QUEEN JONI was again star of the show as Liz McNair and the KSS Syndicate won their first Trainers Judgement Night on an enthralling evening of top-class racing as Hove hosted the unique Premier Greyhound Racing-backed six-handler extravaganza.

McNair’s team edged out John Mullins with an outstanding victory for Queen Joni in the bitches’ finale as the four-time Category One winner saved the best for last with a track record-breaking performance over 500m as their home-bred confirmed last week’s Coral Brighton Belle form with main rival Crafty Shivoo.

Blasting from the boxes, Queen Joni was soon in charge and, while Crafty Shivoo (Mark Wallis) fared far better this week than last, the McNairs’ pride and joy never looked likely to be headed and crossed the line four and three-quarter lengths clear of Crafty Shivoo in 28.81sec (normal), setting a new best for the 500m trip.

More importantly in the context of Trainers Judgement Night, Liz McNair played her ‘joker’ for double points here which saw her overhaul longtime leader John Mullins to secure a first win in what was formerly the Trainers’ Championship Meeting.

McNair finished on 56 points ahead of Mullins (40), Mark Wallis (35), Richard Rees (31), Kevin Hutton (22) and Tom Heilbron (20).

Local trainer Richard Rees had struck first in the opening Premier Greyhound Racing Night Puppies as Clona Kody made all to score over 500m in 29.39sec (normal) from the staying-on Princess Athena (Liz McNair) and Swift Carlo (John Mullins).

Mullins then sent out the popular Signet Goofy to cause something of an upset in the Premier Greyhound Racing Night Sprint as the now senior Blue Riband champion stepped down in trip to lead home King Capaldi (Liz McNair) and Romeo To Victory (Tom Heilbron) by three and three-quarter lengths in 16.15sec (normal).

King Sydney (Liz McNair) and Coppice Ella (Kevin Hutton) produced a great finish to the Premier Greyhound Racing Night Standard with the former leading up before holding a strong challenge from the latter to win by a short-head in 29.33sec for the 500m trip, with Cochise (Richard Rees) keeping on well in third.

Heading into the third leg, John Mullins (15) held a narrow advantage over Liz McNair (14) and Richard Rees (13) – but now Mullins played his hand big-time with a brilliant performance from his ‘joker’ Aayamza Sydney who produced a career-best effort to see off a high-class field including Derby favourite King Memphis and Newinn Syd in the Premier Greyhound Racing Night 515.

Lining up in the red-box and breaking well, he held King Memphis rounding the first two bends after the McNairs’ star missed the break but paced up to join the issue, albeit could not quite get round the determined 36-kilo Aayamza Sydney who went on for a two-and-a-quarter length success over outsider Uncle Freddie (Richard Rees) and third-placed King Memphis in 29.90sec (normal) for the 515m trip.

The Premier Greyhound Racing Night Stayers oozed class on paper and did not disappoint as Arc Cesarewitch champion Garfiney Blaze justified champion trainer Mark Wallis’s ‘joker’ selection by claiming double points in the penultimate contest as he powered past Havana Top Note at the three-quarter pole to score over 695m.

The winning time was an impressive 41.12sec and helped Wallis close the deficit, but heading into the final leg – the Premier Greyhound Racing Night Bitches – only two trainers could win with John Mullins (39) leading Liz McNair (36).

Team McNair had yet to play their ‘joker’, however, so the odds were in their favour but they still needed Queen Joni to step up and the Produce Stakes, British Bred Derby, Kent Plate and Brighton Belle winner did not disappoint – although Brendan Keogh of the owning KSS Syndicate admitted to one or two nerves heading into the decider.

“It was a brilliant night – one of the best we’ve had in the sport – but special mention must go to Queen Joni. It was exactly what we needed her to do,” he said. “We knew it was in our hands because of the ‘joker’ but you never know. A missed break and she finds trouble and we’re looking at two or four points – and that might not have been enough.

“Then she’s gone and broken like that – she’s a class act – but it was a team performance to get us in that position in the first place. King Capaldi getting second was important, so too Princess Athena in the pups – she was a big price but did great to finish second, also. King Sydney got us a win and that eased the nerves.

“I thought King Memphis showed unreal pace after missing the break, which you can’t do at that level. John’s dog (Aayamza Sydney) is so powerful, too. He’s a 28.80sec dog at Towcester, remember, but again getting third with Memphis was good, then (Havana) Top Note did what he does – he’s just so consistent, albeit we know Mark’s (Wallis) dog over that sort of trip is very, very strong. Again, though, second was good.

“Then we had Joni – enough said! Well done to Liz and Rab – they produced the team brilliantly on the night and we had lots of support, too, which was great. We’ve qualified a few times and had to withdraw a few times because we didn’t have the right spread of runners for a Trainers’ Judgement Night. We did this year and planned for it.

“It’s great when a plan comes off and is reward for all the hard work at the kennel. Our thanks to everyone who made it possible – the sponsors and the track’s management and racing office who were superb throughout.”