ROMEO MAGICO is the 2022 Star Sports & TRC English Greyhound Derby champion.

Trained by Graham Holland for owner and breeder Dave Firmager, the British-bred star led home Kildare for an Irish-trained one-two in front of a huge crowd at Towcester on Saturday to land Holland a first English Derby success with his sixth finalist and add to his Irish Derby titles

Lining up as the fastest semi-final winner, Romeo Magico, an August 2019 son of Magical Bale and Fabulous Artist, was led to the bend by Peter Cronin’s Kildare. However, showing superb pace and trackcraft to take the inside line approaching the second bend, he took up the running down the far side before going on to score by a length and three-quarters in an impressively fast 28.95sec (normal) for the 500m trip.

Kildare crossed the line in second ahead of third-placed Mickys Barrett (Jason Gray), fourth-placed Priceless Jet (Paul Hennessy), fifth-placed Hello Hammond (Paul Hennessy) and sixth-placed Savana Beau (Diane Henry).

So a tremendous competition came to a close with the £175,000 first prize heading the way of connections of Romeo Magico.

Celebrations continued long into the night after the main event and a gala 14-race card at the Northamptonshire venue, which was staging an English Derby for the fourth time and hailed a first Irish-trained champion, albeit one handled by an Englishman in Graham Holland.

The Derby-winning trainer said: “We’ve been coming for a long time, got close to winning it, and now we have and it’s really special and fantastic to have won it, especially the way he won it.

“This is special for the family. They’ve worked so hard for this. Nicky, Rachel and Timmy have been over – but Christopher has also gone racing tonight for us at home. He’s holding     the fort there. It’s a team effort and everyone’s involved and I thank them all.

“Timmy looks after ‘Badger’ and does everything win him and I’m so pleased for him. It’s been a dream of mine and theirs to win the English Derby and I thank everyone who has supported us, the sponsors and the track management here at Towcester – but above all I thank the dog himself. He’s the star of the show.”

Dave Firmager, Romeo Magico’s breeder and owner, added: “In many ways this has been 35 years in the making and it’s fantastic to have achieved it.

“I watched the race close to the Micky Barrett Syndicate and it just went crazy and I lost sight of him into the bend, but saw him coming out of the second bend in a great position and the rest was, well, just amazing.

“His form just improved through the Derby and that’s great credit to Nicky and Graham (Holland) and all the family. They travelled backwards and forwards, showing great dedication, and it’s been a wonderful six weeks – and what an occasion tonight.

“Just look at the number of people here, it’s brilliant- and hopefully we’ll be back next year to defend the title!”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=386449&raceId=851884