1st Containers Marathon Trophy – Towcester 912m – £10,000

SPACE JET landed a quickfire Category One double and launched herself into Greyhound of the Year reckoning with victory in a thrilling and high-quality 1st Containers Marathon Trophy at Towcester on Sunday.

Trained by Matt Dartnall for Kurn Rushen, the February 2019 daughter of Droopys Jet and Volcano improved her already outstanding UK record to six wins and four seconds from just ten starts – including famously a track record-breaking victory in the stayers’s Classic, the Arc St Leger at Perry Barr last month.

Lining up in the £10,000 final on Sunday as favourite in a red-hot field, it was 33-1 chance Burgess Elite (John Mullins) who set the tempo as expected and the two-year-old kept up a searing pace for almost all the 912m trip, repelling the persistent challenge of Antigua Lava (Mark Wallis) until Space Jet came with a winning challenge off the last bend.

However, that only tells some of the story because Dartnall’s second string Droopys Jungle, also defying her 50-1 SP, was on the premises with a challenge as the field turned for home, with Greyhound of the Year Aayamza Royale (Mark Wallis) staying on late to follow Space Jet through and grab second close home.

Incredibly, just over a length separated the first five home with Savana Volcano (Diane Henry) running on well but not quite getting to the pack. The winning time for Space Jet was 56.67sec (normal).

So victory went to Space Jet, with huge delight at the presentation podium afterwards for connections – and a bittersweet moment for big-race sponsor Mitch Brenner, who joined the throng to present the trophy. Brenner is a member of the Aayamzaboys Syndicate, owners of Aayamza Royale.

Explaining the background to the inaugural running of the 1st Containers Marathon Trophy, he said: “The event came about for a couple of reasons really. Firstly, there seemed to be a shortage of Category Ones at marathon distance, plus I wanted to do something to raise the profile of the sport.

“The structure of the competition in having only two semi-finals was very important to me as I feel it gives the better dogs more chance to reach the final.

“I did it in conjunction with Towcester because the facilities there are streets ahead of anywhere else and the setting is just amazing.

“The event itself turned out to be as good a marathon final as you’d wish to see with a worthy winner in Space Jet – who proved me wrong! I actually didn’t think she’d stay that distance three weekends on the trot, but she did really well.

“Our bitch Lydia (Aayamza Royale) was finishing with a wet sail as usual but didn’t quite manage to get up. The thing is, it was me who shortened the distance by 30 yards!

“With Towcester’s new traps and the option for a new eight-bend distance, I thought it would be better for the competition – seems ironic now! But look, it was a fantastic race with nothing between the first five in the race with Volcano just behind them – and she had a small shoulder issue during the race.

“As an event itself, we really couldn’t have been happier.”