British bred Queen Asia (Droopys Scolari-Shaws Dilemma, Oct 12) was fastest in the Calne Racing Arc semi finals though only a length separated the three winners and only one railer reaching the decider.
At traprise La Maqina (T4) was the first to show with 4-7 favourite Forest Twilight (T1) well placed on the rail with Queen Asia (T5) also near the front of the field and Taranis Bolt (T6) on her outside. Liz McNair’s Asia (3-1) hit the bend in front pursued by Bolt and the pair stayed in that order all the way to the winning line. The winning time was 28.44 and the distance was a length and a half.
Seventeen minutes earlier Seamus Cahill had landed a 1-2 with Ballymac Brogan (Ballymac Vic-Bawna Elsa, Mar 13) and Crossfield Cesar, according to the betting, his second and third strings. Brogan (3-1) was drawn orange, Cesar (4-1) was in stripes, and their kennelmate Southfield Jock (9-4f) was on their immediate inside. Jock missed his break and then moved across the field on the run to the bend giving Brogan and Cesar all the space they needed to pull away for a 28.47 win – distance three and a quarter.
Paul Sallis’ Embers Fury (Kinloch Brae-Mums Ivy, Jan 14) was marginally the slowest qualifying winner when stretching his unbeaten sequence to five. The 6-1 chance blasted clear (T4) in a 2.36 sectional, pursued by the stripes of 7-4f King Alley (2.43). The race was all over as a contest though Alley ground down the lead to a length at the winning line in a time of 28.52 (all races +10).
Trap Draw for Calne Racing Arc Final Wed 23rd Swindon
1. Embers Fury
2. Queen Asia (M)
3. Ballymac Brogan (M)
4. King Alley (W)
5. Taranis Bolt (W)
6. Crossfield Cesar (W)
