PATRICK JANSSENS eyes yet another major title at Towcester on Sunday after winning both semi-finals of the JR Racing Juvenile Classic at the Northamptonshire venue.

A month on from the historic success of Droopys Plunge in the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby, it was the turn of Romeo Alliance and Not So Steady to dominate proceedings and secure their places in Sunday’s £10,000-to-the-winner newly upgraded Category One final.

Janssens landed last year’s Juvenile Classic when it was a Category Two competition with Slick Sentinel and will have three of the field in the weekend’s decider.

First up was a Janssens-trained littermate one-two as Romeo Alliance, who had set the fastest time in the heats seven days previously, was again quickly into stride and never headed as the October 2023 son of Romeo Magico and Fabulous Mila raced away for a comfortable victory.

Posting a 4.07sec sectional on his way to a first-bend lead, Romeo Alliance (8-13F) drew clear down the back and crossed the line five and a half lengths clear of litter brother and fellow BresBet Gymcrack finalist Romeo Ability in 28.78sec (-10). Third home here and also into the final was Toomuchchat (Kevin Boon).

Not So Steady lost his maiden tag in the second semi-final as the September 2023 son of Ballymac Bolger and Not So Hotshot landed an all-the-way victory.

A encouraging second to fastest heat winner Romeo Alliance in the heats and having just his sixth start, the near 36-kilo Not So Steady was soon dominating on his way to a three-and-a-half length victory over Santas Amigo (David Mullins) and Bowmers Wildcat (Paul Young) in 29.10sec (-10).

Of the two Janssens-trained semi-final winners of the JR Racing Juvenile Classic, Towcester racing manager Andy Lisemore said: “Patrick dominates yet again – he continues to have the magic touch at Towcester.

“Alliance is obviously the one they all have to beat and, if he breaks again like he has been doing, then quite frankly nothing will lay a glove on him. Towcester track photographer Jim Tate must have thousands of pictures of Patrick on his dark-room wall with the amount of races he wins round here!

“It just seems like yesterday we were enjoying a great Derby final night and a fantastic Derby final itself and I fully expect Jim will have another podium pic for his collection on Sunday, but as we know sport can sometimes not be straightforward.

“Thanks to Jack Russell and all the team at the JR Racing Syndicate for their generous sponsorship this year. They’ve upgraded the competition to Cat One and it’s just a pity none of Maxine’s made it through and hopefully Headford Asher is back on track soon.

“Romford will still be represented in the final with runners from both David Mullins and Paul Young, while it’s great to see Kevin Boon back in a major final. Kevin goes back a long way here at Towcester – I well remember his Murrys Act being in the first Towcester Derby back in 2017 won by Astute Missile. It’s been good to see him back again.”