ROMEO CRUSADE bids for a second Category One success in Thursday’s final of the 78th BGBF Two-Year-Old British Bred Produce Stakes at Swindon after setting the fastest time in last week’s semi-finals of the British-bred showpiece.

Now trained by Tom Heilbron, last year’s Coral Romford Puppy Cup winner led early in the second semi-final on his way to a three-and-a-quarter success over 11-10 favourite Union Rebel and Southfield Petal, the last-named pair representing Kevin Hutton, who will have half the field in this week’s £10,000-to-the-winner final.

The winning time for Romeo Crusade, a February 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Fabulous Skylar, was 28.06sec (+10) which bettered the effort of the Hutton-trained Southfield Poppy in the first semi-final, albeit the latter was another very good winner given a slick 3.96sec sectional set up an all-the-way victory.

An April 2022 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Forest Natalee – a sister of Southfield Petal – Southfield Poppy ensured two bitches will take on four dogs in the 476m decider with a length and a quarter success over the running-on Keefill Goose (Phil Milner) and Romeo Cypher (Tom Heilbron) in 28.26sec (+10).

It also means two sisters – Southfield Poppy and Southfield Petal – will take on two brothers in the shape of Romeo Crusade and Romeo Cypher, plus Keefill Goose and Union Rebel in the 78th running of the British Bred Produce Stakes. Three for Kevin Hutton, two for Tom Heilbron, and one for Phil Milner.

For his part, Tom Heilbron is delighted to be a part of it with his first ever Produce Stakes entries and is continuing to enjoy a cracking 2024, with the Newcastle trainer quick to pay tribute to the handlers up against him on Thursday.

He said: “Both Kevin (Hutton) and Phil (Milner) have bred their finalists, so that must be an extra special feeling – and well done to both of them. Nevertheless we’re proud to be very much part of the biggest race in British breeding and thanks must go to Dave and Nicola Firmager who bred and own both Crusade and Cypher.

“It’s great to have them in the kennel along with a few other Romeos and I’d really like to win a major competition for them – and thank them for supporting the kennel.

“As for our pair at Swindon, hopefully they don’t get in each other’s way in the final. They are side by side in traps two and three, which isn’t ideal, but with so much early pace in the final it’s important whoever wins comes out running, and both Crusade and Cypher are capable of doing that.”

Trap draw for Thursday’s 78th BGBF Two-Year-Old British Bred Produce Stakes Final – Swindon: 1 Keefill Goose, 2 Romeo Cypher, 3 Romeo Crusade, 4 Southfield Poppy, 5 Union Rebel (m), 6 Southfield Petal (m).