Ladbrokes Puppy Derby finalist Candlelight Fire (Ballymac Vic-Droopys Peaches, Apr 14) made an astonishing return to form at Sheffield on Tuesday night.
The Elaine Parker bred and trained black was never headed to land a four-runner 500m open in a flying 28.60. It was his third race back since pulling a hamstring in a re-run with Droopys Astorish for a qualifying place in the Monmore final in March. Ironically, the heat winner Droopys Elite was withdrawn from the final and Fire would have been automatically promoted had he not been lame.
Referring to Tuesday’s race, Elaine said: “He ran a blinder! Although it was a four-dog race, I don’t think that made any difference. We’ve always known what a very fast dog he is. All it has taken is a bit of patience and physio Darrell Hopper to get him back to his best. If all goes to plan, we’ll be looking to the Steel City Cup next.”
Fire, whose pre semi final form was eight wins and a second in his previous nine races was born and reared at Elaine’s Hensall kennel from an exceptional litter of open racers and good graders plus a very fast dog on the independent circuit. The dam had previously produced Candelight King.
Elaine said: “The dam Droopys Peaches is in season but I decided to miss her, like the last two occasions. She is a 2007 whelp and has been a brilliant servant for us and I would hate for anything to go wrong. We will keep her as a pet.”
