Droopys lands Derby Plunge for Patrick Janssens

Janssens hits his Derby rivals for six

It was something mused upon in a column from Chris Oliver in the last week, would this be another 2021? Thorn Falcon and Kilara Lion represented Patrick Janssens against a formidable Irish challenge that year, with the Belgian-born trainer coming out on top. In 2025, Janssens only needed a single runner to fend off five Irish stars.

Available at 25/1 prior to the draw last Monday, Droopys Plunge was quickly trimmed to a best price of 16/1 once the draw was made. Those odds fell further to his 10/1 starting price as the each way sharks circled the bookies. While the big bets rained in on the night for the favourite Bockos Diamond, the continued nibbling at trap one was notable. 

A second Derby still leaves Janssens plenty of ground to make up on Charles Lister's seven but one thing that Janssens has in common with the legendary handler is that he can get them out when they need it the most! Plunge had the perfect draw on paper but he needed his trapping boots on to take advantage of it. 

His 4.03 sectional was the best he produced during the Derby and although the three wide runners showed the better middle gears, his leading up of his inside rivals was crucial to put him close enough to the speed at the third bend. 

From start to finish, the 2025 Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby oozed class. The lack of shocks gave us the deepest final field for a good while and with just two and a half lengths covering the field as they flashed across the line, it was the exceptional visual treat that the sport needed.

Half of the field hit the front at one point in the race with Bombay Pat taking the longest turn in the lead before ultimately finishing last. It was still a huge run from the Graham Holland-trained runner, with the kennel having the first three as the field heading to the third bend. 

Three runners in the Derby final for the second time in three years isn't something that should be overlooked. The strength in depth at Riverside Kennels is unreal with runners in seven of the nine Derby finals since the race left Wimbledon. 

Although Bockos Diamond was second, he ran his best race in the competition. To get himself to the front took an almighty effort, he will surely go back to Shelbourne to defend his crown and at that track, he is going to take an awful lot of beating. 

Speaking of defending Derby champions, De Lahdedah was carried out on his shield. After getting shuffled out the back, he showed his trademark tenacity to grab third on the line with a short head separating second from third, third from fourth and fourth from fifth!

There are few more consistent dogs in training than Cheap Sandwiches. That is going to get rewarded with a big one at some point, something that hopefully will also be true of Peter Cronin. Another finalist in Sole Mio, who finished fifth. 

Congratulations to Patrick Janssens and the Three Tall Men Syndicate, Roy Ball, Trevor Pearson and Tony Stubbs with their Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby winner Droopys Plunge. 

Towcester Undercard

It was more of the same on the undercard for Janssens with another five winners. Romeo Topcat took the PricedUp.Bet Derby Plate just a spot slower than Droopys Plunge produced in the Derby final. He just got the better of a battle with Kilmore Dancer which saw the pair bumping as they headed for home with Topcat getting back on top late in the day.

One of the most highly anticipated six-bend debuts came in the Star Pelaw Stakes with Romeo Empire putting his stamina on the line. His four-bend pace saw him hit the front at an early stage and he never looked like coming back. Stamina proven, this opens up a lot of doors for him later in the year.

Romeo Steel was sent off at the same 4/7 starting price as Romeo Empire to land the BGBF TruFrame Champion Stakes by a length from Queen Shakira. Romeo Ability added to the exceptional night with his JR Racing Puppy Trophy success with Slick Sentinel coming good once more in the Star-Pelaw.com Trophy.

A star has emerged in the sprinting scene over the last couple of weeks in the shape of Shadow Storm. The Richard Rees-trained railer has been perfection in his three career starts, unbeaten through the time Greyhound Nutrition Sprint Trophy. 

712m at Towcester has been the making of Vhagar. She has been a smart bitch over both four bends and a sharper six but in with genuine stayers has allowed her natural speed to get her to the front, with the stamina to hold off the closers. For the Mark Wallis kennel that is awash with staying talent, she has firmly put herself in the picture as one of the top six-bend performers with her BetGoodwin Challenge Trophy win.

The quickest 500m time on the night went to Nathan Hunt's Icemans Girl. The bet365 Empress Stakes runner-up over the same track and trip in 2024 once more showed how well Towcester suits her, taking out the Allied Site Services Bitches Trophy.

It was Avongate Venus who finished in front of Icemans Girl in the Empress Stakes and she had scored earlier on in the card for Phil Milner in the PCS Legal Stakes. 

Although Graham Holland was out of luck with his three Derby runners, the kennel opened the card with a Fayppint double. Harvey took the opening contest, the Jimmy Wright Memorial Stakes, with Susie taking the Starsports.bet Trophy. 

The money came for Alright Patricia in the Fox Sport Surfacing Dorando Marathon and it was well placed. She had to work hard to pick up Salacres Belleza but got there in the nick of time for David Lewis. 

Both David Mullins and Maxine Locke were at Central Park on Saturday night but both Romford handlers had winners at Towcester in March On Freddie (Derek & Mark Burridge Trophies) and Radical Scoby (greyhound trader.com Stakes) respectively. Both got their heads in front late on in the piece.