StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby winner Droopys Plunge to stay on these shores as Janssens rules out trip to Shelbourne Park

StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby winner Droopys Plunge to stay on these shores as Janssens rules out trip to Shelbourne 

StarSports/TRC Greyhound Derby winning trainer Patrick Janssens has ruled out a tilt at the BoyleSports Irish Derby but has outlined his future plans, along with other’s from the kennel, with the ultimate target to retain his title next year. 

Nearly 72 hours on from his second StarSports Derby title with Droopys Plunge, winning trainer Patrick Janssens this afternoon reflected on a fantastic night for the kennel on Saturday evening.

“I’m still on cloud nine” he said. “Saturday was a fantastic night for Greyhound Racing and I don’t just mean with the Derby Final itself, the whole night was amazing. The track was in good condition, the weather was ok, but the crowd and the atmosphere were incredible”. 

“Towcester is the best place to stage a Greyhound Derby and everyone involved has done a fantastic job. The facilities are great and for me you can’t have the Derby anywhere else. The track is a proper track, it’s a proper test of a Greyhound and you need to get that 500m strong in order to win, and Plunge showed that on Saturday night”

“I wasn’t surprised with how he broke in the Final as he had broken well in the First Round when he made all the running and he broke well again in the Third Round but just got crowded by Bubbly Charger when he took up the lead. He can break well but just lacks a yard of early pace going into the bend”.

“When he broke on Saturday I was just hoping that he would hold his position into the bend which he did. He had a little bump at the first and then Bockos Diamond cut right across him just before the second bend, but he didn’t lose much ground.”

“I think it was at the third bend where I thought he was going to win. I was just hoping that he could get a run and wouldn’t have to check up behind the leaders, but once he got a run, I knew he would pick them up.”

“But it was a proper race, a great race. I think all six runners had a little bit of trouble at some stage but nearly all six either led or had a chance of winning at some stage and the winning time was still 28.76, which just goes to show the class of dog that was running in the Final”

So where next for Droopys Plunge? I asked Patrick would he consider taking him to Ireland for a crack at the BoyleSports Irish Derby at Shelbourne in August and was met with an immediate response

“No no, he won’t be going to Shelbourne” he said. “It’s not really his type of track. It’s a different track to Towcester. Whereas you need to have a strong running type round Towcester, Shelbourne suits the dogs with early pace”. 

“It would suit a dog like Romeo Steel, something who can show a good bit of early but not really Droopys Plunge. Even the likes of De Lahdedah has struggled round there before. Yes, he’s won there in the past and is a top top Greyhound, but again I don’t think it’s his track.”

“But we will give Plunge a few weeks off and then we will be looking for competitions like the Sussex Cup at Hove in August, the Select Stakes at Nottingham and probably the Kent Derby at Central Park in October all being well. But ultimately, we want him to come back to Towcester again next year to defend his title. He’s only just over two and a half years old so is quite young so that’s the target for next year, to comeback and defend the title”.

But Droopys Plunge was just one of six winners on a fantastic night for Janssens, with five winners on the undercard. Slick Sentinel kicked things off with victory in the Star-Pelaw.com Trophy, Romeo Empire made a winning six bend debut when taking The Star Pelaw Stakes over 712m, Romeo Ability took the JR Racing Puppy Trophy,  Romeo Tomcat got the better of Kilmore Dancer to land the PricedUp.Bet Derby Plate, while Romeo Steel landed the Final of the BGBF TruFrame Champion Stakes and Janssens has a few options for a few of those runners.

“Slick Sentinel may possibly go to Dundalk for the Invitational, while Romeo Empire will head to Sheffield for the Three Steps to Victory. He stayed on well enough over the 712m on debut on Saturday so that’s where he will be off to. Romeo Tomcat and Romeo Steel will also probably end up going to the Sussex Cup at Hove”

“But It was a great night for the kennel. I’ve been involved in Greyhound Racing for over 25 years now and it’s probably the best night that I’ve experienced in what was probably one of the best Final’s we have seen”