Tom Heilbron’s Darbys Delight and Links Maverick remain favourites for the respective ARC Grand Prix and ARC Trophy finals on Friday, despite both being overshadowed in Friday night’s qualifiers.
The MWD Partnership’s Coonough Crow (7-2) clocked the fastest semi final (and sectional) with a 39.15 run and the Golden Jacket finalist will be contesting just her tenth race in Britain in the £10K decider.
In an ‘all railer’ final, the powerful Darbys Delight (9-4) will run in stripes and will probably have to overtake five others to justify his odds.
He will need to avoid kennelmate Links Top Gun (10-1) on the run to the bend with Crow’s kennelmate Aayamza Magic (4-1) also likely to be involved in traffic.
The slower semi final winner Skywalker Stan (6-1) will be better suited to trap two while outside Longacres Bullet (12-1) has gained four trap positions for the decider
A track record breaking run by locally bred Witton Venus (3-1) – a length inside Droopys Trapper’s previous best – did not impress layers enough to make Jill Sutherland’s runner enough to ensure top ranking in the betting for the ARC 450 Final.
A 28.21 qualifier 14 months ago, she has drawn orange in the decider with Links Maverick (5-6) drawn blue. He will be attempting a 12th win in 15 races.
They are followed in the betting by Moanteen Mikey (T5 5-1), Good Vienna (T1 10-1), Laughil Flash (T3 12-1) and Freedom Sky (T4 33-1)
