Jimmy Wright stated at the beginning of the year that he was going to get serious about his open racing again and the Newcastle trainer is certainly living up to that promise writes John Forbes.
He pocketed a nice Category One at Sheffield a few weeks ago with Minglers Thunder in the Steel City Cup and he is dominating the All England Cup Festival on his home track with runners in three of Thursday’s four finals.
Leading the way on Saturday was Maum Legend, who was made favourite to land the feature event after a fine display of tracking and strong running in his semi-final where he left the opposition struggling in his wake as he came home four and a quarter lengths in front of Swift Whirlwind in 28.23 for the 480 metres, fastest of the year.
Farloe Nutter confirmed that he is back to something like his best in the second semi, the dog riding an early knock and going on to beat Holdem Chico by three and a half lengths in 28.61, while Astra Prince caused a shock as he got up late on to deny the odds-on Calzaghe George in the third semi, winning by a length and a quarter in 28.48.
Wright has three through to the final of the Northern Puppy Derby, the best effort coming from Droopys Five, who made all to score by threequarters of a length from Calzaghe Matt in 28.89 in heat three.
The competition started with a good performance from Calzaghe Billy, who nosed in front at the first corner and kept going to come home threequarters of a length ahead of Wright’s Droopys Portlaw in 29.18, but the best run came from Pat Rosney’s Camp Joker, who is likely to start favourite in the final after he defeated another Wright hope, Droopys Buick by threequarters of a length in 28.51 in heat two.
The Wright-trained Shellam Maeby was fastest in the heats of the Great North run, posting a 40.76 as she reeled in the odds-on Elwick Glory impressively to take the first qualifier by half a length.
John Mullins’ decision to send Barnish Panther on the trip north paid off handsomely in the next, the dog finding a way through at the final turn to snatch the lead and go on and score by a length and a half from Liosgarbh Charl in 40.97, while another southern raider, Jimmy Nailed On, paid for trainer Mark Wallis’s diesel with a comfortable three and a quarter-length victory over Calzaghe Lis in 40.98 in heat three.
And Wallis got another good result from Domino Storm in the first heat of the Angel of the North Oaks, the bitch making all to take the call by two and a quarter lengths from Pinpoint Dazl in 28.50.
Tom Heilbron has Graigues Diva in good heart and she took heat tow by two and threequarter lengths from Greenwell Ace in 28.75 and Greenhill Gem proved too strong for her rivals in heat three, finishing three lengths up on Fane Whalerdaler in 28.92.
The draw for the final of the All England Cup is: 1 Calzaghe George, 2 Farloe Nutter, 3 Maum Legend (m), 4 Holdem Chico (m), 5 Swift Whirlwind (w), 6 Astra Prince.
The final of the Northern Puppy Derby: 1 Droopys Five, 2 Droopys Buick, 3 Calzaghe Matt, 4 Camp Joker, 5 Calzaghe Billy, 6 Droopys Portlaw (w).
The final of the Great North run: 1 Calzaghe Lisa, 2 Shellam Maeby, 3 Liosgarbh Charl, 4 Elwick Glory, 5 Jimmy Nailed On (w), 6 Barnish Panther (w).
The final of the Angel of the North Oaks: 1 Graigues Diva, 2 Domino Storm, 3 Pinpoint Dazl (m), 4 Fame Whalerdaler (m), 5 Greenhill Gem (m), 6 Greewell Ace (w).
