Dog trainer Charlie Lister is on course to keep breaking records at this year’s wlliamhill.com Greyhound Derby.

The 72-year-old from Nottingham saw his dog, and last year’s champion, Taylors Sky safely make it through the quarter finals on Tuesday to line up in Saturday’s semi-finals in Wimbledon.

Last year’s win made Lister the first trainer to triumph in the derby six times and he would love a seventh, although Razldazl Jayfkay is currently hot favourite to take this year’s honours with Taylors Sky third favourite.

“When you are a trainer you always want to win the big one,” he said.

“It would be nice to do it again if we can, you just have to hope things go right on the night.

“Everything is going alright at the moment – we have just got to have a bit of luck.

“No matter how good your dog is, you still have to have that luck in racing.

“When you are a trainer, winning the derby is the main race you can win – it is like the derby in horse-racing.”

Lister’s record achievements were honoured earlier this month when he was awarded an OBE for this services to greyhound racing, receiving his medal from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

“Prince Charles said he thought it was very good the sport has got recognised and it has been a long time coming,” added Lister.

“He seemed to know a few things about it as he said he had seen I always seem to win the big ones.

“It was brilliant to get recognised and it is something no other greyhound trainer has got [OBE].

“But it’s not only for myself, it is for the greyhound industry as a whole.

“It is one of the best sports as it is 100 per cent honest, all the dogs are tested and it is a big sport. There are snooker players and football managers involved and everybody enjoys going to the dogs.”