Former Hall Green A4 runner Coconut Raver (Forest Master-Droopys Twirl, Aug 15) beat his little sister Go On Taylor and his nemesis Sporting Ranger to take the £2,500 Kent County Hurdle Final.
The race looked at the mercy of 10-11 favourite Sporting Ranger when he took a commanding early lead. But a stumble at the second hurdle along the backstraight was all the invitation Coconut Raver needed. He hit the front off the last bend and kept his mind on the job long enough to get home by half a length in 29.77 (-20) for the 480m hurdle course. It was the first time in four attempts that Raver had turned over the Hove runner.
Kennel spokesman Russell Summers admits that although Raver is a ‘thinker’ he was unlucky to have his card marked for deliberate interference in a trial.
He said: “He was up against Lenson Wilson and didn’t really see which way they went. He was so far behind that he started playing (he was eventually beaten nearly 30 lengths). Let’s face it is not often that they actually fight. We know what he is, and he will never win by far, but he loves the straights and did everything we asked of him.
“He has had a long standing shoulder problem that I have to be permanently on the top of. But we got him through and it was a great win for the kennel.”
