If you were looking for form to give some clues to the first round of the Golden Crest at Poole, a 15 length win over 930m at Hove wouldn’t necessarily be the line you would focus on.
Six and eight bend specialist Clares Kyletaun (Ballyana Foxtrot-Lughill Marie, Jul 15) defied odds of 6-1 as part of a first round double for trainer June Harvey.
June said: “I didn’t expect Clares Kyletaun to win his heat though I was very confident that he would qualify. He is a very fast dog when he doesn’t cramp and generally that is around the fifth bend.”
Kyletaun’s winning time of 26.39 (+20) for the 450m was only bettered by one other winner, his kennelmate Clash (Tullymurry Act-Dynamic Trend, Oct 14) in heat four.
Clash (11-4), who has won a string of opens at Hove and has 29.69 for the 515m transferred that run to a 26.31 at Poole. The kennel’s two other runners were Droopys Alex (5th) and Ower Boy Dazzler, who was beaten a head for a qualifying place.
June said: “I thought Alex had our best chance, but he made his own mistakes when he looked likely to qualify. We didn’t know Dazzler was running until two o clock. He had been out for a long walk and was about to have his dinner when we got the call asking if he could step in as a reserve.”
It was a night that certainly favoured the layers. Kevin Hutton’s Drumcrow Darcy (Aero Majestic-Drumcrow Ellie, Apr 15) was the only outright winning favourite (evens) when taking the sixth heat in 26.45 (+10).
Steve Harms’ Southern Sound (Paradise Madison-Vics Romance, Jan 16) was returned 5-2jf (with Glenagore Diego – 5th), when winning heat five in 26.79.
The opening heat went to 4-1 shot Ballinclare Solo (Scolari Me Daddy-Ballinclare Meg, Nov 13) in 26.46 (+10) – Sevenofnine (2-1f) was second. Joint 7-4 favourites Savana Donie and Crossfield Giles finished second and fifth respectively behind Clares Kyletawn.
Kevin Hutton’s Headford Kev (5-4f) was third to 26.75 winner Fernhill Rex (Iso Octane-Fernhill Jess, Oct 15) with Kev’s kennelmate and ante post favourite Forest Chunk (evens) also scraping through behind Clash.
All footage courtesy of RGTV