Towcester Race 12

The Star Sports & Orchestrate English Greyhound Derby 2026 R1 - Heat 26

Prize Money: $1,040

ROMEO EMPIRE (2) has a strong record this trip with nine wins and 10 placings from 23 starts. In the money last time at Dunstall Park (40.67) in a OR3, finishing a 3 length second. Looks well placed and should feature. HARDY BUCKO (3) was unwanted in betting last start but proved too quick with an all-the-way win over 500m at Nottingham in a OR, scoring by 4.5 lengths (29.55). Form from his last run is proving to be solid. Expecting another bold showing. TODDYS STORM (4) has a strong winning strike-rate over this journey with three wins and a placing from six tries. Was out of placings last time (29.08) at Newcastle in a OR3, finishing fifth and beaten 4.5 lengths. Looks well placed here and among the chances. RADICAL STORY (5) is among the chances again if he runs up to the latest effort.

Distance: 500m
Track: Good
Weather: -
Surface: All Weather
Class: OR1

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Romeo Empire (2) 1123311312
Trainer: P Janssens (Towcester)
Prize Money: $38,332
Win / Place: 47% / 91%

3 yo Black D

Sire: ROMEO MAGICO (IRE)

Dam: FABULOUS BELLA (IRE)

100

Rating

Stats

Career

48: 23-12-9

Track

9: 4-2-1

Trk/Dst

7: 2-2-1

Distance

13: 5-3-3

Season

10: 5-2-3

Metro

26: 14-5-5

Country

22: 9-7-4

1st Up

1: 0-1-0

2nd Up

1: 0-0-1

Winning Distances
<400	400+	500+	600+	700+
0	4	5	10	4

Box History	1	2	3	4	5	6
STARTS	14	14	7	7	5	1
1st	8	5	5	4	1	0
2nd	2	5	0	2	2	1
3rd	2	4	2	1	0	0

Comments

Handy type with a solid strike-rate. Winner two back then well fancied last time and could manage only second over 660m at Dunstall Park in 40.67. Excellent record from this trap, including five wins. Go well.

Expected Early Speed:Front Runner

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Box	Ran	Avg. Speed	Margin	SP	Win Time	BON	Class	Prize	Prize Won	Days	Result
2nd of 6	11/4/26	Dunstall Park	660m	2	0:40.67	58.4 km/h	3.3L	$1.20	0:40.41	0:40.41	OR3	$1,923	$192	14	1. Quill Quids 2. Romeo Empire 3. Carrick Scholsey
1st of 1	5/4/26	Towcester	500m	2	0:29.08	61.9 km/h	0L	$0.00	0:29.08		Trial	$0	-	-	1. Romeo Empire 2. 3.
1st of 5	28/3/26	Central Park	664m	1	0:39.92	59.9 km/h	5.5L	$1.30	0:39.92	0:00.00	OR3	$1,705	$947	12	1. Romeo Empire 2. One More Tune 3. Bluejig Outlaw
3rd of 6	16/3/26	Nottingham	500m	3	0:29.61	60.8 km/h	5.5L	$4.00	0:29.17	0:29.17	OR1	$33,144	$1,894	7	1. Romeo Tomcat 2. Eagles Respect 3. Romeo Empire
1st of 6	9/3/26	Nottingham	500m	4	0:29.28	61.5 km/h	0.8L	$2.90	0:29.28	0:29.19	OR1	$1,610	$663	7	1. Romeo Empire 2. Romeo Tomcat 3. Romeo Force
1st of 5	2/3/26	Nottingham	500m	3	0:29.26	61.5 km/h	4.0L	$1.40	0:29.26	0:29.24	OR1	$1,442	$673	16	1. Romeo Empire 2. Malcolm Bosh 3. Aurora Dawn

Hardy Bucko (3) 5114413221
Trainer: J Gray (Nottingham)
Prize Money: $5,455
Win / Place: 22% / 62%

Dominant Win Last Start

2 yo Black D

Sire: PAT C SABBATH (IRE)

Dam: BALLYMAC NATALIE (IRE)

Rating

Stats

Career

27: 6-5-6

Distance

27: 6-5-6

Season

11: 4-2-1

Metro

1: 0-0-0

Country

26: 6-5-6

1st Up

2: 0-0-1

2nd Up

2: 0-0-1

Winning Distances
<400	400+	500+	600+	700+
0	0	6	0	0

Box History	1	2	3	4	5
STARTS	1	1	17	7	1
1st	0	1	3	2	0
2nd	0	0	3	2	0
3rd	0	0	5	1	0

Comments

Good effort after taking an early lead to score in a OR by 4.5 len at Nottingham over 500m (29.55). The form from last run stacks up well. Hard to beat.

