After a brilliant opening round which saw the KSS Syndicate take four of the six Ladbrokes Summer Stayers heats, Assistant Trainer Rab McNair is hoping that at least some of the kennel’s five runners in the semi finals make it through to next weekend.

The first semi final features three of the five winners including quickest of the round, Fromposttopillar.

Rab said: “The draw has worked out well. In fact, if I was able to put them in the traps, this would be how I would want them. I thought Havana Top Note ran a fabulous race last week. When he was last drawn in the middle (at Central Park) he tried to get across his field. He will be ideally suited in red.

(* The quote above has been updated. I originally mistook the reference to the middle draw as relating to last week. Having checked my notes, it should have referred to a run at Central Park when Note was drawn in trap three – entirely my error – apologies to Rab McNair – Ed)

“Brendan (Keogh) was been on to me for weeks about changing Havana Bale Out‘s seeding from middle to rails and I think he has been proven right. Where she runs depends on where she finds herself. She isn’t a bang railer, but she will come inside when she gets the chance.

“I was delighted with Fromposttopillar last week. I thought the going was slower than what they gave it and that shows up in his sectional time which was slower than his trial. In my view, he came out even quicker in the race than the trial. If you look at the times of most of the others, they also went back on times.

“I would expect Postie to come on from last week. That run would have done him the world of good.”

Havana Lover goes in a very hot second semi final that includes the fastest hound over course and distance this year, Distant Emma (37.68) and the flying trialist, Droopys Clue (37.39).

Rab said: “I’m a little bit cautious about ‘Lovely’ because it is her second race back and sometimes, after a dog has been off a while, you get that ‘bounce’ first time back and then a slightly poorer run next time out.

“Hopefully it doesn’t happen because if she gets through the semi final, I would expect the run to bring her on and her be in even better shape for the final. So I would settle for just qualifying. She is probably the kennel favourite, a lovely natured bitch who just wants to please you.”

Warzone Tom is the defending Summer Stayers champion having been the beaten favourite back in 2021.

Rab said: “Tom is getting on a bit now but we set him aside for this. At one stage, when he picked up some jarring in his wrist we thought we would have to retire him but we’ve persevered and here he is.

“He took a bit of bustling in the Sussex Cup but is happier over the longer distance. We all know that we need to keep him fresh and I was pleased with the run last weekend.

“The draw isn’t idea but he has shown in the past that he can handle trap five and I reckon there is a fair bit more to come from him.”

Saturday 19th August – Final Card

 

On Thursday, two of the most exciting youngsters in the Kent kennel picked up a Swindon double in their preparation for the forthcoming Produce Stakes.

The star of the day was 20 month old King Memphis (Droopys Sydney-Queen Beyonce) who went to traps for the third race of his career and did this from trap five:

His winning time was 27.89 as he became the first sub28 runner at the track this year.

Later on the card, the similarly aged Queen Joni (Droopys Sydney-Queen Jessiej) ran in a far tougher contest that featured the previous fastest winner of the year Goldies Perryman (T2) and last year’s Performer of the Week, Bluejig Buzz (T5). Despite the calibre of the opposititon Joni (T1) was made the 2-1 favourite.

Joni’s winning time was 28.17.

Also on the same card were King Combs who overcame tons of trouble to finish runner-up to Memphis, King Sydney and Queen Shakira who both ran admirably to finish third in other races.

Rab said: “We had a great buzz from Monmore last weekend, but this was even better for me. I thought the pups were magnificent and I had a load of calls from people looking to buy them while I was driving home.

“At some stage, some of them will be for sale but not yet. People can believe this or not, but these litters are the least schooled pups we have ever brought to a track. If they were running in ‘ON’ races in Ireland they would have had much more schooling and the opposition would be easier. Just look at Joni’s race.

“Ours aren’t for sale and in my view we have several more months improvement in all of them.”