Litter brothers Zenas Zeus and Shoot The Bolt won two of the three Produce Stakes semis to set up an extremely competitive final on Saturday.
Official photo finish to second semi of 2 Year Old Produce Stakes: Shoot The Bolt (t5) short heads Raise The Stakes (t2) with Lowgate Rudy (t3) just missing out on the final by a nose. Photo courtesy of Swindon Stadium Racing Office.
Paul Attwater’s Shoot The Bolt won a thrilling second semi final when short heading both Raise The Stake and Lowgate Rudy in 29.07 for the 480m. The time was seven spots quicker than Jenny March’s Zenas Zeus in the first semi. The other qualifier was won by Decoy Junior in 29.18.
Zenas Zeus and Shoot The Bolt were bred by Paul Attwater from a mating between Tullymurry Act and the prolific Hove open race winner Westmead Lola (Wheres Pedro-Westmead Aurora). Among Lola’s many achievements were remaining beaten in seven opens at Crayford.
Paul said: “My father (Harry) enjoyed a lot of success with Westmead Lynx many years ago and we always fancied having another Westmead. We noticed Lola running for Wayne Wrighting and put an offer in for her. We reared the litter to 12 months and they all went off for schooling.
“Shoot The Bolt is owned by a syndicate run by my brother Neil. They are all prison officers, hence the name, and I am expecting there will be plenty of them at Swindon on Saturday.
“The dog has really impressed me with his finishing and I would love a bit of rain because he finishes so strong and really needs a bit further. Bolt started out with Wayne at Hove, and I think the plan is, that he will return to him when the Produce Stakes is over.”
ZENAS ZEUS (t5) wins the 2 Year Old Produce opening semi final from Mitchells Angel (t1). Photo: © Steve Nash
Close finish to second semi of 2 Year Old Produce Stakes: Shoot The Bolt (t5) comes late on the outside to short head Raise The Stakes (t2) with Lowgate Rudy (t3) just missing out on the final by the same distance. Roxhill Mystique (t1) is a close fourth. Photo: © Steve Nash
DECOY JUNIOR (t4) wins the Two Year Old Produce Stakes third semi from Money Marciano (t3) with Westmead Rocco (t1) third. Photo: © Steve Nash
