Harvel trainer Tony Collett says Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby hopes rest with Miami Patrol hitting new heights in Semi-Final at Central Park

Harvel’s Tony Collett accepts his sole Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby runner requires a career-best performance to reach the competition’s £20,000 Final.

But the 68-year-old will take his chance after Miami Patrol was drawn out of the hat following a dramatic Round One dead-heat for third place with the Derek Knight-trained Clona Uriel.

It means Collett’s two-year-old star is potentially less than 30 seconds away from a spot in the Final of one of greyhound racing’s most prestigious competitions, which was first held at Central Park Stadium in Sittingbourne in 2000.

Miami Patrol clocked a career-best time over the 491m trip when stopping the clock at 29.71sec. Despite this, Collett anticipates his hope will need to improve further when bidding to place in the first two of Semi-Final Two on Sunday at 4.04pm.

He’ll face English Greyhound Derby runner-up Romeo Command, Puppy Classic finalist Newinn Syd, Open 600 finalist Storys Cashout, Hunt Cup champion Havana Lover and East Anglian Derby champion Watch The Limo.

“We were really pleased with his run on Sunday,” said Collett. “It was a career-best performance over the track and distance against some talented greyhounds and although we qualified in fortunate circumstances following the dead-heat, we’ll take it.

“He’ll need to improve again on Sunday to qualify for the following week’s Final - it’s a seriously tough draw. But to be one race away from a Category One Final is always exciting.

“He’s in great shape and is very capable of winning competitive open races so we’re hopeful of a good run.”

Collett’s other Kent Derby hopes - Lostrigg Paddy, Lostrigg Joel and Lostrigg Ajay - all missed out on qualifying after placing outside the top-three in their respective races.