DROOPYS PLUNGE added his name to the sport’s most famous roll of honour when producing a brilliant finishing kick to claim Classic gold in the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby Final at a packed Towcester on Saturday.

Trained by Patrick Janssens for Sheffield-based owners The-Three-Tall-Men-Syndicate of Roy Ball, Trevor Pearson and Tony Stubbs, the November 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Droopys Sweet led home a final dominated by Irish-trained runners, as the sole home challenger for the £175,000 prize grabbed a second Derby success for his handler.

Following on from Thorn Falcon’s home success in 2021, Janssens always had great faith in his charge, believing he was good enough if close enough – and so it proved.

Lining up a well-supported 10-1 chance for the 500m showpiece – he had been double that price and more before Monday’s trap draw for the final – Droopys Plunge was up against the likes of Graham Holland’s Irish Derby winner Bockos Diamond as well as the defending Towcester champion in De Lahdedah for Liam Dowling.

Add in two other Holland-trained stars in Cheap Sandwiches, the Irish Derby second, and Bombay Pat, plus the fast-starting Sole Mio, the youngest finalist, for Peter Cronin, and who could have predicted that Droopys Plunge would post the fastest sectional?

But that is exactly what the Time Juvenile runner-up did as a slick start inside meant the red jacket was the first to show – his 4.03sec sectional clock edging rivals to the winning line first time – before the pace came into the turn from the Irish contingent, led by outsider Bombay Pat (20-1) and his illustrious kennelmate Bockos Diamond.

Last year’s winner De Lahdedah, unable to get round Sole Mio on his left, was shuffled to the back of the pack and now had a mountain to climb, albeit would run a mighty race in behind to get so close in the end as Dowling’s champion did. He was bidding to become just the fifth greyhound to land back-to-back victories in the famous race.

At this stage, however, his compatriots Bombay Pat and Bockos Diamond were in control and, to the roars from the heaving terraces, the 11-10 favourite came to challenge his kennelmate into the third bend and take up the running in his own bid to rewrite history and match Toms The Best’s feat in winning both an Irish and English Derby.

Rounding the last bend, Holland’s star was still in front, digging deep to repel the closing pack with Cheap Sandwiches still not beaten and close up, but so, too, Droopys Plunge. The Janssens runner was saving ground against the rail and was in full flow swinging for home, powering up the inside to hit the front halfway up the run-in.

Thereafter, it was Droopys Plunge’s Derby and he crossed the line to huge cheers from the home support for a one and a half length success over the gallant Bockos Diamond in 28.76sec (normal), with the fast-finishing De Lahdedah just a short-head away in third.

It was another short head away to Cheap Sandwiches in fourth – and another short head away to Sole Mio in fifth. Bombay Pat crossed the line in sixth, just a half a length adrift himself, in a remarkably close finish to the latest renewal of the Classic.

A delighted Patrick Janssens said: “I always had faith in him and knew if he was close enough he’d be a major player – and we couldn’t have asked for any more.

“The race was run as we hoped – he just needed to get out and get a position, but to lead them as he did from the boxes shows you he’s not all about stamina. Yes, he’s very strong but his all-round pace over 500m is amazing and it’s been an amazing night for us all and I cannot thank all the team enough – Cheryl, Ria, Kelly and Ron Mills.

“It’s been a brilliant night for us a kennel and thanks must to go Towcester for a fantastic atmosphere and looking after such a big crowd so well. Thanks also to Ben Keith and Star Sports and Mike Davis and Greyhound Racing UK for all their hard work – what a Derby!”

Photos: © STEVE NASH