King Sheeran was the quickest second round winner of the 73rd Breeders Produce second round winners at Swindon on Wednesday afternoon.

The McNair kennel will field half of Monday’s semi finalists including five litter brothers. Serial winner of the event, Dave Firmager, has two John Mullins trained litter brothers through in Romeo Rumble and Romeo Ruben while Angie Kibble has offspring out of two different Wiki Waki Woo litters among the final dozen

 

King Cash might not the be the fastest of the five Eden The Kid/Skate On brothers in the event, but he appears to be the best trapper. He was never headed clocking the fastest sectional of the qualifiers with a near five length win over John Mullins’ Saving Face.

King Cash (T6) heat 1 from Saving Face (T1) Pic Josh Sealey

Rab McNair reckoned Romeo Rumble would be a live danger to King Dylan in the second qualifier but he proved better than that. The brindle wide runner soon led as odds on favourite Dylan made a disastrous start.

Within yards the one and three jackets had blocked his path and he looked set for elimination when nearly poleaxed at the second bend. Dylan ran on well to qualify but was never seen with a chance behind the impressive trap-to-line winner and ‘always second’ King Diamond.

Romeo Rumble comes home comfortably clear in the second qualifier – pic Josh Sealey

London Nights produced a professional performance in the most competitive of the qualifiers. Kevin Hutton’s black and white bitch led up and looked comfortable until Queen Cher moved into second place along the backstraight. Cher chose the wrong place to make her challenge as Nights refused to all her through on the rail at the third bend. Although Cher rallied again, she narrowly failed to squeeze past the 29.30 winner.

London Nights (T2) holds off Queen Cher in the third qualifier – pic Josh Sealey

Taking nothing away from the other runners, but the fourth qualifier was billed as a sibling rivalry duel between King Sheeran and King Lennon – it was 14-1 bar two.

Sheeran ran like a Derby semi finalist should. Lennon ran like an unraced pup, though it would be impossible to overlook his incredible ability. After walking away and being involved in a trouble at the first two bends, the 4-7 shot was six or seven lengths behind his kennelmate at one stage. But from the third bend onwards Lennon was catching Sheeran with every stride.  Sheeran held on by a length and a half but was run down 20 metres after the line. 

King Sheeran (T6) holds on from the express finish of King Lennon (T2) – pic Josh Sealey

Semi final draw:

1) Queen Cher, 2) King Dylan, 3) London Nights, 4) Emotional (M), 5) Romeo Rumble (W), 6) King Cash(W)

1) King Lennon, 2) Waki Racer, 3) Saving Face, 4) King Diamond (M), 5) Romeo Ruben (W), 6) King Sheeran (W).