Bookem coming to the boil at the right time for Northern Flat

Bookem leads Heilbron double

Just a week separates Newcastle from the opening round of the Arena Racing Company Northern Flat and Droopys Bookem opened up Thursday's card with another powerful come from behind win to add to his success from last week. A finalist last year, he has hit form at the perfect time for Tom Heilbron to be a big player in the competition once more. 

Heilbron was also on the mark with Droopys Link who caused punters a bit of a surprise at 10/1. He's one of those who doesn't time his break often, but when he does... The 2025 Northern Flat champion was amongst his opponents in a contest that got messy behind the winner who was already well away and gone by the time they got to the opening bend. 

Marginally the quickest over the 480m distance was Stuart Ray's Blackhouse Lewi, another who scored at a tasty price, this time 8/1. It looked like he would turn fourth at best but he held his line on the inside as others moved wider, finding himself suddenly three in front as they exited the second turn.

Savva Roberts was out of luck with new recruit Bockos Buster on the card but gained some compensation from Droopys Calla who powered home late to take her first success outside of graded company. She is a litter sister to Jacktavern Beaut who is a multiple six-bend open winner and this girl shapes as if she'll be well worth a go over further in time.

The other two opens both saw 'Fabulous' winners with Fabulous Spell backing up her return to winning ways for Ronald Knights at Star Pelaw last time out with another success.. She was a race winner on her only other visit to Newcastle, though that one came over 706m back in February. With plenty of stamina in the bank, she was not going to get picked up after going around in front. 

Joe Edgar was responsible for the other open race winner, Fabulous Show. She has been absolutely flying since joining Edgar, winning five of her last six and seven of her 10 overall since moving from Laurence Tuffin. She stays this trip strongly and has clocked wins from each of the inside three berths.

Hove treble for Dimmock

Heather Dimmock was the trainer to beat at Hove last night with a treble. Jazzy Ace was the final winner on the night for the kennel, rounding out the treble with a smart display of early pace. A multiple A2 winner at Towcester, he won at both Sheffield last time out and here at Hove without a prior look, so he is an adaptable type.

One of the kennel stars for a good while now has been Droopys Extragud. He is a dog who has not had a lot of luck with trap draws throughout his career and once more last night he was given the task of overcoming a wider than ideal starting berth, but he did so with a bold display from the front. It was win number 19 from him, all in open class company.

Dunbolg Formula has been in decent form of late, adding to a pair of recent Sheffield wins to make it three successes from four runs. He had to battle to overcome some early traffic problems and then dig deep to hold off the runner-up who had tracked his run through, holding on by a short head.  

There was a double for June Harvey led by Rapido Benji. He ran almost exclusively in sprints when with Seamus Cahill but has scored in six of his last 10 starts for Harvey, working his way up from A3 to this second win in open race company. 500m is far enough for him but his early pace will continued to keep him competitive. 

It was a back-to-back winner for Harvey when Ower Cracker produced the shock of the night for punters at 18/1 in the very next race. The veteran was winning his first open contest since last November, though he had scored in graded company in the meantime. The current Limerick 600y track record holder showed that he's still got it. 

Another trainer with a double on the night was Patrick Browne. Brideside Belle picked up one of the staying contests on the card, returning to a longer distance for the first time at this track since December. She got out in front and never saw another rival.

The shortest-priced winner on the night was Gingers Layla. Visually she was very impressive from the front, showing the best gears to get herself there and run riot, crossing the line six lengths to the good over her nearest pursuer. 

There were two sprints on the card, with the quicker of the pair going to Avarua Lake for Richard Rees. A smart exit saw him away and gone, missing the trouble behind him at the second bend. He only missed out by a neck on a spot in the Silver Salver final at Central Park recently, and despite being three next month, he is very lightly raced for his age.

Book Story took the other two-bend contest, getting herself off the mark at the third time of asking for Sean White. She doesn't look like she wants much further than this at present but hopefully she can take some confidence for getting her head in front for the first time and can kick on from here. 

One of the most interesting dogs on the night was Croydon Rory for Jamie Kingsley. He had produced some nice runs from very limited evidence in Ireland and looked the type to go on and win plenty of opens over here. He got himself off to the best possible start for new connections, running riot by more than five lengths. 

The quicker of the two staying contests went to Jason Heath's Burrows Odyssey. He popped out from the outside draw to take up the running early and just kept extending his lead, running out a comfortable six-length scorer. 

A pair of sprint opens at Valley

Reigning Performance of the Week winner Crokers Harry was the quicker of the two open race winners at Valley, laying down a strong marker to take the award once more next week for Anna Jeffrey. This was win number seven on just his eighth start since joining the kennel, clearly finding himself right at home in Caerphilly. 

Hawkfield Faith took the other one for Donna Davy. The veteran was not the quickest into stride but she made up the ground around the inside at the bend to pick up the running as they turned for home. It was win number 25 on start number 90, and as a general rule in her career, she has done her winning in bunches, landing a second in her last three starts.