Killinan Infanta (Brett Lee-Killinan Baby, Jan 15), handled by Poole’s recently attached new trainer Frank Gray, clocked the fastest first round heat of the Golden Crest on Tuesday night.
The black 7-1 chance, who first came to attention when being the first ’15 whelp to win a race in Ireland, ran from trap four with 5-2 favourite Corrin Mall drawn stripes and Ninja Diva (T1 7-2) seeking a place in a third Crest final. The winner’s time was 26.51 for the 450m and the distances were a length and a half and two and a quarter.
It would prove a bad night for punters with all four favourites turned over. That dubious distinction of being the first to fail went to the recently returned Southfield Jock who went to trap three as the 6-4f in the opening heat. But it would be kennelmate Crossfield Hugo (T4 3-1) who would dispute the early lead with eventual winner Kentish Duke (Scolari Me Daddy-Foulscourt Echo, May 14). Tony Collett’s runner went from red and started at 13-2. The winner’s time of 26.61 was just 10 spots slower than the fastest of the round and the distances were a length and a quarter and three and a quarter.
Hove runners would eventually take half of the semi final places but the market leader in the third heat, Ballinclare Solo (T4 9-4f) wasn’t one of them. The race went to Wayne Wrighting’s Dusko Popov (Blonde Snapper-Westmead Diva, Aug 14). Drawn blue with an 11-4 SP, Popov made it seven from his last eight with a two and a half length victory over Makeit Rennie (T1 5-1) and Droopys Scnozz (T5 7-1) in a time of 26.75.
The final heat went to a similar pattern with the Hove based favourite Swift Paddy (T1 2-1) turned over by a trackmate. In this case it was the black jacketed 9-4 chance Oo Wants It (Ace Hi Rumble-Droopys Raeh, Jul 14). The ‘Noramac’ trained big brother of recent ‘Three Steps’ winner Geelo Sapphire, led home Crossfield Giles (T5 13-2) and Longrange Spy (T6 3-1) by a length, then two and three quarters in a sharp 26.52.
