Duffle doubles up to make it track record number two at Towcester

Picture from Star Sports X feed

Duffle breaks Towcester track record again

Two weeks, two wins, two track records for Liam Dowling's Ballymac Duffle. It has been an exceptional start to his Derby campaign, absolutely faultless last night with things under control from the opening strides. The May 24 whelp has only had nine starts in a career that didn't see him race for the first time until February 20.

He made the semis of the Kirby, so he came into the competition in excellent heart, back in the red jacket that he wore in the opening round next week in his third round heat. Tougher tasks await but it wasn't until the third round of the Kirby that he produced his quickest run at Limerick. 28.31 is the time to beat for now.

Pat Buckley has sent over a strong team this year, led by Glengar Kane. The Enniscorthy track record holder made short work of his rivals with a 28.59 success, only a spot quicker than his opening round display despite a coming forward on the sectional by 13. There is surely more to come from him but there will need to be in a tasty Heat 5 next week. 

Hackney Corner made it a double for Buckley, stopping the clock at 28.99. He missed the break but ran an excellent first couple of bends to go from fifth to second, taking off down the back after Swift Magnison. What was interesting was that he looked like being swallowed up by the fast finishing Romeo Empire after the line but he found a little more going to the drop, not letting the strong stayer get away.

There was also a double on the evening for Graham Holland. Swords Style has been one of the stories of the track this spring, notching up a fourth straight win. His 3.84 split was actually the slowest that he has gone to the sectional but it was still more than enough to see him in front at the bend where trouble behind allowed him to stretch his lead for a 28.96 win.

Veteran Faypoint Harvey is in his third Derby campaign and made the third round of the competition with a fine front-running success. His 29.16 was the slowest of the heat winners on the night but it is hard to be anything other than delighted that the old boy is still performing at this sort of level. A quarter-finalist last year, he sports red in his bid to reach that stage again next week. 

There were two bitches winning on the night with Scooby The Lady making all the running for Richard Rees in 28.58. She has turned into a star performer for the kennel and will need to turn in another outstanding effort next Saturday night in a difficult heat.

Strike It Skye couldn't find a way past Hackney Corner in her opening round heat but she picked the right side of Sole Focus on which to challenge at the third bend last night to land her heat in 28.57. She is now in a straight fight with Scooby The Lady for the top bitch prize with just the two of them left.

It has been a decent Derby so far for Kevin Hutton with Kranky Drake adding another second round winner after Rebel Alaska on Friday, breaking the beam in 28.99. He is very strong over this trip and despite turning further back than was ideal given the track, he powered home.

There were also the three heats of the Barking Mad Betting TV Trophy on the card and it will have been a surprise to most to see Mongys Wild as the slowest of the three heat winners. He bodged the start badly, giving them seven lengths from the get go but still found himself in front as they passed the stands for the second time. 

Paul Young picked up the winner of the other two heats, including a new track record from Droopys Rated.  He has long been well regarded as a stayer but this was the furthest that he has tried and it worked well, getting himself off in pursuit of the leader Bubbly Evie and pulling eight lengths clear from the seventh bend. That sets up a fascinating clash now next week.

The third and final heat went to Innfield Fifi. She picked up a win over this track and trip back at the start of April, producing her best career run over this distance last night. Trap one probably isn't ideal for her, not a winner from this location since her race debut on October 11, 2024. 

Locke and Lee dominate at Central Park

11 opens at Central Park last night saw four go home with Maxine Locke and four with Dave Lee. 664m is the distance that has seen a string of top performances at the track this year, Bluejig Outlaw adding another for Locke, justifying prohibitive odds of 1/11 by 14 lengths. 

Beaming Isla was a Silver Salver finalist last year, showing her love of the Kent circuit once more with an impressive sprint win. She is coming to the boil nicely as the weather warms up, picking up her third win on the bounce. There is five weeks until the start of the Silver Salver.

