Syd Sizzles in Gold Cup Final
A dazzling display from Churchfield Syd at Monmore.
Churchfield Syd picked the perfect time to equal his best-ever sectional at Monmore. Out under the lids in the Ladbrokes Gold Cup Final, it was over before they got to the line the first time around.
It was a performance of sheer class and no more than the dog deserved. Second in the race last year behind Links Maverick and then losing the Winter Derby after an inquiry, he stamped his class on a top field.
The biggest surprise of the night was that he didn’t break 28 seconds. The visual performance looked quicker but whatever the time, a five-and-a-half-length win in a Category One final for the Richard Rees team was spectacular.
There is no question that Syd is one of the top four bend dogs in the country at present, with his early pace a potent weapon. The East Anglian Derby, Birmingham Cup, Kent Derby and Steel City Cup are all coming up in the next couple of months so the Rees team will have their pick of where to send him next. Syd, of course, won the Kent Derby last year!
Antigua Eagle ran a huge race for Kevin Hutton in second with Ballymac John taking third for Mark Wallis. We spoke to Tom Heilbron this morning who confirmed that Untold Euro is fine today after his tumble which is excellent news coming out of the race.
Clue gets up to win exceptional Summer Stayers
The 2023 runner-up goes one better this time around.
If the Gold Cup ended up being one-way traffic, the Summer Stayers was a tiny margin thriller decided on the bob of the head. It had looked like the top stayers race of 2024 prior, and so it proved with just a head separating the front pair at the line.
The Liz McNair kennel was looking for a hat-trick of wins in the race after Warzone Tom and Fromposttopilar. Queen Georgia looked like giving it to them for the majority of the contest before Droopys Clue timed his challenge to perfection for Seamus Cahill in 37.54.
It produced a double on the night for the 2023 runner-ups and showed again how fantastically versatile Droopys Clue is. The reigning greyhound of the year is stating his case for repeat votes after a track record-breaking run at Towcester, this Category One win and another Category One final reached.
Queen Georgia was inches away from adding to her Three Steps to Victory win with Baywatch Bullet outrunning her odds for Belinda Green in third, looking to add to her own Category One tally after winning the Regency. Cooladerry Dust has made three straight Category One finals, his day is surely coming.
Sunday Open race action
There is open class racing all day on Sunday with racing at the Valley in the morning passing over to Sheffield and Towcester in the afternoon and then Crayford this evening.
One of the most interesting runners at Sheffield is in the opening maiden. Ted Soppitt has Skywalker Shilo in the 2.31 who is a half-brother to the likes of Burj Khalifa making his debut. It could be a tough ask but he looks a pup to note. Toddys Thunder has taken well to six-bend action for Tom Heilbron. The winner of two of his three 660m starts at Owlerton, he is in action in the 3.27.
At Towcester, the biggest star on show is Phil Milner’s Avongate Venus. She has won seven of her eight starts since arriving from Ireland. Those wins include 28.71 over Towcester’s 500m, the sixth quickest of the year and a 29.19 at Doncaster, their fastest 483m run of 2024.
Crayford has a string of track specialists in action. Dave Lee’s Laughil Jess and Ricky Holloway’s Dazl Rolex are the most notable in the 8.24 and 8.41 respectively. The latter trainer sends Slick Sabo over six bends for the first time in the 6.59 which adds a little intrigue to the early part of the card.
Time Juvenile Derby Semis
Callaway Knegare the quickest again ahead of next week’s final.
The margin of victory was reduced from 17 lengths to seven by Boylesports Blue (Paul Hennessy) but he was still no match for Owen McKenna’s star puppy. 27.85 is the quickest time that Callaway Knegare has produced, winning his fifth race in just seven starts. Innfield Destiny (Barry Clancy) claimed the final spot. The winning time was 40 spots quicker than the other semi-final.
Ballymac Briar claimed the first semi-final for Liam Dowling in 28.25. He produced the same sectional as Callaway Knegare, a 2.10 but had a 2.03 last week so the draw for the final below will make for an interesting run to the bend. Hello Diego (Hennessy) and Tivoli Milo (Thomas O’Donovan) were the other pair to make the decider.
Time Juvenile Derby final draw
1 BALLYMAC BRIAR
2 INNFIELD DESTINY
3 BOYLESPORTS BLUE
4 CALLAWAY KNEGARE
5 TIVOLI MILO (M)
6 HELLO DIEGO (M)
Perry Barr Trials
The Birmingham Cup first round is on September 7.
With the Perry Barr Category Ones firmly on the horizon, the trial sessions are starting to heat up. Tricky Wiggles clocked 28.11 in a solo workout, only Darley Diglake (28.07) has gone quicker in race action so far this year.
A reminder from racing manager Martin Seal.
Stats
- Devilsbit Honey – 4.42 Sheffield – 7/11 when running in A3 grade.
- Thorndyke Ace – 8.19 Pelaw Grange – A perfect 4/4 from trap one at the track.
- Laughil Jess – 8.24 Crayford – 9/10 when she is clad in red at Crayford.
- Crackon Mammy – 8.31 Kinsley – 5/8 in A4 grade.
- Dazl Rolex – 8.41 Crayford – 10/11 in open races at the track.
Opens
Monday: Nottingham
