Druids Say Go Shines at Yarmouth and Eyes the Oaks

Trainer Patrick Janssens is eager to see his talented greyhound Druids Say Go compete in the Premier Greyhound Oaks at Perry Barr after her incredible victory at the Click Competitions 78th East Anglian Greyhound Derby Final at Yarmouth. Druids Say Go delivered the fastest run of the year, securing a dominant win that looked inevitable from the moment she left the traps.

This victory was especially significant, as it marked the first time a female greyhound had won this iconic race, which also featured as part of the inaugural Gone To The Dogs – Live! broadcast on YouTube. Reflecting on his second win in this prestigious competition, Janssens mentioned that he had come close to winning several times before, only to see his dogs overtaken late in the race. He light-heartedly recalled the frustrations of seeing dogs like Coolavanny Shado, Bockos Jon Jo, and Kilmore Lemon lead only to be caught at the last moment. He expressed relief that Druids Say Go had the endurance to hold her lead, remarking, “This girl just keeps going.”

Starting from the inside red box in the £15,000 Category One final, Druids Say Go maintained an unbeaten streak through all three rounds of the event. Her early speed quickly left her rivals struggling to keep up, and by the time she reached the first bend, she had established a commanding lead. Although Getup Me Son, trained by Carol Weatherall, tried to close the gap, Druids Say Go extended her advantage and secured a decisive five-length win in a time of 27.26 seconds. This performance was just shy of the 462m track record, jointly held by Fear Zafonic and King Elvis.

This win also gave Janssens his second East Anglian Greyhound Derby victory, following Kilara Lion’s 2020 triumph. Druids Say Go, owned by Value Racing Club Co UK, redeemed herself after a disappointing result in the Coral Golden Sprint at Romford in March, where she was the beaten favourite. Janssens praised her impressive overall record, noting that she had won 20 of her 29 races. He remarked, "She just missed it at Romford, and you can't afford that over 400m, but she's a remarkable dog with a passion for racing. Now, we must give her a shot at the Oaks."

Janssens also commended Yarmouth's track, emphasising how it requires a dog with both speed and stamina. He shared that running his dogs there was always a pleasure, as the track offers a good balance of challenges for both sprinters and stayers.

In addition to Druids Say Go’s triumph, the East Anglian Greyhound Derby card also saw other standout performances. Jason Bloomfield’s Slick Serenity clinched the MWD Partnership Sprint Final with a narrow victory over Acejukeboxpopper, clocking 16.29 seconds. Meanwhile, John Mullins had a one-two finish in the MWD Partnership Derby Purse Final, where Littlers Nuke caught You Too to win in 40.68 seconds.

This eventful race day highlighted several exciting contests, with Druids Say Go’s exceptional performance stealing the show and setting the stage for her next challenge at the Oaks.