KING MEMPHIS crowned a superb comeback to the track with victory in the BGBF British Bred Derby Final at Towcester as the Northamptonshire track hosted the British-bred showpiece for the first time.

 

Replacing the Stud Book Trophy, Towcester took over the running of the British Bred Derby from Sheffield and, while the competition is expected to return to Owlerton Stadium in 2026, BGBF chair Liz Mort thanked Towcester for their help in ensuring the £10,000-to-the-winner Category One competition was staged this year.

 

“It’s been a difficult year, not least for me personally in terms of health issues, and I cannot thank Towcester enough for their help given the situation we found ourselves in,” said Mort. “They acted really quickly and staging the British Bred Derby in place of the Stud Book Trophy was a really good fit, although in the longer term we do not intend to lose the Stud Book Trophy.

“I’d particularly like to thank new Towcester supremo Mike Davis, who is a great supporter of British breeding.

 

“I fully expect both events to be staged in 2026, with Sheffield and Towcester taking one apiece – and returning the British Bred Derby to Sheffield might well be the right way to go having done such a great job for many years, albeit I know Towcester’s own commitment to British breeding will ensure a really good Stud Book Trophy in 2026.”

 

Mort was among the first to congratulate connections of King Memphis as he added the British Bred Derby to his list of successes including the 2023 English Puppy Derby and Olympic, plus a place in the 2024 English Greyhound Derby Final.

 

Quickly away in the 500m decider, Liz McNair’s kennel star was always bossing proceedings but had to be strong to withstand a spirited challenge of Romeo Ability (Patrick Janssens) before running out a three-length winner from that rival in a super-quick 28.78sec (normal) with Kevin Hutton’s Venetian Will crossing the line in third.

 

“It was a brilliant performance from a fantastic greyhound,” added Mort. “Memphis has been a star for a number of years and, to get him back to where he was, has been amazing and the McNairs and the KSS Syndicate should be very proud.

 

“You could see what it meant to them and, for British breeding itself, King Memphis’s win is another success story. The KSS Syndicate has been a champion of British breeding for many years now – how many events have their ‘Kings’ and ‘Queens’ won? A huge number. They’ve been brilliant with their home-breds and congratulations to all of the team.

 

 

“It was a classy final all-round so well done to connections of all the runners who made it through – and thank-you to Towcester for organising the event and for their hospitality on the day to ourselves and the owners and trainers of the six finalists. It was superb.

“All the finalists deserved to be there and it’s lovely to see how the youngsters, especially, have inherited talent from their sire or dam. The dam of third-placed Venetian Will, for example, is Gilbert Anderson’s Singalong Sally, who ran-up in the 2021 Irish Derby.

“His sire is Droopys Sydney, himself a grandson of the great British-bred Westmead Hawk.

“Runner-up to Memphis this time, Romeo Ability, is of course by the Firmagers’ home-bred English Derby winner Romeo Magico.

 

“So, yes, congratulations to all of them and we wish them, and all the other breeders, trainers and owners of British-breds out there, as well as the dogs themselves, a very happy and successful 2026.”

 

Photos: © Steve Nash