A stunning 28.48 (-20) by Tynwald Baz, the completion of a nine-timer by Dropzone and the elimination of Candlelight Fire and Pinpoint Boom (lame) were the talking points of the first round of the Betfred Steel City Cup at Sheffield on Tuesday.
Heat 1 was reckoned to be at the mercy of Kevin Boon’s recent arrival Shaneboy Bowie (Scolari Me Daddy-Shaneboy Daisy, Jul 15) who had one win (29.42-483m Donc) from three races on his card. The 7-4f never looked in danger from blue. . .
Heat 2 featured two Cat 1 winners though their fates could hardly have ended more differently. Scottish Derby winner Dorotas Woo Hoo (Ballymac Vic-Droopys Danneel, May 15) won his first race since Shawfield in emphatic style, leading all the way from stripes. The fates were less kind to Kelly Macari’s Pinpoint Boom (T2) who broke down at the second bend.
Heat 3 saw the return of Cappoquin Jack (Top Honcho-Swift Vicki, Aug 14), who ran the unbeatable Dropzone in a next last time out. That form encouraged an SP of 6-4f and he ran from trap one. . .
Heat 4 was possibly the weakest of the round but featured the consistent (always leads) local A1 runner Yahoo Benny (Mall Brandy-Calzaghe Pearl, Aug 14). Norman Melbourne’s black in blue simply ran her usual race, and it was more than good enough on the night. .
Heat 5 featured the popular local Dropzone (Sh Avatar-Bonus, Jul 15) who had won nine of his 12 races to date including the last eight in a row. The Elaine Parker trained brindle, whose wins had come from traps three through to six, went to the black box as the 2-7f.
Heat 6 was the most intriguing of the night as it featured the local track champion Candlelight Fire (T4) who had recorded a career best 28.56 for the course and distance, up against the dog who had beaten him by a neck back in April in the fastest time of the year, 28.53. Tynwald Baz (Droopys Jet-Bish Bash Bosh, Aug 14) looked every bit back to his best with the performance of the night from trap two. .
Footage courtesy of GreyhoundsNow
TRAP DRAW:
1st SEMI: 1 Shaneboy Bowie, 2 Tynwald Baz, 3 Yahoo Benny, 4 Farloe Slippy (W) 5 Linklucky Cookie (W), 6 Sidarian Riva (W)
2nd SEMI: 1Shaneboy Freddie, 2 Cappoquin Jack, 3 Hovex Blze, 4 Dropzone (M), 5 Colston Legend (W), 6 Dorotas Woo Hoo (W)
