TOWCESTER welcomed a new sponsor for its first major competition of 2025 with the Greyhound Racing UK Blue Riband – albeit the heats had to be rescheduled after last Sunday’s meeting was curtailed due to a frozen track.

Six heats of the famous Category One event therefore took place over 500m at the Northamptonshire track on Tuesday afternoon. Stars of the show were the impressive Patrick Janssens-trained pair of Droopys Plunge and Barntick Bear.

Droopys Plunge was quickest in heat five as the Eclipse semi-finalist landed a four-timer in runaway and solid style, giving the track record a shake in the process as he raced clear for an eight and a quarter length success over Droopys Display (Maxine Locke) in a fast 28.57sec (+10) for the 500m trip.

The time compares well with Barntick Bear’s 28.44sec track record set in October – and the Janssens powerhouse returned to something like his best with a strong-running victory himself in heat four, always handy off the back of a better-than-usual exit before catching kennelmate Romeo Command rounding the last turns.

Kicking clear thereafter, Barntick Bear went on for a three and a quarter length win over Kilmore Dancer (Mark Wallis) in 28.79sec (+10).

Tom Heilbron matched the Janssens heat double with wins for Untold Ruble and Untold Euro in heats one and three respectively.

Untold Ruble began the day in the best possible style for connections with a fast start helping the Angel of The North winner to lead favourite Proper Heiress (Mark Wallis) for a two and a quarter length win over that rival in 28.76sec (+10), with another Heilbron runner Silverhill Ben crossing the line in third to qualify for Sunday’s semis.

Kennelmate Untold Euro later landed the Heilbron double as the Monmore Gold Cup finalist used the rails to best effect to lead before halfway for a length-and-a-half success from Indian Bonnie (Maxine Locke) in 29.14sec (+10), just in front of the fast-finishing Christmas Bonanza winner Doohoma Princess (Seamus Gaughan).

Phil Milner sent out British Bred Derby finalist Keefill Goose to win heat two in trap-to-line fashion, clocking 28.92sec as he held the running-on Olympic runner-up Droopys Extragud (Heather Dimmock) to the line to win by three-quarters of a length.

The remaining heat six went to Table Toppers as Mark Wallis’s runner continued his fine record at Towcester with an all-the-way four-and-a-half length win over Droopys Prefect (Maxine Locke) in 28.66sec (+10).

Towcester racing manager Andy Lisemore thanked the trainers and their staff for their cooperation given the rearranged heats – and is looking forward to Sunday’s semi-finals.

“First off, thanks to everyone for being so flexible,” he said. “It’s never a straightforward situation when temperatures are so low and, despite the best efforts of the trackstaff, the right call was made after the first race on Sunday.

“Thankfully, the weather has broken as such and Tuesday’s heats went without a hitch and we are left with three brilliant semi-finals of a famous competition.

“Our thanks to Greyhound Racing UK for stepping in to sponsor the Blue Riband and there’s no question it’s an early pointer to the Derby back here in May – and the quality goes very deep this year.”

Trap draw for Sunday’s semi-finals: https://towcester-racecourse.co.uk/racecards-results/