FABULOUS AZURRA completed a brilliant 24 hours for trainer Patrick Janssens when maintaining an unbeaten run through the BGBF British Bred Derby with victory in Tuesday’s £7,500 final at a busy Sheffield.

Trained by Janssens for owner and breeder Dave Firmager, the August 2019 daughter of Magical Bale and Fabulous Artist was never headed after a slick start, racing to a 4.25sec split, before stretching out to cross the line three lengths clear of Kevin Hutton’s pair of littermates Signet Otis and Sleek By Design. The winning time was 28.73sec (normal).

The previous night the Janssens-trained Crossfield Dusty won a thrilling National Sprint final at Nottingham and the reigning champion trainer, who is set to hand the mantle back to Mark Wallis, is nevertheless delighted with how the year has finished for the kennel with a Category Two success followed by Tuesday’s Category One victory.

He said: “It’s certainly been a great 24 hours and I’m delighted to have won the British Bred Derby for Dave (Firmager). He puts a huge amount into British breeding and Azurra is always a bitch I’ve thought a lot of. She’s got something about her at 33kg and had been going well in the Oaks until breaking down in season.

“However that proved to be a false heat so we gave her a few sprints at Towcester and she kept improving. We decided to go for the British Bred Derby without a trial – and the rest is history. She won her heat, semi-final and final to complete a great year for the kennel and, as always, I’d like to thank all the team here who made it possible.”

BGBF chair Liz Mort congratulated connections of Fabulous Azurra, commenting: “It was a great BGBF British Derby Final and well done to Patrick Janssens and David Firmager. Azurra took hold of the race early on and wasn’t for catching.

“I’m really pleased for David and Nicola (Firmager). They have been supporters of British breeding for a long time and have bred some great dogs. They definitely deserve this trophy – and what a lovely bitch Azurra is. It’s a long way down the line but I hope to see some of her offspring in these finals in the future.

“Azurra’s clearly always been above average. We saw her in the Produce Stakes at Swindon in the autumn, where she made the semis, and is out of the Firmagers’ home-bred Fabulous Artist by Magical Bale. Bale is also the sire of the second and third-placed runners this year – the Kevin Hutton-bred and trained Signet Otis and Sleek By Design.

“These littermates are out of super-brood Forest Natalee, who has produced some amazing dogs including Signet Denver from the same litter – all still pups. Forest Natalee has a younger litter whelped this year, bred by Kevin, which are currently being reared with John Mullins. We look forward to seeing how they progress.

“As for the other finalists this year, Shockwave Amber ran well for connections. The December 19 whelp was bred by Kim Gooding and Dan Wiepen and trained by Kim. Amber also made the final of the BGBF Puppy Cup at Towcester behind littermates Moments Of Magic and Signet Denver.

“King Louis was almost the ‘old man’ of the party, a brilliantly consistent January 18 dog by Leamaneigh Turbo for the McNairs and Brendan Keogh’s KSS Syndicate. He won our BGBF British Breeders Stakes at Nottingham in March this year and, of course, was second in the British Bred Derby at Sheffield 12 months go behind Elderberry Sky.

“The other finalist was Bernard, another son of Forest Natalee and one of her May 19 litter by Droopys Jet. He’s been another impressive dog to watch, finishing second to Pocket Lola in the Produce Stakes in September. He was also bred by Kevin Hutton and is trained by James Gaskin.

“So congratulations to all of them and their connections. Watching the race it certainly brought home what huge quality there is in British breeding now. I hope the BGBF competitions help give breeders an incentive, because it’s so much more satisfying to see your greyhound win if you bred the litter as well!

“Overall it was a really good evening at Sheffield and our thanks go to Andrew Mascarenhas and the team there for hosting the competition so well and for putting on such a great night’s racing.

“It was fantastic to be in a packed stadium with a restaurant full of Christmas partygoers, many not from greyhound racing backgrounds, but local families and businesses. It is exactly the way to encourage new people to come racing – and I’m sure a few will then take the next step and get involved in the sport itself.”

Result: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=380468&raceId=800615