Central Park hosts the £12,500 final of the Arena Racing Company Kent Silver Salver on Saturday, with local trainer Dan Brabon chasing his maiden Category One success.
Walderslade-based Brabon took over his father’s training licence in 2010 and qualified kennel star Killuran Bella for the UK’s most prestigious sprint competition finale. His talented two-year-old black bitch is the only local runner in Saturday’s feature race, which was first held in 1933.
Brabon has reached Category One finals - the highest grade of UK greyhound racing - before but is yet to stand on the top step of the podium.
That could change when Killuran Bella runs from trap two, though, after she caused a major upset in the semi-finals when winning at odds of 28/1 in 16.44sec - a career-best performance over Central Park’s 277m trip.
She’ll be joined by David Mullins’ Droopys Standard and Romeo Crusade plus William Russell’s Magical Bluebear, Belinda Green’s Guzzler and My Lennie, who represents Adam Sear.
“She is a really honest, genuine, bitch,” said Brabon. “I can’t understand why she was such a big price for Saturday’s semi-final - her times are solid, and she knows the track inside out.
“It’s an open final, and like most sprint races I feel the greyhound which leads at the first turn will win. Our advantage is she really likes to hug the rail around the bend, so if she can outtrap the dog on her inside (Droopys Standard) we’ll have every chance.
“Mick (Gough, co-owner) is a big supporter of the kennel. He’s been working on a project in Cambodia and no doubt will be there for the final.
“We’ve owned greyhounds together for a few years now and Killuran Bella has been a great sprinter for us. We thought it was worth trying our luck at the Silver Salver and we’re very pleased to have reached the final.”
Tickets are available at centralpark-greyhounds.co.uk/racing. Doors open at 5.30pm with the first of 12 races on the night off at 6.37pm. The Salver showdown is scheduled for 9.28pm.
