BOCKOS DOOMIE helped trainer Patrick Janssens return to the top of the GBGB Trainer of the Year standings when extending his unbeaten record to 12 in winning the £10,000 Coral Sussex Cup Final at Hove.

Trained by Janssens for Bev Lochead and Austin Whelan, the ante-post favourite was none too well away but his early pace drove him to the front before the first bend and, grabbing the rails position from trap three, was soon in command.

However, shaking off the opposition during a high-class Sussex Cup has not been easy and, while comfortably in front into the third bend, first Distant Village (Matt Dartnall) and then Tommys Panther (Tony Collett) launched a challenge.

The latter, to his great credit, ran on strongly to get within a half a length of Bockos Doomie at the line in 29.29sec (+10) for the 515m – a result which lifted Janssens to 331 in the Trainer of the Year race ahead of multiple champion Mark Wallis (301).

Janssens said: “I’m delighted for all the team and his owners especially – Bev (Lochead) Graham (Box) and Austin (Whelan). I have to say a big thanks to Ron Mills, too. He’s done some great work with Doomie physically, especially when he was a younger dog.

“I always thought it looked a tricky draw on paper. I know he can break well at times, but he wouldn’t be a natural trapper but has great pace up. He needed all that to get round the inside two and we know what he can do down the back.

“They came at him, but this dog has the heart of a lion, he doesn’t like to lose but he’s got more early pace than people think and that’s serving him well – especially at Hove. That’s some sequence to rack up – 12 in a row at Hove is amazing.

“Fair play to Tony’s dog (Tommys Panther), he’s a good dog at the top of his game and he’s got close at the end. I’ve seen him run at Central Park a few times and he’s a 28.60sec dog there, so it was never going to be easy for us.

“Doomie’s a Derby dog, for sure. You’s say 515m at Hove is as far as he wants – but 500m at Nottingham is good. He’s come on since his last races there and we’ll look to trial or take in a race for him down the line – but first it’s the [Ladbrokes] Gold Cup at Monmore.

“He’s won there twice before and has posted some good clocks, so we’ve got to be hopeful. We’ll have a few entries for the races there – there’s a good spread of competitions and we’ve been up there for the prep races.

“It was a busy weekend all in all,” added Janssens. “I was at Hove on Saturday with Luke (Staunton) at Monmore, then Luke was also at Central Park on Sunday – but you’ve got to go where the open races are and it’s good to see a few more on the GBGB Calendar now.”

A good night for Team Janssens at Hove could have been even better with their Affleck Lady finishing second to Zascandil in the Coral Regency Final.

“We really couldn’t have asked anymore of her,” he said. “She’s four-and-a-half now and a real favourite here. When she next breaks in season we’ll be mating with her with Kilmore Lemon, another kennel favourite for us. We will certainly look forward to their offspring!”

Results: www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=364279&raceId=659083