Belgian trainer wins Greyhound Derby final

A greyhound trainer from Belgium and his dog have celebrated after winning the Greyhound Derby and £175,000 in prize money.

Patrick Janssens and Droopys Plunge, who are based in Norfolk, appeared in Saturday's final of the competition in Towcester, Northamptonshire.

Previously, the trainer had success at the Derby taking first and second spots in 2021 before coming runner-up in 2023.

He said: "It's the pinnacle of the sport. You can't get nothing bigger or more exciting."

The first round of the Derby took place in May and saw 192 dogs start in the competition, before the final was whittled down to six dogs with Droopys Plunge up against five rivals from Ireland.

On winning, Mr Janssens said: "It's the biggest achievement you can get in greyhound racing.

"Towcester is a very special venue and the atmosphere they get, is amazing... the best dogs were in the final."

He said while he was confident that Droopy Plunge was "good enough", sometimes in the sport you need "a bit of luck".

However, he said he trained greyhounds to win and he hoped to come back and remain triumphant.

It was a love for racing that brought Mr Janssens to England about 25 years ago, and while it is home, he said he loves being able to represent the country.

He found a property north of the Norfolk-Suffolk border and began running his dogs at Mildenhall, Suffolk, before transferring them to Towcester.

In the event's final, they were the last pair to represent England.

"When you make the final it's a great achievement on its own, whether you finish first or last.

"Towcester is a proper venue... the dog track itself is so good because it's a proper test of a greyhound.

"You watch the race and it's an exciting race to watch - there's so much happening."

Despite having Droopys Plunge for almost two years, one of the challenges they face during racing includes the greyhound not liking strangers.

During the parade, he said his focus was keeping the dogs calm with the crowds and seeing how they express themselves.

He said: "When you see how Droopys Plunge won that race, he used his brain to win.

"He was really focused and that is a lot of credit to the dog himself. That's not something I can do, or I can teach him."

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.