Four winners on the bounce from a desperate position saw Kevin Hutton make the biggest comeback since Lazarus to catch the pacesetting Mark Wallis in the Chelsea Glass Trainers Championship at Sittingbourne on Wednesday night.
After four legs Wallis led the event on 30 points following wins from Swift Whirlwind and Billys Bullet, while Hutton propped up the table on 13 points after a few of his fancied dogs failed to perform.
However a 1286-1 four timer with Forest Sara, Jolly Redeye, Swansalona Diva and El Pedro saw him snatch the competition out of the fire.
With one leg to go Hutton and Mark Wallis were level on 43 points and it still looked as Wallis would win as he fielded 4-1 chance Blonde Nipper , his chief Derby hope, while Hutton’s El Pedro went off at 10-1.
However when the lids opened El Pedro, an October 12 son of Crash, blasted clear and made turn on front of John Mullins’ favourite Swift Keith.
Blonde Nipper got shuffled back at this point and in the blink of an eye Wallis’s chances had gone.
El Pedro went on to hold Swift Keith by a length and a quarter with Ballymac Brogan in third, just in front of Blonde Nipper.
Hutton was overcome afterwards. He said: “I cannot believe we had four winners on the trot after the start we made.
“To win it at our first attempt is unbelievable and a lot of this is down to our tremendous owners and staff, many of whom have been with me for a long time, and of course the dogs who ran their hearts out.”
Sponsor Len Ponder of Chelsea Glass, who has offered to back the event again at Sittingbourne next year, joked: “This is how we planned it, all on the last leg!”
How things unfolded:
There was a real shock in the first leg which was the second division of the Standard over 480 metres.
All the money was for Kevin Hutton’s Face The Blade after being backed from 5-2 to 5-4 but he missed the kick and it was John Mullins’ Lann Jacob, the rank outsider at 8-1, who pulled clear from the opening turn and went on to hold the late challenge of Wallis’s Blue Moment by a short head in 29.08sec.
Mullins said afterwards: “He’s run well here a few times in the past and we left him off and brought him here fresh.”
The points after leg 1: Mullins 10, Wallis 7, Young 5, Cahill, 3 Hutton 2, Childs 1.
Backers of the favourite Southfield Jock were in clover after he pinched a three length lead down the back straight.
However his stride shortened coming home and Mark Wallis’s Swift Whirlwind swept past to score by a length in 30.24sec.
Wallis said afterwards: “He’s been running well at Towcester and I missed Monmore with him as I wanted a strong puppy for this.
“Unfortunately Even Herbert, the owner, is stuck in traffic and didn’t get here but he’ll be delighted.”
The points after leg 2: Wallis, 17, Mullins 11, Cahill 10, Young 10, Hutton 4, Childs 4.
Wallis was expected to have a quick double with Cloudbursting in the sprint over 265 metres and things looked good when he led around the opening turn.
However he ran right off and Dean Childs’ Millwards Whitey, who railed closely, took advantage to hold the late flourish of Dragon Big Bux by a length and a half in 16.35sec.
Childs said afterwards: “We had the late call and this dog wasn’t ready for four bends so we reverted him to the sprint and he ran really well.
“He’s going to be an exciting prospect later in the year.”
The points after leg 3: Wallis 20, Mullins 16, Childs 14, Young 12, Cahill 11, Hutton 11.
Wallis was back amongst the winners in the Stayers contest over 642 metres with Billys Bullet.
Seamus Cahill’s Millwards Joker took the field along, which didn’t help the cause of Droopys Ward who tried his best to get past. Meanwhile Prestige winner Billys Bullet came flying through at the penultimate turn to eventually hold the renewed challenge of Droopys Ward by a length in 39.86sec.
Wallis said: “He was awesome in the Prestige and was unlucky not to win at Monmore. I think he’ll have a great year.”
The points after leg 4: Wallis 30, Young 19, Childs: 17, Mullins 17, Cahill: 16 Hutton 13.
Kevin Hutton got off the mark in the event in the Bitches contest with Forest Sara.
The daughter of Droopys Scolari blasted out of the boxes and made the bend in front of Evanta Evita.
Mark Wallis’s bitch never gave up and was eventually beaten by half a length in 28.86sec.
Hutton said afterwards: “Things didn’t go well for us early on so it was great to see her win. She’s was our nap and loves it here and is running out of skin.
The standings after leg 5: Wallis 37, Young 24, Hutton 23, Cahill 23, Childs 23, Mullins 18.
Hutton was on the mark in the following leg with Jolly Redeye in the top 500 metres division.
The son of Hondo Black was soon clear and went on to hold Droopys Jarrow by just over a length in 29.99sec.
Hutton said afterwards: “I was delighted with this dog, he doesn’t normally break and when he did lead was always going to be hard to catch.”
Points after leg 6: Wallis 40, Hutton 33, Cahill 26, Young 25, Childs 24, Mullins 20.
Swansalona Diva made it a Hutton treble in the sixth leg, the Super Stayers Stakes over 708 metres.
Chicago led for three bends but was joined by Teejayspowerhawk and the pair did each other no favours.
Swansalong Diva capitalised and led approaching the fifth turn to eventually beat Chicago by just over four lengths in 44.34sec.
Hutton said afterwards: “It’s been unbelievable to come from nowhere after a few legs to be neck and neck with Mark Wallis coming into the last leg.”
“Diva’s a game bitch and we quietly fancied her to run a big race.”
Points after leg 7: Wallis 43, Hutton 43, Cahill 33, Young 30, Childs 25, Mullins 22.
The final leg, the top Standard race, was won by Hutton’s El Pedro at odds of 10-1.
He led out and went on to beat Swift Keith by almost two lengths in 29.10sec.
Final standings: Hutton 53, Wallis 46, Cahill 38, Young 32, Mullins 29, Childs 26.
Farley Champ set new figures when landing the Kent Kings Mini Standard over 450 metres.
Heather Dimmock’s runner made all to beat Impudent Barney by almost four lengths in 27.00sec.
