TOWCESTER takes centre-stage on Saturday when it stages the world’s greatest greyhound race with the 93rd running of the English Greyhound Derby Final, sponsored by Star Sports and Towcester Events & Leisure (TRC).

Up for grabs is a first prize of £175,000 and greyhound immortality, with a place on the sport’s most famous roll of honour the aim of the six runners who head for traps at the Northamptonshire venue at 9.15pm on Saturday night ready to do battle over 500m for the right to succeed last year’s champion Romeo Magico.

He was trained to victory by Graham Holland, the Co Tipperary-based Englishman, who is back again bidding for back-to-back wins in the Classic, a feat only achieved in its near 100-year history by four trainers – Leslie Reynolds, Tony Meek, seven-time winner Charlie Lister and legendary trainer and breeder Nick Savva aka ‘Mr Westmead’.

Holland has also matched Charlie Lister’s feat in 2003 of fielding three finalists with Swords Rex, Clona Duke and Gaytime Nemo representing the Golden-based trainer on Saturday after they came through the weekend’s semi-finals in brilliant style.

Clona Duke bettered his own track record set in the first round with a flying 28.69sec success in the first semi when chased home by kennelmate Gaytime Nemo, before Swords Rex maintained his unbeaten record in the competition with another flawless display as he stopped in the clock in an equally fast 28.76sec.

It means three Irish-based runners will look to keep the famous trophy the other side of the Irish Sea for the fourth time in five years – and the betting suggests that is the most likely scenario. However, the home challenge remains a strong one headed by Romeo Command, who has been beaten just twice in his UK career.

Trained by Patrick Janssens, who won the English Derby in 2021 with Thorn Falcon, Romeo Command is owned and bred by David Firmager, who owns and bred last year’s winner Romeo Magico, trained by Graham Holland. The Firmagers play host to the Hollands during their English Derby campaigns.

The UK challenge is completed by Richard Rees’s Arc Cesarewitch champion Cochise and Belinda Green’s 2022 Coral Sussex Cup winner Ninja Kerry, both representing Hove. Green, daughter of former Crayford trainer Arun, is the youngest handler in this year’s Derby final, while Rees, of course, represents a Derby-winning dynasty.

Son of Phillip Rees, who won the Derby at Wimbledon in 1985 – the first time the Classic was staged at the former Plough Lane stadium – Rees’s grandad Phil snr also trained a Derby champion in the shape of 1974 winner Mutts Silver at White City. Success for Cochise on Saturday would complete an historic Rees family treble.

Connections of all six Derby finalists attended the traditional Derby Lunch at Towcester on Monday in company with a host of Derby legends including Tony Meek, Linda Mullins, Linda Jones and Bob Rowe, for many years the GRA’s chief racing manager who oversaw a huge number of Derbys – especially during its Wimbledon years.

Of those, Rowe singled out the John McGee-trained 1988 Derby winner Hit The Lid as the best at Wimbledon. “That was a tremendous Derby,” said Rowe. “Stouke Whisper, Curryhills Tara, Make History, Gino and Comeragh Boy – and Hit The Lid – made for a top-class field, although Balliniska Band in 1977 will always be my favourite Derby winner.”

Rowe wished connections of Saturday’s finalists the very best. “I was lucky enough to attend many Derby lunches and always believe it kick-starts the best and most memorable week for those owners and trainers involved. It’s a dream to win a Greyhound Derby, so good luck to all the runners in the final. It looks a fantastic race.”