Say Go – and don’t look back

The opening heat of the PGR Oaks lived up to all expectations with a tremendous buckle between two of the leading contenders for the event, Druids Say Go and Avongate Venus, both fresh from Category One successes.

The Patrick Janssens trained Say Go (5/6f) gave another fabulous display of early pace with Venus (11/8) in pursuit. There were seven spots between them at the sectional and eight between them at the winning line which the East Anglian Derby crossed in 27.89.

The track record is held by former kennelmate Coolavanny Shado at 27.77 and Say Go’s run was the fastest since then.

Trainer Janssens is hopeful of picking up a second Oaks in three years following Slick Sakina’s win in 2022 though the only downer on the night was the injury to Fabulous Terra.

Janssens said: “She has done a gracilis (muscle) and I think she could be finished. I’m gutted. I said to Dave (Firmager) last week that I think she is a really decent bitch. I have no doubt that she would have done a 28.10 or 28.00 last night.”

As for Druids Say Go, Patrick said: “She is top class, right up there with Slick Sakina and Shado in my opinion.  When she started out, we ran her quite a bit at Romford because it suited her and she reached the Golden Sprint Final. But I was always confident that she would get the 480 metres, but that is what she is.

“I said to the owners, we won’t go to Towcester with her, because unlike Fabulous Azurra who was a stronger type, Say Go doesn’t want 500 metres. All her races would be at the end of the year. We targeted the Pall Mall, the East Anglian Derby and the Oaks. There is a long way to go in that but I wouldn’t swap her for anything else in the competition. I rate her so highly.”

There was also a hugley impressive run from Leighas Dream who beat last year’s runner-up, declared winner Jet Stream Angel by eight lengths in 28.02.

Apart from the Fabulouos Terra injury the biggest shock was the disqualification of John Lambe’s local, Delicate Lass in heat three.

There was also a double for the KSS Syndicate with Queen Joni and Queen Dusty successful in heats five and eight resepectively.

Rab McNair said: “I was delighted with both winners. It was Joni’s first four bend race since the Derby Plate ten weeks ago. She has had sprints but there is still some way to go; I would expect her to progress for the run. As for Dusty, she ran an absolute buster. It was only her race since July. I thought Shakira was unlucky, being turned sideways at the bend but she seems to have come off okay.”

**Request from the Perry Barr Racing Office – could any connections requesting a change of seeding for the Oaks second round please make contact before 11am on Monday.

Memphis plans to be King of Kent

King Memphis equalled his own 481m track record at Central Park on Saturday night when landing a heat of the PGR Kent Derby.

The Olympic and Puppy Derby winner looked a little ring rusty in just his third race since a late summer lay-off with Assistant Trainer Rab McNair expecting more to come.

He said: “Until the Derby Final he had never stopped since coming through as a pup so I was never really sure how much work he needs. It was a proper rest with a change of food but it has done him the world of good. He came off blowing again last night and clearly still needs the running but I would expect him to come on for the run.

“He has trap two in the semis which should suit him. I think he breaks a bit better closer to the middle and I would expect him to start to trap better. These dogs are a bit like footballers. When they have had a lay-off it takes a couple of runs to get their timing right.

“I was also delighted with Top Note. He always gives a million percent and I thought he ran a cracker. We are only really using the competition to get him fit for six bends and then we will probably take him and Georgia to Crayford for the 540 competition.”

Another Crafty classic

The gamble to send Crafty Shivoo back to Ireland rather than contest the PGR English Oaks was landed when the MWD owned black landed her second Irish classic, the Bar One Racing Irish Laurels.

While the long term plan is still the breeding paddocks, the 2023 Irish Oaks winner has been a revelation since joining Pat Norris. She had impresssed on the Curraheen Park circuit when winning her Laurels semi in 28.42 and was made the even money favourite when going from trap four in the final.

The winning margin was four and a half lengths in 28.52 before the going allowance rated as -50.

Mike Davis, from the MWD Partnership didn’t make it to Ireland for the final but watched the race on a live broadcast.

He said: “We weren’t there but we probably made more noise than the people at the track, jumping up and down. I thought it was a terrific performance and a great testament to Pat Norris’ training. It also gives us some vindication for bringing her over when the Oaks was on. What a competition that is turning out to be. I believe that Shivoo is the first bitch to win the competition since 1983 (Lisglass Lass).

“She is due in season at any time. She has only been in once, and that was a year ago. If she doesn’t break we will probably run her in the Irish Derby.”

In the meantime Shivoo seems to be coping quite well with the training and feeding regime.

Crafty Shivoo with Pat Norris jnr