MAXINE LOCKE is hoping Annadown Chip and Annadown Warrior, first and second in the PCS Legal Puppy Trophy Final at Towcester, can prove Derby dogs in 2027 after the pair starred on the undercard at Saturday’s Star Sports & Orchestrate Ltd English Greyhound Derby Final card.

The £2,500 Category Two was one of a number of major finals on the night supporting the £125,000 Classic final and the now Central Park-based trainer was delighted to see the litter brothers dominate their 500m final for owners the JR Racing Syndicate, the pair emerging from a crowded first bend in the first two places with Annadown Chip going on for a two and a quarter-lengths victory over Annadown Warrior in a fast 28.58sec (normal).

“There’s not a lot between them and hopefully both can be Derby dogs next year,” said Locke, whose former boss and Romford colleague Paul Young was also on the mark on the card, lifting the Fox Sports Surfacing Dorando Marathon with Droopys Rated, his TV Trophy champion, who set a new track record for the 942m trip when racing away for a 15 and three-quarter lengths win over kennelmate Innfield Fifi in the traditional closer.

Droopys Rated’s winning time was 56.85sec (normal), well inside his previous best of 57.17sec set in the heats of the Barking Mad Betting TV Trophy in May.

Kevin Boon sent out Bockos Buster (15.47sec -10) to win the Time Nutrition Sprint Trophy Final with a fast start soon sealing the 270m title on his last start for the Norfolk-based handler having been sold by owners Graham Box and Bev Lochead to Newcastle trainer Savva Roberts, while the major British-bred title on the night went to Kelly Hodson’s Romeo Force in the BGBF TruFrame Champion Stakes Final.

BGBF chair Liz Mort said of the 28.88sec (normal) winner: “It was a great performance by Romeo Force and well done to his trainer Kelly Hodson and to his breeder David Firmager. It was also great to see Force’s litter brother Romeo Ability earlier win the (PricedUp.Bet) Derby Plate for a popular British-bred winner for Patrick Janssens on an important night against top company.”

Belinda Green enjoyed a memorable Derby final night with Bombshell Bullet’s victory in the Elite Electrical & Automation Limited Bitches Trophy Final over 500m in 28.85sec (-20) the highlight of a brilliant hat-trick for the Hove trainer given Raebella Bullet’s success in the opening Durlock Group Invitation Trophy in 28.52sec (normal) and Bikini Bullet in the following StarSports.Bet Invitation Trophy in 28.42sec (normal), while Kevin Hutton notched a double with Start The Engine setting a new 460m track record in 26.31sec (normal) in the Star-Pelaw.com Invitation Trophy and kennelmate Toureen Rose also scoring an impressive all-the-way win over 712m in the StarSports.Bet Invitation Stayers Trophy in 42.70sec (normal).

Naochra had earlier landed a popular victory for Newcastle trainer John Flaherty and owner – and kennelhand – Michael Connolly in the Derek Burridge Trophies Seniors Stakes in 28.89sec for the 500m trip.