 |
| images.racingpost.com |
BLONDE FLETCH put in another superb performance (38.19sec) to win his semi-final of the £7,500 Ladbrokes Summer Classic at Monmore on Monday afternoon.
After a little crowding on the first bend his injection of pace between the second and fifth bends was simply sensational and he made the useful Proper Pink look rather pedestrian. Bower Hawk came from well off the pace to snatch second spot to set up what promises to be a classic Classic final on Friday afternoon.
It had been a case of deja vu in the first sem-final when, as he did in the heats, Nick Savva's Westmead Bolt made all of the running (38.20sec) to beat Rayvin Neasa although, it must be said, the runner-up looked a lot more threatening on this occasion and remains open to improvement over six bends.
Heat two was decided at the start when Head Iton Jason out-trapped Droopys Hesterand go on to make all of the running in 37.98sec. Droopys Hester tried valiantly to get by Chris Allsopp's tenacious railer but failed to do so and eventually lost out to defending champion Ten Dollars More, who mugged him on the line, for a place in Friday's decider.
The Festival got underway with the 480 Dogs-only competition and the opening heat saw Julie Bateson's ante-post favourite Oneco Black, who was completing a six-timer, race clear down the far side for an impressive romp in a smart 28.36sec.
Heat two saw Charlie Lister's Jordansoilutions (28.61sec) back to something like his old self when pinging the lids and making all while the third eliminator had Colin Callow's progressive Longwood Days rattle off his fourth consecutive win in a time of 28.46sec.
The Bitches were up next and Chris Allsopp's Southern Dooey set the bar at 28.80sec when flying from the boxes and making all in the opener. Pat Rosney's Little Flame, winner of the Christmas Festival version, was quietly impressive in taking heat two in 28.86sec. Corren Price's Cuil Marian made a winning debut when getting loose in a scrappy third eliminator to record a smart 28.51sec.
Karen Peake's Gone To Carrhue justified his odds when landing the opening heat of ther 416 event in a time of 24.74sec. Heat two went to Julie Bateson's Droopys Wilson who recoded a superb 24.51sec. while the third eliminator saw Chris Allsopp's Ballymac Celia take full advantage of a plot draw to lead up and, benefiting from crowding behind, scoot clear for an easy win in 24.93sec.
Draws for Friday's Ladbrokes Festival finals:
Dogs 480: 1 Jordansoilutions, 2 Lively Mondays, 3 Longwood Days (m), 4 Clerihan Gold (w), 5 Oneco Black (w), 6 Coolbrook Paddy (w).
Bitches 480: 1 Little Flame, 2 Cuil Marian, 3 Spicy Lass (m), 4 Borna Jessica (m), 5 Boher Princess (w), 6 Southern Dooey (w).
Stayers Classic: 1 Head Iton Jason, 2 Westmead Bolt, 3 Blonde Fletch, 4 Rayvin Neasa (m), 5 Bower Hawk (w), 6 Ten Dollars More (w).
416: 1 Gone To Carrhue, 2 Bowtime Honcho, 3 Ballymac Celia, 4 Droopys SWilson, 5 Cotswold Flash (m), 6 Gforce Direct (w).
