KILMORE LEMON, trained by Patrick Janssens, has the RPGTV Yarmouth Derby as his next major target after producing one of the great runs at Crayford on Tuesday when winning the Ladbrokes Guys & Dolls.

The destination of the £7,500 prize was never in doubt once the son of Taylors Sky and Lemon Lucy trapped with the field, paced up to lead and then ran away from the pack to win by four and three-quarter lengths from Special Story (Dave Lee) in 22.89sec (+20).

Kilmore Lemon’s time is the third quickest ever run for the 380m trip behind track record holder Brinkleys Poet (22.85sec) and Target Harris (22.88sec) – and secured the two-year-old a first major victory in the Category One contest.

Janssens said: “It was a great run, and I’m just so delighted for the dog himself and for Kevin (Oates) and the lads who own him. Let’s be honest, he doesn’t run the track that well, the second bend caused him a problem throughout the comp.

“But he’s got such a positive attitude to racing. Even in the semis when forced sideways, he straightened up and ran away from them, and it was the same in the final. He gets his nose down and runs – and he’s the fastest I’ve ever had between 300m and 400m.

“We’ll go to Yarmouth now. It’s 462m trip is just too far for him, it will stretch him, but that long run to the bend suits him. It’s the same with Hove, Nottingham, Romford and Crayford – he’s a dog who’s more than just a sprinter. The Towcester and Sheffield sprints catch him out.

“He reminds me of Fear No One, who was a really good dog for us when I was working with Mark (Wallis). He was a very fast short four-bend dog and won the Yarmouth Derby [2005] and hopefully Kilmore Lemon will go well there.

“We know he runs the track well – he’s got the sprint clock there – and it’s just nice to go there with a competition under his belt. He was unlucky when we had to pull him out of the Golden Sprint final when he was favourite, so victory on Tuesday tasted sweeter!”

Janssens paid tribute to Central Park for their support to him since he switched from Towcester early this year, plus thanked sports physiotherapist Ron Mills for his work with the dog. “He’s very much part of the team here, as is my wife Cheryl, Pete (Vernon) and Marcus (Leeder).

“But I’ve also got to thank Kevin (Oates) and the lads. When they phoned me to say they had Kilmore Lemon and told me the times he’d been clocking at the Bicester schooling track, I was sceptical – you hear it a lot. But they were absolutely right!

“I remember his first trial at Towcester when he did a 3.99sec split! That was mind-blowing, and he did 28.50sec. He clearly didn’t stay, so that was a pretty good time. In many ways, we’ve barely looked back since. He’s a fantastic dog for the kennel.

“Even when you think he reached the semi-finals of the Puppy Cup early on – when pretty raw and young – he was only a February whelp in one of the best Puppy Cups for years with Roxholme Nidge, King Elvis and Headford Kev.”

Crayford racing manager Danny Rayment congratulated the winner, commenting: “What a very impressive winner of the Ladbrokes Guys & Dolls – and clearly the best dog in the competition won, clocking one of the fastest times ever for the trip.

“He was just half a length outside the clock and deserved to land a Category One after the disappointment of being withdrawn from the Coral Golden Sprint when the race looked to be his for the taking.

“I’m very pleased for Patrick Janssens who has targeted some of our big races in recent years but just lacked a bit of luck when it mattered,” added Rayment, who was delighted with the whole Ladbrokes Guys & Dolls evening.

He added: “It was an excellent night all-round, especially for Dean Childs with his four-timer including a fast open-race double for Droopys Gleeson and Swift Asbolos and an equally impressive effort from Droopys Poise in maintaining her unbeaten record in the A2.

“Julie Luckhurst landed another popular local success in the supporting ladbrokes.com Dual Distance Hurdle Trophy with Arabian Sand holding off the finish of dual track record holder Razldazl Raidio to take the £750 prize. Well done Julie and her team, too.”