Elwick Glory, who was knocked out at the quarter-final stage of last year’s ECC Timber Oaks, looked good for another shot at the bitches’ classic for Colin Redden’s kennel after a comfortable win at Belle Vue on Saturday writes John Forbes.
She was able to find a way through the early traffic problems to take a lead into the back straight and, with more trouble breaking out in her wake through the final two bends, she cruised home five and threequarter lengths clear of Alma Chic in a calculated 27.59 (-40) for the 470 metres.
The odds-on Tyrur Caroline, owned by Oaks sponsor PJ Fahy, was caught up in the early trouble and then forced out wide in the later stages and could only finish fourth.
Iceman Frank came back to form in the Standard open, producing a strong finish to snatch victory by a short head from Fire Height Hero in a calculated 27.84 and he will take his chance in the ECC Timber Laurels.
Charlie Lister, trainer of Tyrur Caroline, will have been pleased with the effort of Deanridge Kerry in the pre-meeting trial session, the dog looking a Laurels candidate as he posted a calculated 27.56.
Basle, who had been on the sidelines since scoring back-to-back victories in A2 at Doncaster in September, returned to the Meadow Court Stadium on Friday to complete the hat-trick over a new distance for him.
Dropped back to 450 metres by owner-trainer Bernard West, the February 2012 son of Ballymac Bondi and Hazelbank Woowoo led from the rise of the lids to the line, scoring by two and a half lengths in a very good clock of 27.85.
Yvonne Bell was in sparkling form at Sunderland on Saturday.
She clocked up a “Yankee” before racegoers had even had time to take the top off their pint as Youngiftednblack (7-2), Blue Rosie (6-4), Tiptree Mac (5-2) and Eighteen Maloney (5-2) took the opening four races and the score went to six later in the night when Lanody Mill (7-4) Rooveslater (4-1) did the honours.
