Nine months after finishing fourth in the Ladbrokes Kent National, Reculver Ozzie landed the ’16 version is slightly fortuitous fashion. Looking beaten by both Razldazl Raidio and the dominant Kukantu for most of the circuit, he was the chief beneficiary when Kakantu stumbled and brought down his rival at the last hurdle. Kakantu still held on for second.
Interestingly, the winner’s time of 23.93 (+10) was bettered in a graded hurdle by the ’15 Kent National winner Handy Henry who clocked 23.66. Indeed it says something about the local strength when track champion Piemans Blast (Larkhill Jo-Tyrur Fergie, Sep 13) won an A1 in 23.21 – his sixth win in his last nine races – some 20 spots quicker than Balboa Buzz in the night’s 380m open.
