A fairytale ending to this year’s Arena Racing Company Kent Plate isn’t out of the question for trainer Paul Donovan, who runs kennel favourite Cinderella Tell in Saturday’s final.
The 16-times winner was purchased by Paul’s late father Terry – who passed away in 2022 – as a puppy and has been cared for by his daughter, Grace, since.
He qualified for the first Category One final of his career worth £12,500 to the winner when finishing second behind Richard Rees’ Scooby The Lady during Saturday’s semi-finals.
And although Paul remains realistic of his kennel star’s chances for Saturday’s big race, he hasn’t ruled out an upset.
The race includes 2025 GBGB Greyhound of the Year and defending champion Proper Heiress, plus East Anglian Derby runner-up Burrows Charm, Droopys Graph, Scooby The Lady and Maxine Locke’s Ballymac Axel.
“He’s a special greyhound to us,” said Paul.
“Grace and Terry had a wonderful relationship, and that relationship lives on between Grace and Cinderella Tell.
“Our dream was to get to the final, which we’ve achieved. We’re realistic about Saturday’s race in the sense that we are the outsiders and up against some quality opposition.
“But if he can repeat his sectional from Saturday’s semi-final you really never know, he could pull it off.
“The 491m trip is on the long side for him. We’ve tried him on shorter tracks like Oxford and Sunderland, but he never performed as he does at Central Park.
“With age, he’s only getting better and I think he’d be a popular winner if he crosses the line in front – fingers crossed!”
Tickets for the 2026 Arena Racing Company Kent Plate final at Central Park on Saturday night are free when booked online in advance via www.centralpark-greyhounds.co.uk.
All racegoers who book in advance will also receive a free drink on arrival as part of the track’s Ultimate Greyhound Race Nights initiative. Tickets on the day are priced £10, with the first race off at 5.30pm.
2026 Arena Racing Company Kent Plate final: Proper Heiress, Burrows Charm, Droopys Graph, Scooby The Lady, Ballymac Axel, Cinderella Tell.
