Patrick Kelly provides a unique guide to the final six in Monday’s PGR Eclipse Final
A multiple big-race finalist and winner, Romeo Command first burst on to the scene when involved in a no-race saga when strongly-fancied to land the English Puppy Derby Final (500m) at Towcester. In March last year, he duly landed cramped odds when routing the opposition in the final of the £12,500 BGBF British Breeders Stakes (500m) over C&D here at Nottingham. The same season, Romeo Command was runner-up to Gaytime Nemo in the final of the £175,000 Star Sports Greyhound Derby (500m) at Towcester. Then in October last year, this fantastic competition greyhound was second to Churchfield Syd in the £20,000 Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby (491m) at Central Park. In January, this greyhound for all seasons finished runner-up to Signet Goofy in the £10,000 Blue Riband (500m) at Towcester after which he was sidelined for over three months. However, a brilliant return saw him victorious in the £3,000 BGBF TruFrame Champion Stakes (500m) on English Derby final night at Towcester and £3,000 BGBF Greyhound Stud Book Trophy (500m) back at the same venue. This top-notch British-bred, who has a rare ability to lead or come from behind, has won opens at six different tracks – Monmore, Towcester, Nottingham, Central Park, Hove and Doncaster. Approximate odds: 11-4
The second of three Patrick Janssens-trained finalists, Romeo Steel stamped himself a useful prospect when winning in A1 company at Cork in February in 28.50sec. Four months later, he was eliminated in the second round of the £175,000 Star Sports Greyhound Derby (500m) at Towcester and subsequently made his way through to the semi-finals of both the £10,000 Ladbrokes Gold Cup (480m, Monmore) and £20,000 Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby (491m, Central Park). The hugely popular Janssens has consistently occupied a top-six place in the Trainer of the Year standings and the Belgian has been an intrinsic part of the open-race scene for more than a decade now. Still around the 18-1 mark before the semi-finals, the front-running Romeo Steel maintained his unbeaten record in the £20,000 Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse when leading throughout to score by a length from Slick Sentinel in 30.17sec. Approximate odds: 4-1
Kevin Hutton, 43, eyes a third victory in the Eclipse after winning the famous race with the magnificent Droopys Wildcat in 2018 and Signet Ace in 2021. In January, Antigua Kestrel made a winning debut over 525 yards at Clonmel. Three months later, the June 22 whelp was unplaced when odds-on in the third round of the Con & Annie Kirby Memorial (525yd) at Limerick. Lining up in the Premier Greyhound Eclipse here, Antigua Kestrel scored by a short-head from Salacres Tipster in the heats and then belied odds of 16-1 to finish a close-up second to Wicky Ned in the semi-finals. He can win from the front or behind and appears to cope with any draw. His trainer Hutton is a four-time winner of the prestigious Trainers’ Championship fixture, now Trainers Judgement Night, and has multiple major races and championships, including the Derby. Such illustrious greyhounds as Westmead Harry (1989), New Level (1992), Some Picture (1996), Droopys Buick (2016) and Hutton’s own Dorotas Wildcat (2018) have triumphed in the Eclipse and Antigua Kestrel might need to raise his game to join such an illustrious list, but can do and is sure to win more good races. Approximate odds: 8-1
His sire Ballymac Vic has been immensely successful in the breeding paddocks and high-profile greyhounds he has thrown include Roxholme Hat, Dorotas Wildcat, Bramble Linton, Sporting Dave, Ballymac Mossjoe, Ballymac Brogan and Forest Con. Local finalist Sambar Kian began his career in A3 over 500m at Nottingham in June last year and is tonight bidding to become the biggest-priced winner of the Eclipse since it was transferred to Nottingham in 1987. All of his first 12 appearances were in graded company at Colwick Park and all bar one of his 54 career starts have been on home soil, so the ‘horses for courses’ theory could work to his advantage. Sambar Kian acquitted himself well when a close-up second to Velvet Madrid in the heats and was far from disgraced when runner-up to leading outright fancy Romeo Command in the semis. Colin Wilton’s runner couples speed with stamina and is adaptable trap-wise, so could give his connections and long-shot backers a massive thrill if rocketing out of the traps and getting first run on the opposition. Approximate odds: 33-1
Northumberland-based trainer Jimmy Fenwick, also a leading breeder, created a record when he was the youngest-ever handler to secure a contract when joined Sunderland, aged 19. In the interim period he has owned and trained some fabulous greyhounds, perhaps best-known for his association with 2019 Greyhound of the Year Ice And Fire. A 28.57sec winner over 525 yards at Cork on his debut in February, he subsequently starred in the final of the £17,500 BresBet Gymcrack when hosing up by more than four lengths from Droopys Extragud (500m) at Sheffield, clocking 28.51sec. In July, he romped home by almost three lengths from Slingshot Sam in the final of the £12,500 Time Greyhound Nutrition Northern Flat (480m) at Newcastle. Three months later, he got a narrow verdict over Links Maverick in the £11,500 Betfred Steel City Cup (500m) at Sheffield. A leading contender for the 2024 Greyhound of the Year accolade, habitual front-runner Wicky Ned, undefeated in the earlier rounds, attempts to register his seventh consecutive victory and will prove very difficult to beat in the final. Approximate odds: 10-11
Patrick Janssens, who was born in Belgium and first fell in love with greyhounds in his homeland before his teens, originally acquired some experience in kennels with Matt O’Donnell and Pat Dalton. Subsequently, he linked up with champion trainer Linda Jones before enjoying phenomenal success as assistant trainer to now 14-time champion trainer Mark Wallis. After taking a sabbatical from the sport in 2012, Janssens has really made a big impact on the open-race scene as a fully-fledged handler and his enthusiasm and passion for the sport is infectious. Slick Sentinel, whose dam Droopys Alice was one of the best of her sex in 2018/2019, chased home Wicky Ned in the final of the Genco Puppy Invitation (500m) at Towcester in June. The August 22 whelp subsequently won the £5,000 Genco Group Juvenile Classic (500m) at Towcester and then reached the final of the £8,000 Yorkshire Derby (483m) at Doncaster. A top-priced 33-1 with the firms in the outright betting ahead of the semis, he ran another good race when second behind kennelmate Romeo Steel. Slick Sentinel has good all-round pace and should go well. Approximate odds: 10-1
ALL PHOTOS STEVE NASH
