Six Category One Finals
We close in on autumn with six Category One finals in September at five different tracks. The big nights are concentrated in the second half of the month with the first final coming up on the 15th.
The Empress at Towcester
The bitches will take centre stage first up. The bet365 Empress Stakes begins this afternoon (Sunday) with Avongate Venus heading the market for Phil Milner. She has only been beaten once since arriving from Ireland and has been popular with the ante post punters already. With strong stayers like New Destiny and Queen Georgia in opposition, this could make for a spectacular final on September 15.
The East Anglian Derby
A race that Charlie Lister dominated, winning the Yarmouth feature 12 times. The final is on a Wednesday night, September 18 with a huge amount of money put into the supporting card. Simon Franklin and the team deserve plenty of credit for the effort they are putting in. Hopefully, they will get rewarded with a big crowd and plenty of quality on the track.
The 78th Produce Stakes
Just a day after Yarmouth, Swindon hosts the Produce Stakes Final. While the competition didn’t fill to capacity this year, the dogs on show are a smart bunch. There should be an exciting final on September 19 with the best of the British Brand four-bend runners in action.
Birmingham Cup and St Leger
A pair of Category One races this month come from Perry Barr on September 21. The Birmingham Cup was promoted to Category One status last year, the fourth renewal following a decade’s hiatus. The St Leger is closing in on 100 years, first run in 1928 at Wembley. The Classic has seen the track record fall in the final in two of the last three years. Space Jet in 2021 and then Droopys Clue in 2023 both lowered the clock.
Romford Puppy Cup
The final Category One for the month comes from Romford in the Puppy Cup. It is a race that has been dominated in recent years by local trainer David Mullins. He will bid for a fifth straight winner after Tenpin, Brookside Richie, Romeo Hotshot and Romeo Crusade.
