ANTIGUA LAVA landed one of the most prestigious races in the GBGB Calendar when leading home a Mark Wallis-trained one-two in the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial Final at Hove on Saturday.

Staged alongside the Coral Brighton Belle and supporting the Category One showpiece, the Coral Olympic Final, the now George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial marks the passing of two giants of the sport in the world record-breaking champion greyhound and his legendary Hove-based trainer.

Next year the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial will be elevated to Category One status – and this year’s two-run event was effectively that in standard given multiple big-race winners and finalists lined up, including the reigning Greyhound of the Year in Aayamza Royale, also trained by the champion trainer-elect.

But it was another Walls-trained runner Aayamza Dream who set the tempo after a slick exit and, with crowding among a few of her rivals at the first turn, looked to steal a march. However, Antigua Lava was always in a decent pitch and finished well to grab her kennelmate on the line to win by a neck in 44.72sec (-15) for the 740m trip.

Owned by Nic and Amanda Jeal, the February 2019 daughter of Droopys Jet and Volcano has enjoyed a cracking year and deserved this big-race title after reaching the finals of the Ladbrokes Cesarewitch at Crayford and 1st Containers Marathon at Towcester – having only made her UK debut at Crayford in June.

A litter sister of Arc St Leger and 1st Containers Marathon heroine Space Jet as well as Gain 3 Steps winner Savana Eruption, Antigua Lava delighted her owners – especially given their runners also landed a treble at Monmore under Wallis’s care.

“Saturday night was one of those nights in racing that doesn’t happen too often,” said Nic Jeal, adding: “While Lava was doing her thing at Hove, we had a hat-trick of wins at Monmore including for Antigua Getaway, who made a successful return to racing after breaking a hock earlier in the year.

“But Lava’s victory in the Ballyregan Bob Memorial is really special, especially given it’s a race which now includes his great trainer George Curtis in the title. These are not just Hove legends but greyhound racing legends, so that’s fantastic.

“Lava showed she could win either from the front, as she did in her heat, or with a powerful run from behind as in the final.

“She has now given us an interesting problem. She’s due in season early next year and we intended to put her to Antigua Fire and send her back to Ireland. However do we now keep her in racing for another year then breed her? It’s a very nice problem to have.”

Result: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=380424&raceId=800171