Eight months after his biggest puppy success in the Lawrence Jones Festival, Jaytee Spartacus returned to Monmore to land the £10,000 Ladbrokes Gold Cup for Paul Young and English Derby winning owner John Turner.
It was a race of few excuses. Spartacus (5-2) trapped well (4.32 sect) from blue and led to the bend with inside neighbour Thirteen Bags very slow away. Favourite Droopys Buick (6-4f) was well placed with (4.40) with Oscar Whisky (4.40) also well in contention. But the leader was never challenged or troubled after turning clear at the turn. Although Whisky and Making Paper were well placed off the second bend, Spartacus never looked like being headed and came home a length clear of Whisky in 27.83 for 480m.
The Stayers Classic once again exposed the stamina limitations of Ballymac Ramsey (6-4jf) who led up (12.63) but failed to see out the 630m. With Fearsome Phantom (6-4jf) never in serious contention, it was left to Mark Wallis’ strong finishing 14-1 chance Ferryforth Fran (T4) to grab the prize with a late surge for a three quarter length win in 37.86.
FERRYFORTH FRAN (t4) gets up to win the Summer Stayers Classic from early leader Ballymac Ramsey (t2). Monmore 18th August 2016.Photo: Steve Nash
Trainer Pat Rosney had promised readers of his Greyhound Star column that he would be working to improve the trapping prowess of Charity Dragon in the Kai Laidlaw Beautiful Boy Trafalgar Cup and he proved as good as his word. Drawn six the 3-1 chance outpaced Droopys Trapeze (4-6f) to the bend and he was never seriously challenged. Dragon got home by seven lengths in 28.20 for the 480m.
CHARITY DRAGON romps the Trafalgar Cup Final by seven lengths. Monmore 18th August 2016. Photo: Steve Nash
