SPACE JET underlined her superstar status at Towcester on Saturday when racing away to win the Dorando, the marathon showpiece, which was back to its traditional slot on Greyhound Derby Final night.

Sponsored by Original Foods and staged over two laps of the Northamptonshire venue, the 942m contest was the closing race on the night and saw Matt Dartnall’s St Leger and TV Trophy champion raise the roof as the 1-5 favourite powered down the back second time before hitting the front and quickly racing clear.

At the line the brilliant Kurn Rushen-owned February 2019 daughter of Droopys Jet and Volcano was just short of 12 lengths clear of her nearest rival Romeo Riot (Laurence Tuffin), the winner clocking 58.26ec (normal).

Terry Dartnall, father of winning trainer Matt, said: “She’s the best staying bitch we’ve ever had – she’s special.

“She won the St Leger in a track record time which was phenomenal, won the (1st Containers Marathon Trophy, 912m) marathon here last October, also won the TV Trophy and has now won the Dorando – but she’s bred to do that. She’s got Flying Winner in there – she shows up for about eight yards, drops out, then starts to run.”

Towcester staged two marathons on Derby final night with the Double J Feeds Marathon Trophy also over 942m preceding the main event.

Tommys Dove, trained by Monmore trainer Chris Fereday for the You’ll Never Walk Alone syndicate, was a popular winner here as the June 2020 daughter of Ballymac Anton and Elite Hawk led approaching the seventh bend and went on to score by a length and a quarter from Shanbally Mags (Carl Jackson) in 59.65sec.

Winning trainer Fereday said: “She really dug in deep there to win. When she turned third I thought she had a chance because she’d run well last week in the Dorando heats. It was her first time over the trip and you never quite know what you’re going to get, but she did us proud to finish less than six lengths behind Savana Volcano.

“This was an easier task that, of course, but she did it well. She’s come on for that run last week and I’m over the moon. I almost lost my voice cheering her on and it’s just great to have won a race on such a night in front of all these people.”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=386449&raceId=851879