Romeo Alliance headlined a five-star night for Patrick Janssens at Nottingham Stadium on Monday when landing the 30th renewal of the £12,500 Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic.
The son of 2022 English Greyhound Derby champion Romeo Magico stormed to a three-and-a-half length win despite missing the start and colliding with Bouncing Monarch in the race’s opening strides.
He consequently had to pass eventual runner-up Whisky Elsa – trained by Nathan Hunt – down the back straight, before extending his lead further up the run-in to justify his position as favourite in the market.
Droopys Poker finished third for Kim Billingham-Hine while Kevin Hutton’s Kranky Drake was fourth. Local hope Aghaburren Ben finished fifth and Bouncing Monarch sixth.
The victory was Janssens’ first Puppy Classic since the competition was founded in 1995, and a first for greyhound enthusiast and owner Dave Firmager who bred the October ’23 star.
A great run
“It was a great run,” said Dave. “He did miss the break and moved off meaning he collided with trap two (Bouncing Monarch).
“But he paced up to the first bend well and showed really good pace down the back straight. He stays well, so we’re really pleased with him – he’s won six on the spin now and two Category One competitions.
“He’s a bit smaller than his dad (Romeo Magico). But for his first crop of puppies, to have a greyhound like Romeo Alliance out of him is very exciting. When you breed them yourself, it delivers a different feeling altogether.”
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Stole the show
Elsewhere on the card, 2024 GBGB Greyhound of the Year Wicky Ned stole the show in the £12,500 Arena Racing Company Select Stakes.
The Three Steps To Victory, All England Cup, Steel City Cup, Northern Flat and Gymcrack champion added to his extraordinary CV with a gutsy performance from trap four to beat five star-studded rivals, including defending English Greyhound Derby winner Droopys Plunge.
The August ’22 dog won by three lengths and is now one of the most decorated greyhounds in the sport’s 99-year history.
Trainer Jimmy Fenwick said: “It’s some buzz to win a race of that quality.
“Going towards the line, he was extending further clear. It was an exceptional performance, and he’s a special greyhound – they don’t come along too often.
“People love him, and we feel so privileged to be able to train him.
“That was his sixth major competition win, but we want to keep winning more. We’ll look at the Birmingham Cup next month, then there’s the Steel City Cup at Sheffield which we’d love to defend.”
Major shock
There was also a major shock in the Arena Racing Company Select Stayers when 1/11f Mongys Wild was beaten by Patrick Janssens’ Fabulous Heka, who equalled the 730m trip’s track record.
Janssens’ other wins on the night came courtesy of Romeo Ability in the Arena Racing Company Birmingham Cup Trial Stakes. The October ’23 pup broke the track’s 480m record by 0.01 seconds to lower it to 28.06 seconds.
The previous record had been held by Pat Rosney’s Swift Hoffman who set a 28.07 time in July 2014. Romeo Tomcat and Gundy rounded off a near perfect night for the Suffolk handler, winning the last two open races.
Elsewhere Cunnigar Yousir won the Nottingham-greyhounds.co.uk 480 Trophy Final with David Fradgley’s Rental Crises winning the Sprint Trophy Final.
Category One racing returns to Nottingham Stadium in less than a fortnight with the Arena Racing Company Birmingham Cup and Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger beginning on Monday, September 8.
Tickets for all fixtures are available online via www.nottingham-greyhounds.co.uk.
