The difference between ‘maiden’ and ‘puppy’ events was highlighted as Droopys Benz (Yeah Man-Droopys Hilda, Nov 13) landed the Pinpoint Maiden Derby at Newcastle.
The Jimmy Wright trained winner, though still inexperienced, had 28.62 (N) winning form at Shelbourne Park when favourite Droopys Folly was still being schooled. That eight month extra maturity was demonstrated as the strong finishing black reeled in Blastoff McGraw for a length and a quarter 28.73 victory. It was her fourth consecutive win over course and distance and her best actual time having previously clocked 28.82 (-30).
Benz was the last leg of a 698-1 six-timer for her handler on a night where two thirds of the races went to local runners and the southernmost trained winner came from Yorkshire.
The pick of the supporting opens was the 28.40 run from Select winner Pinpoint Boom, who was returned at 3-1 despite a 28.55 preparatory 480m trial.
There were also a couple of exceptional runs by pups. Pat Rosney’s Newinn Champ (Aero Majestic-Little Flutter, Jul 14) landed his first open at the fourth attempt with a 28.71 run, while British bred Droopys Trapeze (Tullymurry Act-Droopys Blossom, Sep 14), the youngest runner on the entire card, clocked 28.73.
Walshes Hill equalled his 290m clock with a 16.74 win while Borna Mindy will also have gone into a few notebooks. Formerly handled by Ben McBride, for whom she landed her first six bend race by 13 lengths, the daughter of Westmead Hawk was returned at 8-1 when winning for the first time for Diane Henry in a very respectable 43.05 (TR 42.83) for the 706m.
