Towcester racing manager Chris Page was pleased with the trap draw for Saturday’s 906 metre Colossus Bets TV Trophy heats.
He said: “We had 22 entries and the three heats ended up well split with two of what will probably be, assumed to be, the leading fancies in each qualifier: Borna Mindy v Fabulous Model, Ribble Atom v Fabulous Landing and Ballymac Bonnie v Droopys Cottage.”
So is this really just a penalty kick for reigning champ Ballymac Bonnie?
Page said: “It depends how Ribble Atom runs or whether we discover that the likes of Borna Mindy or Spa Road Piper have previously undiscovered marathon potential.”
Reigning champ Ballymac Bonnie has raced a dozen times in Ireland since her August ’15 victory. Most have been defeats over shorter distances (730-750yds). She has run five true marathons (850-1,100yds) of which she has won three and twice been defeated by Ireland’s marathon queen, Tradition. One of those defeats was in the annual Harolds Cross Bookmakers (formerly ‘Ted Hegarty’) Marathon where, from trap six, she finished third, with Ribble Atom between Bonnie and the winner.
The final of the Colossus Bets TV Trophy takes place 11 days after the qualifier on Wednesday August 3 The winner’s prize is £8,000.
