PATRICK JANSSENS landed a double in the heats of the Ladbrokes.com Guys & Dolls at Crayford on Saturday – as the Trainer of the Year leader set out his stall to win this unique 380m competition for the second year running.

The Guys & Dolls is the only event which keeps the dogs and bitches apart for heats and semi-finals before bringing them together for a £7,500-to-the-winner final – and the Janssens-trained Kilmore Lemon struck 12 months ago.

“Kilmore Lemon is recovering well from a broken hock and will be soon available for stud – and we’re excited about his prospects,” said Janssens. “He was a champion on the track and we’d love to win the Guys & Dolls again – although there’s a long way to go.”

Magical Houdini kicked of the Central Park trainer’s latest campaign at Crayford in the best possible style when he won heat one of the Dogs’ qualifiers, leading at halfway on his way to winning in 23.30sec (normal) for the 380m trip.

Kennelmate Seaglass Shadow later won heat one in the Bitches as she led early inside and always had the edge on the wider-running Chopchop Hope (pictured below), before crossing the line one-and-half lengths clear in an identical 23.30sec.

The other Bitches’ heat was won by the Belinda Green-trained Swift Casey (23.40sec), while Yvonne Gaskin’s Madabout Finn (23.23) and another Green-trained runner Gislebertus (23.33sec) won the remaining Dogs’ heats.

Of his winners, Janssens said: “Magical Houdini has done really well this year, winning the Kent Silver Salver at Central Park and then finishing second in the BresMed Northern Sprint at Sheffield.

“We thought about going to Sunderland with him but with the reduced prize-money we decided to give Crayford a go and he’s taken really well to the track – three runs, three wins – in very impressive style.

“His trapping can still improve but overall we’re very happy with him.

“Seaglass Shadow comes from a very good litter which also includes Goldies Hoddle, Ginola and Klinsman. She’s done very well at Central Park, only beaten a couple lengths by Lazy Man and Troy Bella in some top sprints.

“She’s done 16.20sec there herself, so we took her for a trial at Crayford and she did 23.70sec, running off every bend. The more she runs it the better she handles the track.

“Both semi-finals are very competitive as you’d expect, but we’re happy with the trap draws and it’s fingers crossed.”

Trap draw for Saturday’s semi-finals:-

Bitches: 1 Seaglass Shadow, 2 Sleepy Genie (w), 3 Swift Casey (w), 4 Chopchop Hope (w), 5 Swabys Luciejane (w), 6 Skip Mayo (w).

Dogs: 1 Magical Houdini, 2 Fernhill Rex, 3 Gislebertus (m), 4 Madabout Finn (m), 5 Supremo Atlas (w), 6 Signature Callum (w).