IT was a good night for the locals at Newcastle on Saturday as the first four heats in the Pinpoint Recruitment Maiden Derby fell to track trainers and one man that was particularly pleased was Jimmy Fenwick writes John Forbes.
His Blackjack Django produced a storming finish to win the third qualifier in 28.81 for the 480 metres – second fastest of the night – and he thinks that there is more to come from the January 2013 son of Head Bound.
He says: “He’s just turned two but he has not had a lot of racing and he needs experience. It was an eye-catching run and I believe that there is more to come from him. I am very pleased with the draw. You have to respect Tarmons Jet, who was fastest of the round (28.75) , and is drawn inside of us, but he is likely to move inside, which suits Blackjack Django.”
There was a lot of interest in the final qualifier where Irish St Leger finalist Burgess Oscar was making his debut for Pat Rosney and those who helped to make the dog 5-4 favourite got their reward when he showed determination to recover from a bumpy run and launch an irresistible challenge off the final corner and take the verdict by a length and a quarter in 28.92.
But there was bad news for the Rosney team later on when the draw for Thursday’s semi-finals was made and he found he had three of his qualifiers lining up against each other in the second semi.
The draw for the semi-finals is:
1st Semi-final – 1 Farran Heaslip, 2 Bowline Bolt, 3 Goffs Ciara (m), 4 Pinpoint Classic (m), 5 Valentia Frosty (m), 6 Brickfield Fire (w).
2nd Semi-final – 1 Musical Storm, 2 Burgess Oscar, 3 Mollys Frankie (m), 4 Ascot Woodie (m), 5 Colliery Deedee (m), 6 Ulster Idea (w).
3rtd Semi-final – Paradise Malaga, 2 Patchys Kerry, 3 Farloe Quest (m), 4 Droopys Bugatti (m), 5 Tarmons Jet (m), 6 Blackjack Django (W)
