Two of Liz McNair’s ‘Kings’ and one of her ‘Queens’ dominated the first round of the Servoca Nursing & Care British Bred Derby at Towcester.
It was an evening showcasing the very best of British breeding and none represented that better than the Kent kennel of Liz and Rab McNair.
They arrived with three Kings and three Queens, and returned home with three victories and another two qualifiers.
However it was the performances of two of the runners in particular, King Turbo and King Eden, which really stamped the quality on the competition.
Turbo ran a Derby class 29.02 over the Derby course, with his kennelmate just nine spots slower. It was Turbo’s third win in five outings, with an aggregate winning distance of almost 17 lengths, since having his card marked in the Produce Stakes.
Heat 1 Dual Cat 1 winner King Elvis was made the 4-11f for the opening heat, and after a reasonable break soon shot clear of his field. He was six clear of Let Me Tell You off the second bend with Romeo Mandate (Ace Hi Rumble-Fabulous Puzzle, Jun 15) back in third. That gap was down to a length coming off the last bend and the John Mullins trained 10-1 shot reeled in the tiring favourite to win by just over a length in 29.39 (all heats +10).
Heat 2 The withdrawal of Take The Crowd reduced the field to five and favourite King Turbo (Leamaneigh Turbo-Wee Tiger Tots, Nov 15) took full advantage off the extra room after an ordinary break. Makos Boy led up but Turbo flew past between the winning line and first bend where he moved to middle. He was never challenged leaving Thamseside Bound to snatch a distant second on the winning line.
Heat 3 looked at the mercy of Derby Plate runner-up King Kid (Droopys Scolari-Shaws Dilemma, Dec 14) and so it proved. A two runner race became a solo when the blue veered across the track to rails at the first bend and impeded challenger Dunham Orlando. Trouble behind left the pair clear and the favourite was never troubled when winning by six.
Heat 4 was dominated in the early stages by the three outside runners with Rushbrook Rocco (Bornamassa Rocks-Blue Glenard, Oct 15) looking an easy leader off the second bend. He was still four clear of the pack but Alfies Prince was in pursuit. Prince railed brilliantly around the top two bends and after a late surge only failed to catch the 29.49 leader by half a length.
Heat 5 There are occasions when the result sheet and the winning time doesn’t tell the whole story and this was one of those races. Queen Izzy (Leamaneigh Turbo-Wee Tiger Tots, Nov 15) showed breathtaking pace to land this heat after running like an absolute novice. Decently away, she moved across to the outside and then coursed the hare around the first two bends probably losing half a dozen lengths. She was never challenged and won by an easy three lengths from Westmead Turbo in 29.58. When she learns ‘how to drive’, expect her to give her own big brother Turbo a run for his money.
Heat 6 Candlelight Fire (Ballymac Vic-Droopys Peaches, Apr 14) came into the race on a five-timer. He very nearly didn’t make it six. The experienced pro trapped in front and it looked all over as he went to the bend, railing tightly, ahead of another flying litter sister of King Turbo, the exceptionally pacey Queen Dawn. She disappeared off in the general direction of Northampton at the second bend leaving Romeo Desperado in pursuit. John Mullins’ runner had the race in the bag at the third bend but checked when challenging at the third. He came back again but the leader showed why he has won so many races with a game late really to win by a neck in 29.33.
