Destiny lands her fourth Category One title in record breaking fashion

Destiny lands her fourth Category One title in record breaking fashion

New Destiny produced a sensational performance in record breaking fashion on Friday Evening when landing the Arena Racing Company Grand Prix Final at Sunderland over 640m, making it her fourth Category One title of her career.

Sent off a red hot 2/9F, Mark Wallis's runner didn’t have things all her own way in the early stages and crossing the line with a lap to go, she sat in third, a couple of lengths behind the early pace setter, Killieford Goram. However, she gained a dream run heading into the fifth bend where she took the lead up and drew clear to record a 5 length victory and the £12,500 prize from 33/1 outsider Makeit Mead, who stayed on well enough to finish second.

The winning time was 38.79, a new track record, beating the previous time of 38.81 set by Coolavanny Aunty, set back in 2022

Elsewhere on the card, it proved to be a good night for favourite backers, especially those not afraid to take short prices, as 9 of the 11 Open’s were won by the favourite, including Lion Heart (11/8F), trained by Newcastle trainer Carl Jackson, who landed The SR Transport Dual Distance Final over 450m. Having led round the opening bends, there was never a moments worry for connections, crossing the line in front to score by 4 ½ lengths in 26.81 to secure the £2500 winner’s prize.

It proved to be an emotional evening for trainer Tom Heilbron though as he announced the retirement of his superstar Links Maverick and will be featuring a profile of his outstanding career next week.(pictured below after 2023 Northern Puppy Derby success)

He did end his career on a high though with victory in the ARC 450 Final, showing a trademark burst of early pace which took him to the front and from that point, he wasn’t for catching, crossing the line in front for the final time in 26.95, rewarding those who took the 4/11F.

That victory landed the treble on the card for Heilbron, with victories for Madabout Peck (5/6F) and Clodcar Rosie (6/4F) over the 450m distance, recording 27.08 and 27.41 respectively.

There were also victories over the same distance for Doncaster trainer Debbie Calvert’s puppy Bombay Fantasy (3/1) in 27.41, Thats it Jack (11/10F) for Dean Blackbird in 27.10 and Always Wishing (6/1) for George Stark in 27.28.

Classy sprinter Stonepark Hoffa (1/4F) produced a stunning performance in one of the two sprint contests over 261m, recording a 7 ½ length victory for Newcastle trainer Savva Roberts, stopping the clock in 15.38, recording the second fastest time of the year over the distance, and he now holds three of the top four times over the 261m for 2025. Powerful Penny (15/8F) landed the other contest over 261m for trainer Yvonne Bell in 15.76. Ted Soppit took the remaining contest on the card when his Sunnyside Broxi (2/5F) ran out a good winner over 640m, scoring by 5 lengths in a time of 39.24

Duchess lands £500 final as part of Evans Romford double

11 Opens featured on the Friday Night card at Romford, the highlight of which was the Romford Friday Night 500 Maiden Stayers Final, which went the way of the Gemma Evans trained Dower Duchess.

Having turned the opening bends in a handy position, she took the lead out rounding the 4th bend and held of the attentions of the running on Airforce Jackpot to reward the backers who had taken the 10/11F about her in a time of 35.49, recording a 1 ½ length victory. The completed the double for Evans, who had taken the previous contest, the 3rd heat of the Rosebowl over 575m when Kohinoor Spinner (7/2) came from off the pace to score in 35.46.

Heat 1 went the way of the John Mullins trained You Two (11/10F), who led round the opening bend to score In 35.63, while Heat 2 saw Nathan Hunt’s Untold Paanga (4/11F) blast clear from the boxes to make all the running in 35.13

Two other trainers managed to land doubles on the card. Towcester trainer Michelle Brown landed the first two Open’s on the card over 400m and produced very similar performances when first Tomahawk (15/8F) and then Roanna Mamba (7/1) both blasted clear at the boxes to make all the running in 23.77 and 23.95 respectively.

Maxine Locke was the third trainer to land a double. Droopys Manowar (13/8F) made all the running over 400m in a time of 24.03, with the double arriving in the very last race when Droopys Lost (9/4) made all the running for a first Open victory over the 575m distance when recording 35.46

Ontherun Eden (8/13F) and Yahoo Lolls (5/1) were the other winners over 400m for Dave Lee and Paul Burr, their winners recording 23.93 and 24.12 but the biggest surprise of the evening arrived in the only sprint contest of the card over 225m, when Yarmouth trainer Jane Craske’s Adamant Kyle caused a huge upset when scoring at 33/1, pinging the lids and making all the running in 13.58. Not content with supplying the winner but Craske landed the forecast when the more fancied runner Isthatmyfella stayed on to finish runner up