Brinkleys Poet (Scolari Me Daddy-Kilara Lizzie, May 16) added the former Betfred sponsored Select Stakes to the same sponsor’s Gymcrack when winning the £7,000 invitation Nottingham on Monday.
Fastest away, the Matt Dartnall trained black was ten spots clear of Sporting Dave (5.04/5.14) at the sectional with Shaneboy Freddie and Innocent Times three quarters of a length back (both 5.20) and The Other Reg a further neck away.
As the two leaders cleared the bend, Shaneboy Freddie appeared to clip the rail and then bounce into his two closest neighbours. The Other Reg was knocked over as all three dogs were taken out of the race. Poet (2-1) went two/three lengths clear, Sporting Dave closed to the third bend and lost momentum before running on to be beaten half a length in 29.56 (+40).
Matt Dartnall said: “No one likes to see what happened at the first bend at the first bend. I wish to all connections that their dogs are okay. Yes he has come out of the boxes and done his job and just held on. We all said it would be about the first 20 yards and that was it.”
