Bit View Knight (Kinloch Brae-Native Gypsy, Nov 15) overturned a five-length deficit with Brinkleys Poet to land new handler Charlie Lister a surprise victory in the Carling Black Fruits Trophy Final at Nottingham on Monday night.
In the 500 metre heats, Gymcrack winner Poet had flashed away in a 4.98 split with Kevin Hutton’s Knight recording a 5.11.
In the decider, though they were inseparable after the first 75 metres (both 5.06) and in a buckle that would have been applauded on a coursing field, Knight prevailed by a short head in 30.05 (+20).
With going allowance, Knight’s winning time was identical clocking to his heat defeat.
Lemming Perrin’s (Paradie Madison-Lemming Gold, Jul 16) victory in the night’s other £500 decider would have been some small consolation for Carol Weatherall whose Calico Brandy failed to complete the course behind Bit View Knight.
LEMMING PERRIN (t1) wins the Coors Light Puppy Trophy Final from Arthur Noodle (t5)
Photo: © Steve Nash
Perrin justified 11-10 favouritism to take the Coor Light Puppy Final by a length and a half in 30.15.
The meeting also featured a double for the track’s most prolific open race handler in 2018, Phil Simmonds, but also an 11-1 treble for David Pruhs courtesy: Fortunate Star (9-4 co fav), Ballymac Tivoli (5-4f) and Dog Mac Arthure (8-11f).
The latter pair were among the three tipped by the Nottingham sage Mark Pierrepont with Binkleys Poet being the one to let down the treble.
Two RPGTV Select hopefuls trialled before racing. Scottish Derby winner The Other Reg clocked a fastest-of-night 17.74 (+10) for the 305m sprint. English Derby fourth Bruisers Bullet stopped the clock at 29.76 (+20) in a 500m solo trial.
DOG MAC ARTHURE gets a wash down after proving comfortably fastest in the heats of the GMG Maiden Trophy (final next Monday).
Photo: © Steve Nash
