Droopys Plunge Dives into History at the 2025 English Greyhound Derby

A little over a month ago under the summer sun, a new name etched itself into greyhound racing history: Droopys Plunge (better known as Sponge to his pals), a 10/1 outsider, delivered a sensational upset to win the 2025 English Greyhound Derby, claiming the £175,000 top prize and the title of Britain’s greatest racing greyhound.

Trained by Patrick Janssens and owned by the aptly named The-Three-Tall-Men Syndicate, Droopys Plunge held off a high-class field that included defending champion De Lahdedah and the much-fancied Irish Derby hero Bockos Diamond, denying both a rare piece of Derby history. It was a performance full of pace, composure and sheer determination - one that crowned the only English runner in the final as champion on home soil.

Droopys Plunge wins The 2025 English Greyhound Derby

A Win for Home Soil

In a final stacked with Irish talent and rising stars, Droopys Plunge stood alone as the British hope and he delivered. Breaking well from the traps, it was Bombay Pat who took the lead at the first bend, with his kennel companions Bockos Diamond and Cheap Sandwiches behind him. Going into the third bend Bockos Diamond inched up the inside of Bombay Pat, who then got in their own battle for the front position, both swinging off wide on the last bend, Droopys Plunge hung to the inside fence and dug deep to and win by one and a half lengths. In what was a thrilling finish, just over two lengths separated all six finalists, but it was all about Droopys Plunge who stunned the field and delighted a roaring Towcester crowd, giving trainer Janssens another Derby trophy for his cabinet and breeder Sean Dunphy a moment of pure pride.

Watch the 2025 English Derby Recap on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Vd3KFnxnb0Q?si=ioy4Z1Exkgs8qsxf

Behind the Racing: Stories That Touched the Heart

While the final belonged to Droopys Plunge, this year’s Derby was rich with heartfelt stories that captured the spirit of the sport. De Lahdedah, last year’s Derby winner, made a valiant attempt to defend his crown, becoming one of the few greyhounds to reach consecutive finals. Bockos Diamond, fresh off his Irish Derby triumph, came heartbreakingly close to becoming only the second dog in history to win both the English and Irish Derby’s - a feat last achieved by Toms The Best. Churchfield Syd, a finalist in the 2024 Derby, defied the odds to return from injury and reach the semi-finals this year. He now enjoys a well-earned retirement. And then there’s Faypoint Susie, who melted hearts across social media - after having her only pup, Midnight, in November 2024, she returned to action to win multiple heats and bow out with a final victory on Derby night.

A Day to Remember

The victory capped off a spectacular day of sport and celebration at Towcester Greyhound Stadium, where the Derby final was more than a race - it was an all-day festival. With gates opening at 10:00 am, racegoers enjoyed a vibrant mix of entertainment: live music from The Revellers Steel Band, Mr Bloom, Pure Genius and the amazing Björn Again, family fun with fairground rides, climbing walls, face painting, and greyhound meet-and-greets. There were trainer and pundit Q&As from FanCave and discos before and after racing. Throughout the competition there were themed race nights including a Bridgerton inspired Ladies’ Day, Student Day, and Charity Fundraising Days.

Adding to the excitement each week was Gone to the Dogs Live, a vibrant broadcast that brought viewers behind the scenes of the Derby with live racing, expert analysis and interviews from trainers, owners and greyhound racing personalities. Their coverage reached a pinnacle on final night, featuring a star-studded guest list that included TV personality Chris Hughes, Matt Chapman, Basher Watts and The Racing Blogger, all familiar faces in the wider horse racing community and beloved by fans on social media.

The energy built all day toward the 15-race card, with the crowd growing in anticipation. As the final six took to the track, a moment of tradition returned to the sport - the National Anthem echoed around the stadium, a nod to the Derby nights of old at White City.

Fundraising Success for Greyhound Homing UK

Greyhound Homing UK launched a Derby-long fundraising campaign that smashed its original target. Aimed at supporting partner homing centres, the initiative set out to raise £10,000 during the course of the Classic. By final night, that figure had climbed to over £10,700.

The campaign was driven by a dedicated team of volunteers who gave their time across the five weeks of Derby action, including representatives from Peaceful Pets, Home Run Hounds, Barley Kennels, and Crossing Cottage.

A familiar and beloved presence, Pablo The Pup, with Heather Dimmock, returned for his fifth consecutive Derby fundraiser and was a crowd favourite, winning hearts with every cuddle.

Undercard Delivers Fireworks

Beyond the Derby final, the undercard served up a feast of top-tier racing action. Trainer Patrick Janssens stole the spotlight again with five more winners on the night. Romeo Tomcat impressed in the PricedUp.Bet Derby Plate, narrowly outpacing Kilmore Dancer in a gripping finish that saw the pair trade blows around the final bends.

One of the most anticipated performances came in the Star Pelaw Stakes, where Romeo Empire proved he could stay the trip, using his early pace to dominate and secure his place as a serious six-bend contender. Romeo Steel also lived up to his short odds in the BGBF TruFrame Champion Stakes, fending off Queen Shakira, while Romeo Ability added more silverware to the Janssens haul with victory in the JR Racing Puppy Trophy.

In the sprint, Shadow Storm, trained by Richard Rees, confirmed his status as a rising star in the Greyhound Nutrition Sprint Trophy, remaining unbeaten in his career so far. Staying fans were treated to a powerful display from Vhagar, who relished the 712m test in the BetGoodwin Challenge Trophy, confirming her place as a leading stayer from the Mark Wallis kennel.

 Shadow Storm

There were victories too for the ladies, Icemans Girl in the Allied Site Services Bitches Trophy and Avongate Venus in the PCS Legal Stakes. Irish handler Graham Holland may have drawn a blank in the Derby final, but Faypoint Harvey and Susie gave the kennel a bright start to the evening in the Jimmy Wright Memorial Stakes and Starsports.bet Trophy.

Other notable winners included Alright Patricia in the Fox Sport Surfacing Dorando Marathon, who held off Salacres Belleza in a nail-biter for trainer David Lewis and successes for March on Freddie and Radical Scoby in the Derek & Mark Burridge Trophies and greyhoundtrader.com Stakes, giving David Mullins and Maxine Locke well-earned victories.

A New Chapter in Derby History

Since its inception in 1927, the English Greyhound Derby has crowned legends, shaped careers and captivated generations. The 2025 edition was no exception. As the lights dimmed on Towcester and Droopys Plunge basked in the glow of his finest hour, one thing was certain: The magic of the English Greyhound Derby is alive and well.

A Packed Towcester Stand on Final Night