ROXHOLME KRISTOF completed his domination of the Gain Greyhound Nutrition 3 Steps To Victory with a runaway win in Tuesday’s final at Sheffield – and heads next for the Star Sports & Arc Greyhound Derby.

After a track record for the Owlerton venue’s 480m in the heats and an impressive 500m follow-up, the Hayley Keightley-trained runner started a short-priced favourite to lift the £10,000 decider against rivals including two of his kennelmates at the Keightleys’ Newark base – Roxholme Glory and Ballydoyle Bee.

Despite lining up as a middle runner in trap six, Roxholme Kristof made a decent start which allowed him to pace up alongside the faster-starting Ballydoyle Bee and Roxholme Glory to give the Keightleys a 1-2-3 heading into the second bend, at which point Kristof hit the front and thereafter powered on to an comfortable victory.

Striding impressively clear, he maintained a searing gallop to cross the line eight and quarter lengths clear of Easy On in 38.57sec, with Gavin Holman’s dog running a solid race in defeat, finishing clear of third-placed Ballydoyle Bee.

However, it was Roxholme Kristof’s night and his performance delighted connections, part-owners Hayley and Duncan Lambie, with Mark Keightley rating the August 2018 son of Ballymac Eske, himself a 3 Steps winner, and Badminton Baby up with the very best through their hands – which include dual Steel City Cup winner Roxholme Nidge.

“He’s got everything this dog and it’s just so satisfying to see him do what we always hoped he was capable of,” he said of the Limerick winner. “If he hadn’t won tonight, I’d have wondered whether he really was the dog I bought. But to see him be everything we hoped he was is brilliant – and very satisfying.

“The way the competition is set up is perfect for a dog like him. Look, he doesn’t have the early pace to match the top-class four-benders, but the 3 Steps tends to attract staying types because of the 660m final so he always had a chance to dominate in his races over 480m and then 500m.

“Then it’s a 660m final, but that short run to the first bend helps the dogs who might not get it, get it! That said you also need to make sure you trap and all three of ours trapped well. I don’t know what Hayley and Craig (Morris, assistant) do, but they have a happy knack of getting the dogs to break. Whether it’s because they’re happy and fresh, I really don’t know.

“It’s great to win the 3 Steps – and thanks, of course, to Sheffield and to the sponsors Gain. This has been a tough time for top-class sport, but Sheffield have done all they can to look after us but keeping everyone safe at the same time. Seeing happy faces up in the grandstand is also what this great game is all about, too.

“It’s the Derby for [Roxholme] Kristof now. There’s a different question being asked of him now and at this stage I’d just like to wake up on Sunday and see him in the second round of the Derby. The same applies to Hiya Boyo. He’s probably short of a run – he’ll do okay – but he knocked a toe which set him back a day or so.”

Returning to Roxholme Kristof, Mark Keightley believes whatever happens during the Derby his return to six bends should be keenly anticipated.

“He showed top-class form over the longer trip at Sheffield – it was an exemplary performance and makes you excited about what he could do against conventional six-bend dogs in the future. He will look to dominate those races, you can see that, and could be very difficult to beat.

“Of course I don’t see that being the case at Nottingham. He hasn’t got a particular good draw in trap five – it’s neither here or there for any dog, neither middle or wide, so it’s just a safe-and-sound qualification we’re hoping for. Then we’ll see how we go – but the first target has been completed in the 3 Steps and he’s now three-from-three here.

“He didn’t go unbacked ante-post, but probably with not as much as people think – that’s not the case these days,” added Keightley. “However this is not about the money – although it’s a fantastic £10K prize from Gain. No, this is about a top-class greyhound producing the goods and a plan coming to fruition.”

Dave Perry, venue director at Owlerton Stadium, said: “Congratulations to Mark, Hayley and Craig – they’ve had a brilliant 3 Steps campaign. I’m sure Kristof will go well in the Derby now and I wish them all the best.

“Of course, our huge thanks go to Gain Greyhound Nutrition for their continued support and it was a pleasure to see Sean Traynor from Gain here tonight to present the trophy.”

Results: www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=366329&raceId=675738