Locke had a pair of 491m winners, the quicker of the pair was Headford Lily. This was the fourth different track that she has won at for five total career wins and only just out of puppy status. 

A stiff four bends suits Droopys Dettori well, getting up late on to grab his kennelmate Abigails Cian and end that runners winning streak which had stood at four going into Saturday night.  The winner is a dual Cat One semi-finalist this year, beaten in races containing Droopys Aladdin on both occasions.

It was a depleted field that Bushpark Cathal vanquished in a maiden final but he could only beat what was put in front of him. He was completing a hat-trick of wins for Dave Lee, tickling the 29-dead barrier in both Central Park successes.

Maireads Diamond is another relative newcomer to the Lee team, picking up his second win in just his third start for the kennel. He was a very impressive sales trial winner at Towcester in their pre-Derby offering and he has made a quick start to recouping the money paid for him.

An A4 win at Romford was the sole success on the card of Drombeg Doro heading into last night but the step up in distance to a galloping four bends suited him well. It still took him plenty of time to get on top but he scored a smart success.

Lee's other winner came in a sprint contest courtesy of Untold Kadena, the biggest priced winner on the card at 10/1. He was quickly into stride to pick up his first win for the kennel since coming down from Glenn Foot.

Barnfield Story was the only open race winner for Nick Carter on the card but he also picked up the two graded races which kicked off the night. She is only a July 24 whelp, so there is likely to be plenty to come from her. David Mullins grabbed a win with Zenith Impact and Debbie Hurlock with Me Bundee to round out the card. 

Doubles galore at Doncaster 

Four trainers grabbed a brace of winners at Doncaster. Jimmy Gaskin stepped Jacktavern Beaut up to six bends were she had shown the best of her form in Ireland, and she relished the test, equaling the fastest of the year with a 41.75 effort. Deerjet Rocket made it a double for Gaskin later on in the night.

Sean Parker has found Saturday nights at Doncaster to be winner friendly and he picked up a pair of victories from Charming Delight and Keefill Sequoia. The former ended the win streak of Audience, holding Rose Draper's runner off by a neck. The latter was a fortunate winner, slipping up the inside of a fight on the run-in.

So Its Strate and Back On Track gave Lisa Stephenson a double. The first of those is a pup who was deeply impressive in his 450m success with the second also a 450m scorer, blitzing her rivals from the front. 

Rounding out the doubles on the card was Susan Watson. Sandwood Gabby has been in great form of late, picking up her fourth win from her last five starts. Reenaderry Road is on a similarly hot run himself, his win was his fifth in his last eight runs. 

Grovenor Mona only had two rivals to beat in a sprint contest to end the card, clocking a smart 16.79. Ricky Overton opened the card with a sprint win courtesy of Grouchos Maverik, the pup making it two from three since joining the kennel. 

Debbie Calvert's Soapy Joe made it a perfect two for two with his 483m win. 29.45 is a strong performance for one with so few miles on the clock. The other open race winner on the card was Whisky Ernest for Craig Marston who sprung the biggest surprise of the night at 14/1. 

Ross Miller doubles up at Star Pelaw

Ross Miller was out of luck with Optic Pharaoh who finished fourth in his second round heat of the Derby last night but he picked up a pair of winners at his home track of Star Pelaw. Mary Walloper and Fruity Beauty were the pair in question, the former a winner for punters and the latter for the bookies. 

A slow track meant nothing flashy stood out on the clock so credit to David McLaughlan's Saleen Ri who produced 26.00 over 435m to stand out over four bends. Bitzer Maloney was fastest over the sprint trip for Karl Kennedy, with Borna Parachute taking the honours over six bends for George Power.

Chloe Hardy and Savva Roberts topped and tailed the opens with Vinegarhill Rhys and Mossend Lab respectively, with other winners coming for Paul Philpot and Colin Watson with Miami Mission and Pothole Bob.