Expected Early Speed:Midfield

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Box	Ran	Avg. Speed	Margin	SP	Win Time	BON	Class	Prize	Prize Won	Days	Result
2nd of 2	19/4/26	Towcester	500m	3	N/A	-	4L	$0.00	0:29.30		Trial	$0	-	-	1. Mulveys Champ 2. Hardy Bucko 3.
1st of 1	12/4/26	Towcester	500m	3	0:29.32	61.4 km/h	0L	$0.00	0:29.32		Trial	$0	-	-	1. Hardy Bucko 2. 3.
1st of 5	6/4/26	Nottingham	500m	4	0:29.55	60.9 km/h	4.5L	$7.00	0:29.55	0:29.55	OR	$1,442	$673	7	1. Hardy Bucko 2. Aghaburren Ben 3. Carmac Cash
2nd of 6	30/3/26	Nottingham	500m	3	0:30.43	59.2 km/h	1.8L	$2.50	0:30.29	0:29.91	IT	$1,004	$123	5	1. Killieford Goram 2. Hardy Bucko 3. Ballymac Aki
2nd of 5	25/3/26	Nottingham	500m	3	0:30.22	59.6 km/h	0.5L	$2.40	0:30.18	0:30.18	A1	$881	$123	7	1. Mull Of Kintyre 2. Hardy Bucko 3. Deelish Denzel
3rd of 6	18/3/26	Nottingham	500m	3	0:29.99	60.0 km/h	6.5L	$6.00	0:29.47	0:29.47	A1	$1,004	$123	5	1. Kellies Emerald 2. Bellmore Ginger 3. Hardy Bucko

Toddys Storm (4) 52x1115
Trainer: T C Heilbron (Newcastle)
Prize Money: $2,144
Win / Place: 50% / 66%

2 yo FWN B

Sire: SKYWALKER BARRY (IRE)

Dam: SOBER PEARL (IRE)

Rating

Stats

Career

6: 3-1-0

Season

4: 3-0-0

Metro

2: 1-0-0

Country

4: 2-1-0

1st Up

2: 1-0-0

2nd Up

2: 1-1-0

Winning Distances
<400	400+	500+	600+	700+
0	3	0	0	0

Box History	1	2	5	6
STARTS	1	2	2	1
1st	0	2	0	1
2nd	1	0	0	0
3rd	0	0	0	0

Comments

Got back early in the race last start when fifth over 480m at Newcastle. Before that won by 1.5 lengths at Newcastle (28.39) beating Coppice Saphire in a OR on March 26. Major threat on best form.

Expected Early Speed:Midfield

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Box	Ran	Avg. Speed	Margin	SP	Win Time	BON	Class	Prize	Prize Won	Days	Result
1st of 2	19/4/26	Towcester	500m	4	0:29.45	61.1 km/h	3.25L	$0.00	0:29.45		Trial	$0	-	-	1. Toddys Storm 2. Deerjet Rocket 3.
2nd of 2	12/4/26	Towcester	500m	5	N/A	-	0.75L	$0.00	0:29.10		Trial	$0	-	-	1. Droopys Bookem 2. Toddys Storm 3.
5th of 6	2/4/26	Newcastle Uk	480m	5	0:29.08	59.4 km/h	4.5L	$1.60	0:28.72	0:28.44	OR3	$2,885	$192	7	1. Droopys Anthea 2. Coppice Saphire 3. Lotties Big Wave
1st of 6	26/3/26	Newcastle Uk	480m	6	0:28.39	60.9 km/h	1.5L	$4.00	0:28.39	0:28.39	OR	$1,515	$568	41	1. Toddys Storm 2. Coppice Saphire 3. Drombeg Angel
41 Day Freshen-Up
1st of 6	13/2/26	Kilkenny	480m	2	0:28.79	60.0 km/h	7.0L	$3.75	0:28.79	0:28.79	A2	$985	$679	14	1. Toddys Storm 2. Ratchies Borris 3. Abigails Duke
1st of 6	30/1/26	Kilkenny	480m	2	0:29.20	59.2 km/h	0.8L	$2.50f	0:29.20	0:28.82	A5	$772	$544	196	1. Toddys Storm 2. Two Chimneys 3. Danesrath Oak
196 Day Spell

Radical Story (5) 2542241
Trainer: C R Morris (Yarmouth)
Prize Money: $1,363
Win / Place: 14% / 57%

2 yo BLU D

Sire: BALLYMAC CASHOUT (IRE)

Dam: AN CAILIN ALAINN (IRE)

Rating

Stats

Career

7: 1-3-0

Track

1: 1-0-0

Distance

2: 0-1-0

Season

5: 1-2-0

Metro

4: 0-2-0

Country

3: 1-1-0

1st Up

1: 0-1-0

2nd Up

1: 0-0-0

Winning Distances
<400	400+	500+	600+	700+
0	0	0	0	1

Box History	3	4	5	6
STARTS	3	2	1	1
1st	1	0	0	0
2nd	1	1	1	0
3rd	0	0	0	0

Comments

Good win last start as odds-on favourite by half a length over 712m at Towcester in a handy 43.58, beating Essjay Sonia. Has hit winning form and is worth thought again.

