in the fourth quarter-final of the Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd. English Greyhound Derby at Towcester on Saturday.

Confirming that Paul Young will join Mark Wallis, Kevin Hutton, Maxine Locke, Nathan Hunt and Tom Heilbron for Trainers Judgement Night next month, Monmore racing manager Tony Williamson said: "We were sorry to hear about Patrick's team and wish his runners all the best and hope to see them back here soon.

"Paul is away for a few days just now but was delighted to hear the news - and to accept a place to have a crack at the David Lipsey Trophy.

"It is one of the best nights racing of the year and promises to be a great night here all round."