On Friday night Evanta Fantasy (Vans Escalade-Zaras Fantasy) joined Fivestar Clipper in joint second place on the Romford all-time open race winners mark. The Mark Wallis trained black, who gained veteran status last month, has a better than 50% strike rate having won for the 28th time from 55 races at London Road.
The pair are just seven wins adrift of the ultimate track champion Heavens Malchik whose 35 wins were compiled for local trainer Peter Rich between 1999 and 2001.
Fantasy can take a step closer to that total when she returns to Romford next Friday for the final of a 400m bitch’s competition.
| Heavens Malchik | 35 |
| Evanta Fantasy | 28 |
| Fivestar Clipper | 28 |
| Ronnies Boss | 28 |
| Adageo Bob | 27 |
| Denmarknick | 27 |
| Ninja Lark | 26 |
| Black Ice Boss | 25 |
| Rossa Ranger | 24 |
| Ardbeg Mentor | 22 |
| Ayamzaman | 22 |
| Dower Matt | 22 |
| El Othello | 22 |
| Stoney Lady | 22 |
| Little Spark | 21 |
| Sharons Return | 21 |
| Stradeen Ouzo | 21 |
| Tinopener | 21 |
| Top Power | 21 |
Three top class stayers took a step closer to a race return following injury with decent trials at the weekend.
Diego Flight, last year’s beaten St.Leger odds-on favourite, clocked 28.74 (-20) in a 480m trial at Wimbledon. Liz McNair’s runner hasn’t raced since breaking a hock at Towcester in May. At Hove, Henlow Gold Cup winner Mossvale Ace, lame since August, recorded 30.21 for 515m.
Meanwhile at Towcester, the Henlow 550m track record holder Jet Stream Sound (17/40) clocked a satisfactory 15.93 (-20) for the sprint (the D1 was won in 15.59). It was Sound’s first run back since going lame at Hove in July.
Doncaster’s plan to add Aughaburren Pippa to their inter-track team with a special ‘2016 BAGS Track Championionship Qualifying Race, didn’t go quite as expected. John Drake’s recent 29.29 A1 winner went to traps as a 4-7f for her fifth graded race, but was beaten by existing team member Groveshill Turbo (6-1) in 29.53 (483m).
Henlow punters witnessed an unexpected match race on Saturday night when only two runners went to traps for the final of an A6 Kennel Sweepstake. The four withdrawals left Crafty Bubbles, beaten in the semis, as a 1-4f and he duly turned over In The Morning (2-1) by just over five lengths in 27.93 for the 460m.