Expected Early Speed:Backmarker

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Box	Ran	Avg. Speed	Margin	SP	Win Time	BON	Class	Prize	Prize Won	Days	Result
1st of 2	20/4/26	Towcester	500m	4	0:29.09	61.9 km/h	0.3L	$0.00	0:29.09		Trial	$0	-	-	1. Radical Story 2. Droopys Trade 3.
1st of 5	5/4/26	Towcester	712m	3	0:43.58	58.8 km/h	0.5L	$1.70	0:43.58	0:43.58	OR	$1,231	$577	29	1. Radical Story 2. Essjay Sonia 3. Makeit Poppy
1st of 1	30/3/26	Yarmouth	462m	2	0:27.73	60.0 km/h	0L	$0.00	0:27.73		Trial	$0	-	-	1. Radical Story 2. 3.
4th of 6	7/3/26	Oxford Am	650m	6	0:41.13	56.9 km/h	12.3L	$1.91f	0:40.14	0:39.50	OR	$1,058	$115	6	1. Sister Grace 2. Distant Dolly 3. Distant Dahlia
2nd of 5	1/3/26	Sheffield Bags	660m	4	0:39.57	60.0 km/h	0.1L	$1.60	0:39.56	0:38.67	IV	$1,752	$161	8	1. Sir Chancealot 2. Radical Story 3. Romeo Talisker
2nd of 6	21/2/26	Yarmouth	462m	5	0:28.16	59.1 km/h	0.1L	$3.30	0:28.15	0:27.77	OR	$1,076	$117	36	1. Made Of Stone 2. Radical Story 3. Lottie Blue
36 Day Freshen-Up

Lennies Tank (6) 221x133132
Trainer: Paul Hennessy (Irish)
Prize Money: $33,804
Win / Place: 40% / 85%

2 yo WH/Black D

Sire: GOOD CODY (IRE)

Dam: DEELISH OREO (GB)

Rating

Stats

Career

20: 8-5-4

Season

6: 2-1-3

Metro

6: 2-1-3

Country

14: 6-4-1

1st Up

2: 1-0-0

2nd Up

2: 1-0-1

Winning Distances
<400	400+	500+	600+	700+
4	3	1	0	0

Box History	3	5	6
STARTS	2	4	14
1st	2	0	6
2nd	0	0	5
3rd	0	3	1

Comments

Racing well of late. In the money two starts back at Shelbourne Park then finished runner-up at his latest appearance in an AA0 at Shelbourne Park over 503m (29.92). In form but this is a test.

Expected Early Speed:Front Runner

Last Starts days since last start

Place	Date	Track	Distance	Box	Ran	Avg. Speed	Margin	SP	Win Time	BON	Class	Prize	Prize Won	Days	Result
2nd of 6	4/4/26	Shelbourne	503m	6	0:29.92	60.5 km/h	0.3L	$2.88f	0:29.90	0:29.71	AA0	$74,415	$11,706	7	1. Lemon Orla 2. Lennies Tank 3. Callaway Knegare
3rd of 6	28/3/26	Shelbourne	503m	5	0:29.92	60.5 km/h	7.0L	$2.50	0:29.43	0:29.43	AA0	$1,658	-	7	1. Callaway Knegare 2. Lemon Hidalgo 3. Lennies Tank
1st of 6	21/3/26	Shelbourne	503m	6	0:29.37	61.7 km/h	4.0L	$1.80	0:29.37	0:29.37	AA0	$836	$418	7	1. Lennies Tank 2. Lemon Hidalgo 3. Callaway Knegare
3rd of 6	14/3/26	Shelbourne	503m	5	0:29.69	61.0 km/h	1.5L	$2.25f	0:29.59	0:29.31	AA0	$485	-	7	1. Droopys Faithful 2. Ballyhooly Bruno 3. Lennies Tank
3rd of 6	7/3/26	Shelbourne	503m	5	0:30.16	60.0 km/h	9.5L	$2.00f	0:29.50	0:29.50	AA0	$2,274	$167	7	1. Droichead Nua 2. Callaway Knegare 3. Lennies Tank
1st of 6	28/2/26	Shelbourne	480m	6	0:28.23	61.2 km/h	1.0L	$3.50	0:28.23	0:28.23	AA0	$2,255	$1,658	112	1. Lennies Tank 2. Ballydoyle Tina 3. Ballymac Kamala
112 Day Spell

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