There can be few small kennels with a more impressive haul of big race trophies than Diane Henry’s range.

She burst onto the scene with Henlow/Northern Puppy Derby and Racing Post Juvenile winner Ten Large Down back in 2009 – litter brother Honey Trampas simultaneously landed a Festival 630, Silver Collar and a Coronation Cup.  Since then there have been three TV Trophies, a Henlow Derby, a Henlow Gold Cup and a string of smaller events.

Her first major winner for Kevin Boothby was a Henlow Maiden Derby with Savana Nijinsky, the most recent was Monday night’s Jenningsbet Stayers Classic (an event she had previously won with Borna Mindy) with Savana Ruinart

This is how she did it.

On Saturday, Diane will take along a fabulous St.Leger team for trials at Perry Barr, all four of which are owned by the Henlow/Suffolk Downs/Towcester and Oxford promoter.

It will be a first visit to the venue for Savana Ruinart, who under her previous name of Redzer Ruinart clocked the fastest 750 at Clonmel in 12 years (albeit the distance wasn’t used for a period) back in February. The litter sister to Redzer Renae and Troy Suzieeq also had the seccond fastest time at Limerick in 2021 over the similar distance.

SAVANA SPARTACUS (t1) wins 712m open from Antigua Getaway (t2) Photo: © Steve Nash

What might have gone under the radar for most punters on Monday night was that Ruinart’s victory over some of the top stayers in training was only her second competitive appearance in six months. The first was a 29.54 open race win over 500 metres at Towcester.

Diane said: “She is three and a half now and it has been a real struggle getting her ready at home. She had a small issue and then she came into season and it has been a lot of hard work. It has been difficult to gallop because of the weather and I’ve tried to make up for it with road work. But it is very difficult to judge how far she has progressed without a time. So I was hugely encouraged with her running within a length and then beating (Savana) Beau in trials at Nottingham.

SAVANA VOLCANO leads home Aayamza Royale (t5) in a new 915m Track Record 56.50. Perry Barr 22nd April 2021 Photo: © Steve Nash

“The biggest decision was whether to go for the Lowther Stakes, for an all-bitches field over 500 metres at Towcester or for the St.Leger. But Monday night confirmed that she looks ready for the St.Leger.”

The aforementioned English Derby finalist Savana Beau has been many people’s prediction of a future Leger winner following a series of long busting finishes at Towcester.

Diane said: “I always said that Monday would be his last attempt over four bends. He doesn’t have the early pace to go with dogs of that calibre over that distance, particularly in a race with so many railers. He will have a sprint at Perry Barr on Saturday though the preparation isn’t really ideal. The Perry Barr 710 is very testing. In an ideal world, he would be stepping up to a Monmore 630 so we are throwing him in at the deep end.”

Savana Spartacus is another who has needed plenty of TLC after picking up an injury at Towcester in May. As Sparta Trojan he clocked the fastest 730 at Waterford in 2021, a time still not bettered. His UK form could hardly have been more impressive. He won four consecutive Towcester opens clocking 41.35 for the 712 metres and beat Space Jet by five lengths over the 942 metre course. (You may wish to read that again!).

Diane said: “He is a big powerful horse of a greyhound and has taken some time to get him back. I gave him a couple of sprints at Towcester and he did well clocking 16.19. But he came off sore, but I nursed him for another three weeks and he came off sound in his last trial. To be honest, he went far better than I expected (28.60 calc 480 P.Barr).”

The fourth member of the team is Savana Volcano, now well into her veteran years and running short of her optimum distance.

Diane said: “She reached the final last year (4th). I wouldn’t want to ruin her reputation by running her for too long but and has trialled well behind Spartacus and reached the final last year. Most importantly, she absolutely loves her racing.”

SAVANA BEAU with Diane Henry after her Derby finalist won 500m open on the Juvenile Classic supporting card Photo: © Steve Nash