After a hugely impressive performance in her first-round heat last week, Queen Dolly lined up a warm order 2/7 favourite for the first semi-final of the BGBF British Breeders Stakes on Monday evening at Nottingham.
Liz McNair’s star bitch trapped well from her trap four berth but with Anna Thompson’s locally trained Dark Ocean also pacing up well to the turn from trap 3 it was no forgone conclusion that Dolly would clear the turn. Dolly just about made it across Ocean though and from that point onwards it was her against the clock once again, this week hitting the finish in 29.28, just 1 spot slower than her 29.27 recorded the previous week. Kevin Hutton’s Screen Dancer claimed the second qualifying spot for next week’s final.
King Louis turned in a professional performance in landing the second semi-final of the evening and with it his place in the final.
Louis overcame a poor break in his heat to still win impressively, he needed to be sharper from the traps in what was a much tougher assignment this time around and that’s exactly what he was.
Main market rival Boca Junior saw his chance evaporate early as he was crowded from both sides by Kevin Ferguson’s moving off Acomb Winston and by Signet Hawk cutting across.
It was Luke Morrison’s charge who got the better of this middle of the track battle, taking a clear second place heading into the turn he maintained this position throughout, beaten off 3 3/4 by Louis in 29.61 and joining Liz McNair’s greyhound in next week’s showpiece.
Acomb Lillian came into last week’s first round without the benefit of a trial but showed all her class as she easily accounted for her rivals in all the way style. Running from trap 4 in the third and final semi-final Kevin Ferguson’s bitch was going to have to come away in similar style if she was to beat off a much more competitive field on this occasion.
Trapping well her chance was aided as Denmark drawn to her immediate inside attempted to head rails from his trap 3 draw, Kevin Hutton’s dog couldn’t make the turn, was shuffled off at the turn and it was left to Robert Smith’s Amka Rofe to attempt to close down the front running Lillian.
Rofe has been in superb form for a good while now, showcasing himself as one of the leading British Bred greyhounds in training, he reduced what was a 3 length deficit on Lillian at the second bend to be beaten just 3/4 length in 29.72 at the finish, it was another solid effort from him and he deservedly takes his place in the final alongside Lillian next week.
The BGBF committee have introduced a new competition to the calendar this year and we saw 3 first round heats of the inaugural British Bred Midlands Sprint Trophy taking place over Nottingham’s 305m trip.
Nathan Hunt’s Aero Rackitup was well supported in the betting to take heat one, he trapped well and despite looking in danger rounding the turn he stuck on well to hold off the unlucky in running King Drake by a head in 17.84 in a close photo finish.
John Mullin’s December 2018 pup Fabulous Skylar not only headed into heat two without the benefit of a trial, she came into the event without an official sprint trial of any description on the card.
Duly sent off at double figure odds of 12/1 in what was a competitive affair containing a few more than decent sprinting types, trapping well from trap 3 Skylar paced up nicely and there was no fluke about her game success, crossing the line in a fastest of the first round 17.78 and holding off Michelle Brown’s Signature Callum by a neck.
Kevin Hutton’s Houston Main was one of three littermates from the September 2018 Taylors Sky/Terminator litter to line up in the same semi-final of the Produce Stakes at Swindon in September.
In what was a memorable 1-2-3 for the litter with just half a length separating the trio at the finish he unfortunately on this occasion came off third best and missed out on a place in the final. This was his turn for a chance in the spotlight though, he was only moderately away but showed good pace to the turn and once hitting the front was going to prove extremely difficult to beat.
King Sam missed his break on the outside and could never get involved and it was left to the Mark Wallis trained Saffrons Express to keep Houston up to his work, it was an eye-catching performance from Express who was beaten off just half a length in 17.99 and he’ll look to put his recent experiences of Nottingham to good use in next week’s final.
