SIGNET DENVER set the standard in the heats of the RPGTV Puppy Derby at Towcester on Tuesday as Kevin Hutton’s dog set the standard with a fastest time of the night, although it was another trainer called Kevin – in the form of Kevin Boon – who took the training honours on the night.

Boon landed an incredible 1,070-1 double with Home Caelan and Farneys Tigger in successive heats on a night which saw eight heats of the GBGB Category One event share centre-stage with the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Sovereign Stakes Final, won by David Mullins’ Shrewd Call.

However, in terms of the youngsters on show, it was Kevin Hutton’s Signet Denver who posted the fastest time for the 500m trip in the opening heat as the recent BGBF Puppy Cup runner-up was quickly away for a slick 4.17sec split on his way to a four-and-a-half length success over Irish entry Enthusiast (Brendan Matthews) in 29.38sec.

Kevin Boon’s double was initiated by shock winner Home Caelan (50-1) in heat five as the pup lost his maiden tag at the ninth time of asking as he finished well to catch longtime leader Hawkfield Ozark (Jamie McGee, Ireland) and cross the line a short-head in front of hot favourite Havana Bale Out (Liz McNair) in 29.89sec.

Remarkably Boon’s Farneys Tigger also chose the perfect time to register a first success, this time at the eighth time of asking, when winning his first race in heat six. The April 2020 whelp was also unconsidered in the market, starting at 20-1, before a fast start secured a first-bend lead and a two-length win from Ireland’s Maturereflection (Brendan Matthews) in 30.09sec.

The other RPGTV Puppy Derby heats were won by Patrick Janssens’ Romeo De Niro (29.82sec), Seamus Cahill’s Make Noise (29.46sec), John Mullins’ Callmesteve (29.45sec), Frank Gray’s Alien World (29.73sec) and Ranchers Tigger (29.81sec).

Towcester spokesman and consultant Nathan Corden said: “It was a good night’s racing all round. We had the rescheduled Gain Greyhound Nutrition Sovereign Stakes Final, won in really good style by Shrewd Call in a driving finish with Havana Class, which came after the youngsters showed their paces in eight RPGTV Puppy Derby heats.

“Kevin Boon has long been a supporter of Towcester since the days of Murrys Act making the Derby final here, so it was great to see him land a double – and what prices! You don’t see too many 50-1 winners such as Home Caelan so well done to Kevin.

“Signet Denver was a very impressive winner of his heat and clearly runs Towcester well, while I also thought the performances of Make Noise and Callmesteve were eye-catching. And it was good to see not just a strong Irish entry initially, but that five of the seven Irish entries have made it to the quarter-finals.”

Ahead of those second-round heats on Sunday, the Jamie McGee-trained Swanley Alexis has a changed seeding – from rails to middle.

Second Round Trap Draw:

Heat 1: 1. Freedom Alibi, 2. Hawkfield Ozark, 3. Make Noise, 4. Moments Of Magic, 5. Signet Goofy(m), 6. Smuts New Mut (w)

Heat 2: 1. Glenefy Jack, 2. Signet Denver, 3. Romeo De Niro, 4. Alien World (m), 5. Fernandes (w), 6. Home Caelan (w)

Heat 3: 1. Aero Davy, 2. Farneys Tigger, 3. Dreamers United, 4. Swanleys Alexis (m), 5. Maturereflection (w), 6. Enthusiast (w)

Heat 4: 1. Callmesteve, 2. Skywalker Forte, 3. Lightfoot Styles, 4. Lautaro (m), 5. Ranchers Tigger (m), 6. Havana Bale Out (w)

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=379917&raceId=795905