ROMEO COMMAND will have a chance of going one better than last year when he lines up in Sunday’s final of the Greyhound Racing UK Blue Riband at Towcester.

Edged out 12 months ago by Signet Goofy in a contender for race of the year, the Patrick Janssens-trained, Dave Firmager-bred and owned runner – a January 2021 son of Dorotas Wildcat and Drive On Betsy – raced into the weekend’s £12,500 decider with a brilliant trap-to-line victory in the first semi.

Quickly away on his way to making all in a slick 28.71sec (normal) for the 500m trip, he crossed the line two and a quarter lengths clear of kennelmate Slick Sentinel for a Janssens one-two and the performances of both delighted the trainer.

“Romeo Command is a very special dog and it’s just a pleasure to have him in the kennel,” he said. “He’s four now but Sunday’s run was up there with some of his best and, remember, this is a dog who’s gone close in a Derby let alone a Blue Riband!

“Dave and Nicola (Firmager) love him to bits and you can’t blame them – we do, too! Win or lose it’s always one race at a time with him, but he still loves his racing and we’re happy enough with the draw in trap three on Sunday – and he loves Towcester, of course.”

Of Slick Sentinel, Janssens added: “He’s always raced against the best and give him a chance – maybe off a good break – and he’ll take it. He won the Juvenile Classic at Towcester last year and it’s great for Keith (Allsop, owner) to have another big finalist.

“It was just a shame Barntick Bear and Droopys Plunge couldn’t make the final. Both just gave away too much ground early and against good dogs that always makes it difficult.”

Table Toppers was fastest of the session in the semi-finals and heads a three-strong Mark Wallis team in the Category One final having himself led home a same-trainer one-two in the third semi-final at the Northamptonshire venue.

A regular Towcester winner, the July 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Dolce Vita was fast-to-stride and soon had his rivals under pressure before winning by one and three-quarter lengths from fast-finishing kennelmate Kilmore Dancer in 28.69sec (normal).

Proper Heiress, another Wallis-trained runner, overcame a stumble at the start before coming through impressively on the inside rounding the first two turns before a length and a quarter success over strong-finishing Doohoma Princess (Seamus Gaughan) in 29.39sec (normal).

Trap draw for Sunday’s Greyhound Racing UK Blue Riband Final: 1 Doohoma Princess (Seamus Gaughan), 2 Table Toppers (Mark Wallis), 3 Romeo Command (Patrick Janssens), 4 Proper Heiress (Mark Wallis), 5 Kilmore Dancer (Mark Wallis), 6 Slick Sentinel (w) (Patrick Janssens).