DRIVE ON LAD heads next for the Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby after winning the KAB Maiden Derby Final at Towcester on Sunday for trainer Richard Rees and owner Jeremy Hayes.

The November 2020 son of Pat C Sabbath and Drive On Robyn had been considered one of the fastest and best maidens in training after building up a losing sequence, but the penny dropped for the Hove raider in the £10,000 competition – once he got his head in front in the first round proper after finishing second in the qualifying round.

After that, Drive On Lad was not be to be denied, winning his semi-final, and then repeating the dose in the 500m decider with a show of all-round pace off the back of a good start, setting up a popular victory at the Northamptonshire venue.

Pacing up well, Drive On Lad forced his way to the front off the second bend and thereafter was not be denied as he kept all-comers at bay before crossing the line a head clear of always-handy Hopes Woofwoof (Jason Heath) with early leader Crossfield Cora (Mark Wallis) just a half a length back in third.

Fourth place Garryvoe Rocky (Patrick Janssens) finished just behind in a driving finish for the line, but victory went to Rees’s charge and the trainer himself was delighted to have notched another GBGB Category One title with this particular runner.

“I’m delighted for the dog because he’d been called some names – sometimes by us!” he laughed. “He just seemed to keep finding one or two too good. Five races without a win, then became ten, then 15, and it went on. But as Jackie (wife and assistant trainer) said he’d mixed in top, top company.

“Remember he was second to Antigua Sugar in the (Stadium Bookmakers) Juvenile Classic at Towcester, then made the (M Lambe) Birmingham Cup final at Perry Barr. He’d also run behind the likes of our own Burnchurch Mick, so we’re talking about some pretty good races – and he was always in the mix.

“In the end, we tried him over 575m at Romford, but then thought why not the Maiden Derby given he still hadn’t won! So we kept him off, just in case, and aimed for this event – and to be honest this return to Towcester has been the making of him. Once he got his head in front second time back here he liked it!”

Winning owner Jeremy Hayes had earlier told RPGTV: “I’m lost of words, for once! I can’t explain what it feels like to have finally won a Cat One after 20 years of trying. I thought we might have won the Juvenile Classic last year until the line – and that was torture – and I just hoped as they hit the line this time he was in front. Thankfully he was.”

Result: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=396268&raceId=931679