Fizzypop Buddy landed his first competition for new handler Phil Simmonds when successful in the £3,000 Henlow St.Leger on Sunday night.
The orange jacketed 6-4f was well placed after early leader Mad for It (T3 5-1) and Fearsome Phantom (T2 5-1), who possibly trapped the quickest in his entire career, collided between the first and second bends allowing Buddy to shoot clear. A challenger was destined to emerge and it proved to be Romany Rouge (T6 7-1). Buddy was being ground down in the latter stages of the 692 metres but held on by half a length in 42.83 (-20).
There was a 1-2-3-6 for Kevin Hutton in the £2,500 Henlow Cesarewitch Final though it was the biggest priced of his quartet of runners, Memphis Mafia (T3 8-1) who came out on top. After a decent break, he led kennelmate Jet Stream Babs (T5 7-2) by a head at the sectional and it looked all over for the front runner when Babys took the lead off the fourth bend, but Mafia rallied and then faced a late challenge from Jet Stream Snowy (T1 1-1f). But he held on well enough (a length and a half) in a decent 33.21 (-15).
Paul Crowson’s Liam Og (T2 2-1) landed the £2,500 Christmas Cracker with another typical ‘Liam Og’ like performance. He cracks away, looks as though he is beaten and then rallies late to get home. He completed a four-timer by three quarters of a length from Savana Donie in 27.83 (-10).
