BELLMORE SALLY joined a select band of greyhounds when landing a brilliant victory in the £15,000 Ladbrokes TV Trophy Final at Crayford on Saturday.

In adding the famous marathon competition to her two Premier Greyhound Racing Golden Jacket successes at the Kent venue, Jimmy Fenwick’s bitch established herself as one of the greats and joined Glenowen Queen and Heavenly Lady as just the third greyhound to win both a TV Trophy and Golden Jacket.

Lining up favourite for the 874m showpiece after an impressive heat success on the step up to a marathon distance , the Neil McGregor-owned repeated the dose in the final once pacing up to lead into the first bend, after which the December 2019 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Bellmore Lucy never looked in danger.

To her credit, Ower Smasher (June Harvey) emerged from the chasing pack on the final lap and stayed on well, albeit was three and a half lengths adrift of the Newcastle bitch at the line in a time of 56.38sec (+40). Another strong-running sort A Mystical Love (Lee Pearce) came home in third.

A delighted winning trainer Jimmy Fenwick said: “We clocked them in the heats and knew what she had to do in the early part of the race to get clear of some of the fast finishers – and she’s managed to do that. We’re just delighted.

“Many thanks to Crayford for their hospitality and to the sponsors for putting up the prize-money. Thanks to the whole team back home and to Neil (McGregor) who’s a great owner. It’s a long trip for all of us, but we’re used to it now!

“I’ll be campaigning for Crayford to stage next year’s TV Trophy now! We love coming here ands, more importantly, so does Sally. She travels down without a fuss and just runs the track really well. And it’s great to win the TV Trophy – it’s one of the races we grew up wanting to win and it’s fantastic to be on that roll of honour now.”

Danny Rayment, Crayford racing manager, said: “Well done to Jimmy and Melanie Fenwick and, of course, Bellmore Sally. She’s been brilliant in the (Ladbrokes) TV Trophy, as she was in the Premier Greyhound Racing Golden Jacket – twice!

“I’ve already spoken to Jimmy and he’s already looking to come back here for the Jay & Kay Coach Tours Kent St Leger in a few weeks’ time – and I’m sure wouldn’t mind the TV Trophy being back here next year. I’m not sure that’ll be the case, however!

“This was the last year of a deal to host the TV Trophy among the Entain tracks but I’m sure we’d be keen to continue our association with this great competition.

“It was great to stage the (Ladbrokes) Champion Hurdle alongside the TV Trophy, plus we have two supporting competitions also with the Ladbrokes Easter Sprint Cup and the Time Greyhound Nutrition Easter Trophy.

“Time Greyhound Nutrition are new sponsors here and recently backed a kennel sweepstakes, as well as the Easter Trophy. We’ll be looking to organise another event for them shortly.”

Result: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=395977&raceId=929594