Liz and Rab McNair may have put away their dancing shoes after King Elvis topped the bill at the GBGB Greyhound of the Year Awards, but the dynamic duo were straight back into business at CENTRAL PARK on Friday night.
Five of their ‘King’ and ‘Queen’ KSS prefix greyhounds were loaded into the van for the short trip across Kent. And after another night of success, they now find themselves fielding FOUR finalists in next week’s Category 3 Standard decider having landed a forecast double across the heats.
1-3 hot favourite King Eden produced a superb 28.59 (-10) demolition job in the first qualifier. Never going to be picked up once he led early, he pulled clear of Queen Borneo to win by nearly eight lengths. The calculated time (which of course doesn’t count for records) takes him one spot under Coolavanny Bert’s 2011 clock for 480m. He already holds the 500 TR of 29.46 set on the Kent Derby/Grand National double header card last October.
When King Kid (Kent Derby runner up that night) took the second heat in 28.83 calc. with Queen Izzy this time providing the McNair forecast, it was hardly a surprise when their only other runner Queen Whitney immediately completed the treble in a sprint (16.40 -5).
Rab was unusually succinct when asked how the night had gone: “Brill”. Perhaps he was still recovering from last Sunday’s late night celebrations.
Also at Central Park, The Springbok Trial Stakes continued with three further divisions, a double for Barry O’Sullivan proving the highlight.
Crayford attached O’Sullivan has always been a great exponent in the jumping game, and famously qualified four into last year’s Springbok decider (see pic). Hazelwood Terry appears to be improving nicely for him in the run up this time round, landing the top division from favourite Shaneboy Bowie. The latter found trouble but battled on well behind the 29.79 winner, the fastest actual time over the 480 hurdles this year by one spot from leading contender Lenson Wilson.
Four Springbok finalists for Barry O’Sullivan (3rd right) with family parading.
Central Park 7th March 2017.
Photo: Steve Nash
The other divisions went to O’Sullivan’s The Alickadoo (30.30) and Jason Heath’s Sporting Ranger (29.95). All times -10.
ROMFORD staged a lower key Friday night card than we’ve grown accustomed to with seven opens, but that didn’t stop local handler Yvonne Gaskin rattling off a brilliant “Chopchop” 1-2 in the £500 Standard Final. As the market had suggested, 11-10 fav Chopchop Hope (wbk b Ballymac Vic – Auntie July 15) who made all, was chased home by 9-4 Chopchop Steve in 24.02 (+10).
CHOPCHOP HOPE Romford Standard Final winner.
Photo: Steve Nash.
That was her 16th win from 28 starts, and syndicate organiser Colin Moye of CJM Racing has done really well with his string. Chopchop Flossie’s S1 win on the undercard rounded off a proud night.
The £500 Maiden Final went to David Pruhs’ Total Commitment, the 4-5 favourite just clearing first bend crowding to make it 2 from 2 at Romford, WT 23.99 (+10).
Mark Wallis enjoyed a double with good times posted by Tread Lightly (13.59 N) in the sprint, and Coronation Cup semi finalist Boylesports Duke’s 35.00 (+15) runaway victory over 575.
