THE stage is set – the biggest stage of all.

Saturday sees the final of the £175,000 Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby Final at Towcester and, after last weekend’s semi-finals, the field for the 500m shootout is as good as any greyhound fan could have wished for – perhaps more.

Saturday will see reigning champion De Lahdedah bid to become just the fifth greyhound in the history of the great race to defend his title.

Liam Dowling’s star aims to follow in the paw-steps of legends of the sport in the shape of Mick the Miller (1929-30), Patricias Hope (1972-73), Rapid Ranger (2001-01) and Westmead Hawk (2005-2006), the sport’s ‘Double Derby’ champions.

However, another ‘Double Derby’ record is looking to be matched on Saturday given Bockos Diamond aims to do something only Nick Savva’s Toms The Best has ever achieved – and that is winning an Irish Derby AND an English Derby.

That incredible once-only achievement happened at Shelbourne Park in 1997 and Wimbledon in 1998 and Graham Holland’s Bockos Diamond now stands on the verge of becoming only the second greyhound to complete that historic double.

The Irish superstar lines up as favourite to do so after again leading home Cheap Sandwiches in another thrilling head to head in the second semi-final on Saturday.

The kennelmates finished first and second at Shelbourne last year in the BoyleSports Irish Derby Final for an incredible Holland-trained one-two and have been rivals twice during this year’s Towcester action – in the third round and semi-finals.

On both occasions, confirming the Shelbourne form, Bockos Diamond has come out on top and it was the same in their semi-final clash, with the Irish Derby hero pacing up to lead and making all in 28.51sec (normal), winning by a length and three-quarters.

Second home was Cheap Sandwiches, with Droopys Plunge keeping on well to make the final for Patrick Janssens, trainer of 2021 Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby winner Thorn Falcon, who now eyes a second victory in the sport’s showpiece.

An unfortunate postcript to this semi-final was the injury to Paul Hennessy’s Dynamic Force on the run to the bend. He was treated at the track, has been operated on, and is expected to make a full recovery, albeit will now be heading to stud.

The first semi-final had seen defending champion De Lahdedah produced a stirring and strong-running performance to reel in compatriot Sole Mio. The winning time was 28.62sec (normal), with Graham Holland’s Bombay Pat making it an Irish 1-2-3 here.

Sole Mio will line up as the youngest finalist looking to reach the Holy Grail for trainer Peter Cronin after close calls with Kildare (2nd, 2022), Tynwald Bish (2nd 2015) and Crokers Champ (3rd 2014). He also had a finalist with Whoops Jack in 2018.

*GATES open at 10am at Towcester on Saturday.

A family fun day and live music is planned before the first of 15 races at 5.44pm. The £175,000-to-the-winner Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby Final will take place at 9.15pm.

*SATURDAY’S final of the £175,000 Star Sports/TRC English Greyhound Derby at Towcester will be broadcast on SIS and Gone To The Dogs – Live! via the GTTD’s YouTube channel youtube.com/@gonetothedogs-live

Gone To The Dogs will begin its live broadcast from Towcester at 6.30pm.

Photos: © Steve Nash