While all eyes were understandably on Ice On Fire for his comeback trial on Tuesday night, it could be argued that the old warhorse Droopys Verve stole his limelight.
For just a couple of minutes before Jimmy Fenwick’s Derby favourite had clocked 28.53 for the Newcastle 480 metre course, the 2018 Derby runner-up had clocked a flying 28.58.
Assistant trainer Jimmy Wright said: “We are delighted with the run, and when you think he stumbled at the start. It was his first trial back, we had just been galloping him at home.
“We had struggled with the dog for a long time with a joint high on a back foot which had affected his form. It had been taken off and he was trialling back well before the lockdown. But I wasn’t expecting that sort of run.
“We will trial him again and then I will keep an eye on the Calendar. At this stage we will be looking toward the Derby, and take him as far as we can. He is four years old now and at the first sign of anything not being right, we will retire him.”
