Belle Vue trainer John Walton, who had a spell as a contract handler at Sheffield a couple of years ago, crossed The Pennines again on Tuesday night to lift a couple of the South Yorkshire track’s open prizes.
Ballymac Chas, bought out of Andy Heyes kennel when he decided to quit the sport a couple of months ago by James Rowley and John Lamb, was gaining her first victory for her new connections when she took one of the maiden contests with a strong front-running performance that got her home by two and a quarter lengths from Headford Make in 27.98 for the 480 metres on -30 going.
And the double was completed by Starshineedifice in the second maiden as he also took an early lead and ran on strongly to beat Blakefield Jack by a couple of lengths in 27.71. Bought at the last Belle Vue Sales for 2,250 guineas by Darren Seville, the March 2013 son of Ace Hi Rumble and Killoterran Brae is looking a decent purchase after a first open success that takes his record in this country to three wins from six starts.
Walton has no big plans for either greyhound, saying: “It is just a case of finding races for them that I think that they can win and it is very likely that we will be back at Sheffield again if the right opportunities present themselves.”
