Diane Henry’s Savana Darn Hot took the first of six Star Sports Bookmakers and ARC English Greyhound Derby trial stakes in good style on Monday evening. Moderately away from traps ‘Darn Hot’ showed good acceleration into the turn. Despite not handling the first bend too well he took command and beat off Robert Hall’s Sporting Pacino by just under four lengths in 29.75. Diane Henry declared herself pleased with the effort but cited there was more yet to come. Peter Harnden declared that a future over six bends would arrive sooner rather than later for his Salacres Pippy who despite trapping well couldn’t quite hold off the early pace of the winner and was shuffled out of contention at the first bend.
Anna Thompson’s Drumcrow Linnet had run well upon her return to Nottingham last week, going down narrowly to Mister Brentford. The second trial stakes looked a race where the first bend leader would hold major claims to the race. Once Robert Hall’s Sporting Pacino stepped off the turn at the first, Linnet needed no second invitation to dive on through and take up the running. Joanne O’Neill’s Borna Shelly ran an eye catching race in defeat, going down by just 1/2 length in 30.09. Shelly, a strapping 38 kilo plus son of Vans Escalade left many more lengths than this on the track. Walking out of traps in last position and subsequently encountering much crowding at the turn and various points after, it was a very creditable run. With a break, a flashy time wouldn’t be a surprise in the coming weeks.
Gymstar Elusive had encountered a troubled passage on what was his UK and Nottingham debut last week when finishing well beat behind Bower Luke. Chris Akers greyhound had shown enough pace both in Ireland and in trials here in England to suggest that this is a young dog with much ability. He wasn’t perfect away from his trap 1 berth but Jim Hayton’s Kirabilly Kathy walked out from two and as such ‘Elusive’ had all the room in the world to run into. Moving off the rail slightly he ran a superb first two bends and really opened up along the back straight going on to win in 2980 off the back of a more than decent given he didn’t fly out 499 split.
Assistant trainer Vicky Booth said “He’s a young greyhound with plenty yet to learn but there is no doubting his ability when he has room to race. He’s opened up nicely along the back tonight and though the gap closed late on , there is no doubting that he will get fitter for racing. He’s a nice dog for his ownership team of Kieran Hickey , Mark Bates and of course Charlie Lister , I’m pleased he’s got off the mark for them and let’s hope there’s plenty yet to come”. Colin Handford’s Easy On suffered bad early crowding and showed plenty of pace in closing the gap to just 2 1/4 lengths at the finish. It was good to see pre racing that despite being one of the most recognisable faces in the game, John Mullins wasn’t exempt from being asked for his identification.
John headed to Nottingham with two runners on the night, Movealong Denver would have to improve upon his well beaten fourth in the previous race if he were to hold any genuine Derby aspirations.
But Rockmount Ozzy is a different proposition altogether. He had to hold his luck around the opening two bends and that might not always be forthcoming, however he came home really strongly from the third bend onwards eventually getting the better of Peter Holland’s Doolin King by a short head in 29.85.
Lynn Cooks Plaza Lep reversed last week’s trial stake form with Bower Luke in good style. He wasn’t at his best from the traps last time out but made no mistake this time round, roaring to the line first time in 4.97.
The draw inside Pat Rosney’s charge was enough to see him turn in front and show a devastating burst of pace along the back straight. Though Luke showed determination to close the gap from the third bend home, Lep never really looked like being caught and the distance at the finish was 2 lengths. Lep stopped the clock in a fastest of the evenings trialstakes 29.65.
Jim Daly’s Blue Tick George was a little tardy at the start but ran a creditable race in third beaten 2 1/4 lengths behind Lep he’d got by Luke just after the finish and was closing down on Lep strongly to the pick up. It was more good experience of the Derby venue for this good looking blue.
Last but by no means least Jim Hayton’s Strides Farran took the final trial stake of the evening in 29.84 off the back of a 4.96 split. Smashing out from his trap 4 berth he led until the first bend but that position was taken from him by Barry Denby’s Double Handed who paced up well after a moderate start and ran a terrific first two bends.
‘Farran’ regained the lead going into the third though and was by far the strongest in the field with his winning distance of 3 1/2 lengths increasing by many times this all the way to the pick up.
A performance of note elsewhere on the card came in a graded A2 race where Lynn Cook’s Waltham Queen justified a strong all day gamble when destroying a fair class field by 8 lengths in a fastest time of the night 29.58. This was ‘Queen’s’ seventh victory from 17 starts here at Nottingham and she’s a bitch heading firmly in the right direction. ‘Queen’ is a full sister to recent Angel Of The North winner Waltham Magic and a similar competition win, particularly against her own sex, wouldn’t be out of the question.
Gary Ferguson made the long journey south to trial to trial a couple of dogs and his Paradise McIlroy stopped the clock in a fastest of the session 29.75 over the 500m Derby course with his Pennys Fuinseog just 1 3/4 lengths behind in second.
Ken Metcalfe’s strong running Murlens Magda improved upon his previous weeks 30.92 by 10 spots, this time around stopping the clock at 29.82 and showing an improvement on his split of 6 spots, going from a 5.13 last week to a decent 5.07 this time around.
Matt Dartnall’s recent Sussex Cup finalist Distant Village was having his first look around Colwick Park and Matt declared himself more than pleased with his charges 29.89 effort off the back of a 507 split. Running very wide around the opening turns there is more to come.
