In the nine years that Sunderland have been staging the William Hill Classic and Grand Prix, both races have been kind to the sponsor.

There has been one winning favourite in the last eight Classic finals and one in the last seven Grand Prix deciders. But they will be sweating on the nightmare double coming up onWednesday as both odds-on market leaders drew favourable boxes for their finals.

Irish entry Toolmaker Scot, who finished third in an English Derby ‘two-to-qualify’ first round heat – when one of the two was Jaytee Jet – has dominated the Classic. He followed up his 26.74 (N) heat win with a stunning seven length (Baran Jack) 26.79 victory for the 450 metre course. Although his wins to date have come from the white and black boxes, the inside draws presents few fears for Robert Gleeson’s dog who has five wins from red in Ireland including victory against the best two-benders in Ireland in the semi finals of the Supersprint at Cork.

The sponsors best hope for an upset may rest with Southfield Jock – though he will need to rediscover his trapping boots. Seamus Cahill’s consistent black has shown no sign of his usual electric trapping ability to date and the red jacketed 4-6f had to come from behind to catch Coolavanny Rebel by a head in 27.14 (-10).

The third qualifier went to Jaytee Spartacus (9-4jf) who gave a front running exhibition when beating Roxholme Scolari in 27.26. Despite the ease of victory, punters will have noticed that his 4.90 sectional was still five spots slower than Toolmaker Scot.

THE WILLIAM HILL CLASSIC
1 TOOLMAKER SCOT
2 SOUTHFIELD JOCK
3 ROXHOLME SCOLARI
4 JAYTEE SPARTACUS
5 BARAN JACK (M)
6 COOLAVANNY REBEL (M)

 

Kelly Macari provided the only winning favourite in the last seven Classic Finals and she will fancy her chances of adding the Grand Prix to a portfolio with the hugely impressive Pinpoint Boom.

A 20-1 Eclipse winner, Boom (15.72 sect) showed tremendous guts to force his way through on the rail in his semi final. Once clear the 1-3f pulled clear for a three length victory over Zulu Baran (16-1) in 39.59.

The opening heat went to Gary Carmichael’s Swift Leonard (3-1) who overcame early crowding (16.00 sect) to beat Fearsome Code by a head. The former Towcester S1 runner clocked 40.00.

Defending champ Farley Rio sprang a 16-1 surprise when landing the slowest semi Kevin Boon’s veteran trapped well, seized the initiative at the first bend (15.97 sect) and beat Mustang Golden by a length and a bit in 40.05.

THE WILLIAM HILL GRAND PRIX
1 PINPOINT BOOM
2 SWIFT LEONARD
3 MUSTANG GOLDEN

4 ZULU BARAN (M)
5 FARLEY RIO (M)
6 FEARSOME CODE

 

A bad night could get even worse for the sponsors if Walshes Hill can avenge surprise defeat in the Festival Flyer. That defeat (from T6) to Daytime Flyer is the only blot on a Sunderland record of 5/6. The most recent win was his 15.48 heat victory on Saturday. The other heats went to Mac Foiche (15.64) and Blue Jadamac (15.62)

THE WILLIAM HILL FESTIVAL FLYER

1 WALSHES HILL (M)
2 CLONCUNNY ARDERA
3 Vacant
4 EXACTLY (W)
5 BROADSTRAND CAIN (W)
6 MAC FOICHE (W)

 

Droopys Country won the fastest of the Puppy Plate heats with a 26.91, near seven length win over Lightfoot Mikel. Kennelmate Droopys Trapeze beat Newinn Blitz by just under five in 27.07 with Bubbly Bluebird beating Ballymac Santose by three quarters in the other qualifier.

THE WILLIAM HILL PUPPY PLATE
1 DROOPYS TRAPEZE
2 NEWINN BLITZ
3 BALLYMAC SANTOSE
4 LIGHTFOOT MIKEL
5 DROOPYS COUNTRY (M)
6 BUBBLY BLUEBIRD (M)