The bet365 Empress Stakes Final is Sunday’s feature

Six super bitches go to the traps at 4.26 this afternoon for the £10,000 Category One contest.

All eyes this afternoon will be on Avongate Venus. She has proven herself to be an exceptional talent since joining Phil Milner and can put the cherry on top of the cake with a success at the top table. Nothing short of sensational in the semis last week when tying Barntick Bear’s track record, she is deservedly a short price.

New Destiny chased her home on that occasion and Mark Wallis’s bitch looks set to do so again. She does not have the same early gears that Venus does but is a very strong stayer over this 500m trip. Any mistakes on the speed could be punished late.

Just six spots covered the other four runners last week in the semis. Droopys Eunice and Urlee Star were the winners for Maxine Locke and David Elcock with Fabulous Terra for Patrick Janssens and Nathan Hunt’s Icemans Girl just behind that pair.

Sponsors prices

1/2 Avongate Venus 9/2 New Destiny 10/1 Droopys Eunice, Icemans Girl 12/1 Fabulous Terra, Urlee Star

Clue is quickest again in the PGR St Leger

Red is the colour in the final for the defending champion.

It was harder work for Droopys Clue than the 1/4 odds would have suggested, having to dig deep to hold off Trickycinderella but still clocking the fastest semi-final time of 42.74. He was in trap two last year when he produced a new track record of 42.33 in the final. That was the second time in three years that the St Leger Final has seen a new clock set.

Hurry Up Jordan saw off Coonough Crow in the opening semi for John Lambe. The Lambe kennel having a runner in a major final next week will add a huge amount to the evening with the Birmingham Cup sponsorship in memory of Michael.

Thoughts with Lively Lauren and connections who had led before sustaining an injury. Early signs suggest a monkey muscle, we wish her all the best in her recovery.

The final semi saw Clona Curly hold off Tuono Bella after a great tussle between the pair. Diane Henry’s dog came away much better this week to make himself the youngest of the finalists with a 42.92 success..

Five covered by a length ahead of M Lambe Birmingham Cup Final

28.00-28.08 covered five of the six who qualified from Saturday’s semi-finals.

It looks set to be an outstanding dash to the opening turn next Saturday night. A 3.41 from Unanimous Leon saw Tom Heilbron’s dog take the opening semi In 28.06. Tricky Wiggles had to overcome a troubled passage through to claim the second spot.

Long Fellow was just picked up by Kevin Hutton’s Rioja Bungle in the second semi. A 3.45 was enough to see the railer overcome the draw in three and turn in front but he couldn’t quite muster enough to hold on. The winning time here was 28.03.

A 28.00 won the final semi as Aayamza Sydney got up late to deny Darley Diglake who led off a 3.41. The John Mullins charge just clocked the fastest of the times, setting things up for a cracking final. Three with flying early and three set to stalk and try to pounce late with nothing in it on the clock!

Other Open race action on Sunday

Sheffield in the afternoon will be followed by Crayford this evening after Valley in the morning.

Just three opens at the South Yorkshire track this afternoon. Romeo To Victory for Tom Heilbron is the biggest name on show in the sprint at 3.09. It is his first run at the track since June, making the Guys & Dolls final and then setting the second fastest time of 2024 over 225m at Romford recently.

10 opens at Crayford have their usual comforting feel of the names we have come to associate with the Kent track. Laughil Jess is in action at 7.33 for Dave Lee while Four From Two looks to make it four wins in a row over the 540m hurdles for Ricky Holloway.

Different Speed added open race win number 22 earlier this afternoon at Valley. He had a 13-race win streak earlier in the year (including one graded), currently on 10 straight after his success.

Speaking of win streaks…

Charlie does it again – 16 straight wins

Tuono Charlie claims the Roma Casinos Irish Cambridgeshire.

It was another case of away and gone on Saturday night as Tuono Charlie gave the field another front-running lesson. It extended his remarkable win streak to 16, all over six bends. Track records at Limerick and Tralee are added to by wins at Cork, Shelbourne and Kilkenny.

There were some interesting sequences discussed last week in Ireland. The longest was that of Peruvian Style which reached 20 so Charlie is closing in fast on that. There is still work to get to the 32 straight from Ballyregan Bob and the 37 in the States from JJ Doc Richard but 16 is still a sensational run and he looks far from finished when it comes to adding to it.

Ante-post favourite exits the Laurels in the second round

Tribal Syd was unable to justify his market position in heat two.

After a 28.01 in the opening round, Tribal Syd went to traps the 2/5 favourite. He came away slower than last week but despite turning handy was not able to make any inroads. Getup Me Lad would win the heat for Mark Robinson.

2023 Irish Derby winner The Other Kobe was the quickest on the night with a 28.28 performance. He had been a spot behind Tribal Syd in the opening round, showing that there is plenty of life in Graham Holland’s veteran.

Crafty Shivoo did well to overcome a wide draw. Evolution was sent off favourite in heat five but the Pat Norris-trained bitch was always holding the field.

Curraheen Park is a track that clearly suits Grangeclare Lady. She had produced her best trial when beating Yorkie Ollie four lengths in a sprint at the track back in May but her 28.31 beating of Road Exile last night is the clear top effort of her career so far for Owen McKenna.

The other second round winners were Droopys Booker (28.49 – John Linehan), High Trend (28.50 – Holland), Tinahue Pappone (28.29 – John Fox) and Romeo Taylor (28.55 – Holland).

Stats

  • Romeo To Victory – 3.09 Sheffield – 5/6 from trap four at the track.
  • Newinn Luna – 4.04 Sheffield – 6/7 at A3 level.
  • Avongate Venus – 4.26 Towcester – 6/7 at the track.
  • Glendale Bjorn – 7.11 Pelaw – A perfect 5/5 in A2 grade.
  • Laughil Jess – 7.33 Crayford – 9/11 when clad in red

Opens

Sunday: Crayford ♦Sheffield 
Wednesday: Yarmouth