Richie Sets The Halfway Standard

Sunday afternoon at Towcester saw another full card of Star Sports / TRC Derby Trial Stakes taking place at the Northamptonshire venue and there were once more many clues to take.  The fastest overall time of the afternoon came from the now Jimmy Fenwick trained Brookside Richie who clocked 2892 off a lightning 402 split.  In fact his split time was the second fastest of the day just 3 spots behind that of  JA Kennelly’s Irish raider Sporting Montana who flew from the lids on way to a 399 split.  Montana is a lightly raced sort with just 9 races on the card the last of which came in March in a Con & Annie Kirby Trial Stake.  He’s been off the card ever since that second placed run but returned to the track recently with a fast 1875 sprint trial at Limerick.  This son of Ballymac Best is obviously a pacey sort and with his early and middle pace not in question and with the chance that an increase in stamina may yet arrive he warrants more than a courteous glance over in whichever Derby heat he eventually lines up.  It was the aforementioned 2022 Select Stakes Champion Brookside Richie who lay claim to fastest halfway split of the day however as he reached Mark Pierrepont’s marker in 1569 with Montana playing second best on this occassion with a 1577.