KEEFILL ROCKY proved a knockout for backers and connections alike as the Phil Milner and Keeley Cunningham-owned, bred and trained runner made all for BGBF British Bred Derby success at Sheffield.

On what was a hugely positive weekend for British breeding given Romeo Command, very much a poster boy for the British-bred scene, scored at Towcester’s high-profile Christmas Bonanza meeting, it was a member of a three-strong team of finalists from Milner and Cunningham’s Retford base who triumphed in the £10,000 showpiece over 500m trip at a busy and festive Owlerton Stadium.

Keefill Rocky was joined in the final by kennelmates Keefill Maverick and Keefill Goose – a pair of litter brothers – but it was the September 2022 son of Droopys Addition and Nah Then Bella who came out running, securing the all-important first-bend lead and making all in the Category One feature for a four and a half length victory over Romeo Control (Patrick Janssens) and Acomb Felix (Kevin Ferguson) in 28.84sec (-10).

Success for Keefill Rocky landed Milner and Cunningham their second Category One win of 2024 after Avongate Venus’s win in the bet365 Empress Stakes at Towcester and Liz Mort, chair of the British Greyhound Breeders Forum, said it was no more than the couple deserved after their hard work throughout the year.

“Phil and Keeley should be very proud of their success in 2024 and winning with a home-bred is all the more satisfying. The fact there were three Keefills in the line-up is also a real credit to them and Rocky was just brilliant on the day in the race which mattered most.

“We might have been low on entries initially but the British Bred Derby at Sheffield was full of quality and thanks to the management their for their assistance once again. Congratulations to connections of all the finalists at Owlerton Stadium.

“Overall I thought it was a great weekend for British breeding with the BGBF British Bred Derby at Sheffield on Sunday coming a day after the BGBF TruFrame Greyhound Stud Book British Bred Stakes at Towcester’s Christmas Bonanza on Saturday.

“Seeing Romeo Command win there was just brilliant,” added Mort. “He’s a truly brilliant greyhound who is a credit to the Firmagers and Patrick Janssens, who had a great night overall at Towcester. Silver, as he’s known at the kennels, turns four in January but is certainly still running like a dog in his prime!

“A big thanks to Kevin Boothby and his team for putting on such a great nights’s racing. It was our very own Night of Stars and I hope they repeat it next year – if they do, we’ll definitely want to be part of it again.

“Incidentally, it was lovely to see Fabulous Spell win on the undercard in one of the kennel sweepstakes finals. She is a February 23 bitch by the Firmagers’ 2022 English Greyhound Derby champion Romeo Magico out of their Fabulous Bella. Magico is a popular sire now – and wins like this can only make him even more popular!

“Our BGBF competitions have shown there is a great deal of quality in British breeding and we’re all looking forward to 2025 and starting another year of British-bred competitions.”