PATRICK JANSSENS will have half the field in Monday’s free-to-enter (see below) Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse Final at Nottingham after landing a double in the 500m semi-finals on a wild and snowy night at Colwick Park.

Victories for Romeo Steel and Romeo Command secured the Janssens double, with Slick Sentinel chasing home the former in the first semi-final in which the Norfolk-based trainer actually had a one-two-three, with the unlucky-in-running Droopys Plunge missing out on a crack at the £20,000 decider given the first-two-to-qualify semi-final format.

Janssens still has a chance – three of them – to land a second Eclipse title after Slick Sakina’s win in 2022 and is looking forward to Monday’s meeting which will be featured on the Gone To The Dogs – Live! Programme on YouTube.

“They’ve got a great final I reckon,” said Janssens, “and it’s great to have three chances. I thought Droopys Plunge was very unlucky not be make the final. He’s a very exciting young dog who showed what he could do in the heats with a clearer run. We’ll think about a crack at the Olympic at Hove with him now – and that’s where Barntick Bear will go, too.

“It’s great to see Romeo Steel and Slick Sentinel in the final. Both have lots of speed and are very capable off the front – Slick Sakina won for Keith (Allsop) a couple of years back so it’s good for him to be back, and Dave and Nicola (Firmager) will have both Romeo Steel and Romeo Command – and what can you say about him?

“He’s been amazing – and still is. It’s still one race at a time with him since his injury but he’s running as well as ever I’d say – the pace he showed rounding the second bend in the semis was superb and he’s not catching off the front.”

Janssens paid tribute to the track on a difficult night given the weather conditions. “It got worse as the night went on but the track itself held up well. I see the forecast for Monday is slightly better and we’re looking forward to it,” he said.

For the record, the Janssens-trained Romeo Steel led up in the first semi-final and was always in command to win by a length from kennelmate Slick Sentinel, with the running-on Droopys Plunge crossing the line in third after a rails move from lid-rise saw him crowd up with Proper Heiress (Mark Wallis) and Velvet Madrid (Peter Holland).

This semi-final also saw the elimination of last year’s winner Newinn Syd (Mark Wallis). The winning time was 30.07sec (+10).

Wicky Ned was an impressive winner of the second semi-final as the Gymcrack and Steel City Cup winner made all from the keeping-on Antigua Kestrel (Kevin Hutton) and Barntick Bear (Patrick Janssens) in a comfortably fastest-of-the-night 29.65sec (normal), while Romeo Command led off the second bend on his way to a 29.95sec win (-10) in the third semi-final, finishing three-and-a-half lengths clear of local Sambar Kian (Colin Wilton).

Nottingham general manager David Evans said he was delighted to see local representation in the final courtesy of Sambar Kian and reminds racegoers that Monday’s meeting is free to enter.

“Call it an early Christmas treat!” he said. “We’ve got free admission plus anyone who has been to a meeting between November 1 and November 22 will have had the opportunity to pick up a voucher for a free drink to toast a few winners hopefully.

“And we’re looking forward to welcoming the team from the Gone To The Dogs – Live!”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=420727&raceId=1086465

Trap draw for Monday’s Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse Final: 1 Romeo Command (Patrick Janssens), 2 Romeo Steel (Patrick Janssens), 3 Antigua Kestrel (Kevin Hutton), 4 Sambar Kian (Colin Wilton), 5 Wicky Ned (Jimmy Fenwick), 6 Slick Sentinel (m) (Patrick Janssens).