KING MEMPHIS consolidated his position as strong ante-post favourite for the title with a fluent – and fastest of the night – victory in heat five of the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby at Central Park.

A year on from St Leger double winner Droopys Clue breaking the track record for the 491m trip at the Kent venue in the heats of the same competition, Liz McNair’s champion equalled his own track record at the ‘new’ Central Park with an off-the-pace victory.

Led up by Cinderella Tell (Paul Donovan), the local hope set a searing gallop for much of the way, only succumbing on the run for home for a length and a quarter success in 28.73sec (+10).

“It was a cracking race – given an expert commentary at the track if I say so myself!” said Central Park RM Rob Killingbeck, on the microphone at the stadium, and overseeing the first Kent Derby from newly installed traps at the Sittingbourne venue.

He added: “I thought Cinderella Tell ran an absolute screamer to give a champion such as King Memphis a real race. He knew he’d had a race, for sure, but is pure class and remains the one to beat heading into the semi-finals.”

Killingbeck highlighted the performances of Uncle Freddie and El Tornillo as the other eye-catchers on first round night.

He continued: “Uncle Freddie has been my value outright pick from the start – come the final he’ll know where the jam-stick is – although I think we were all impressed by El Tornillo. He’s the fastest greyhound I’ve ever seen leaving the traps and I’ve watched a lot of racing!

“I also think Coolavanny Sissy deserves a mention at a huge price for Luke Morrison. She did Luke and Kevin Hutton proud by getting through.”

The Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby kicked off with a one-two for Patrick Janssens in heat one as the always-handy Droopys Doughnut reeled in kennelmate and longtime leader Romeo Kingpin, scoring by three-quarters of a length in 28.95sec (+10).

Next up was Derek Knight’s Coral Sussex Cup champion Newinn Benni who broke smartly and was always handy before coming again on the run for home in a thrilling finish to heat two, edging Coolavanny Sissy (Luke Morrison), Romeo Steel (Patrick Janssens) in 29.14sec (+10).

The ultra-consistent Havana Top Note then initiated a double for the McNairs in heat three, producing a typically powerful effort to win from Uncle Freddie (Richard Rees) in 28.86sec, before Paul Donovan’s unbeaten local hope Tintreach Trueno made it three-from-three in the UK in all-the-way style in 28.88sec (+10).

Saving one of the best performances for last was Dave Lee’s El Tornillo who blasted from the traps and made all in heat six to score by two and a half lengths from Droopys Display (Maxine Locke) in 28.76sec (+10).

Trap draw for Saturday’s Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby semi-finals:-

First semi-final: 1 Droopys Manowar, 2 Romeo Steel, 3 Coolavanny Sissy (m), 4 Atomic Crimes (m), 5 Cinderella Tell (w), 6 Newinn Benni (w).

Second semi-final: 1 Romeo Kingpin, 2 King Memphis, 3 Droopys Display (m), 4 Crossfield Enzo (m), 5 Tintreach Trueno (m), 6 King Stevens (w).

Third semi-final: 1 Havana Top Note, 2 Uncle Freddie (m), 3 Keylogues Runner (m), 4 El Tornillo (m), 5 Droopys Doughnut (w), 6 Rosstemple Davey (w).