Gregor is quickest as Champion Stakes one-two gives Wilton a final pair

Wilton gets two into the Champion Stakes final

The exceptional year for Kelly Wilton continued at Romford on Friday night as Grouchos Gregor led home his kennelmate Fortanach Col to the quickest of the three semi-final winning times in the Coral 100 Champion Stakes. He has been absolutely foot perfect in three starts since stepping up to six bends, pacing up best to grab a first bend lead from the Ladbrokes Summer Stayers winner who had trapped better than he had. 

Aayamza Legend won the middle semi-final for John Mullins, swooping around the outside into the lead at the opening bend. Trouble on the inside allowed him to skip well clear of his field to score by six and three-quarter lengths from David Mullins's Don Cici who managed to get away from the trouble best to take up the chase.

Semi-final one was a bit of a scrappy affair as well. Newin Jolly was sent off favourite off the back of his fastest in the opening round, and having snuck to the lead at the quarter mark, it looked like he might score again. He just never quite managed to get a clean run as bumping from both Goldcash Warrior and eventual winner Bubbly Holly set him back. The winner was brave in front for Paul Young, always doing enough to fend off the challengers. 

Young also had a winner on the undercard with Scooby Amethyst who continued her impressive run of winning form. She missed the kick slightly but roared up the inside of her main market rival Slippy Coleman into the opening bend to grab the lead. The runner-up lost nothing in defeat for Dave Lee, with the pair both very smart prospects with just 14 starts (and 10 wins) between them.

Another trainer to pick up a double on the night was Jane Craske. Adamant Erin kicked things off in a sprint to lead home her kennelmate Isthatmyfella. The veteran runner-up had marginally out trapped her but she paced up well and drove the bend hard to get herself into the lead to add to her Doncaster win from a week ago.

The double was brought up by My Name Siddy, another to show the best pace to the opening corner to get his head in front from an early stage. He had won over this track and trip back in July, scoring in an A1 and open at his home track of Yarmouth since. With that winning form over 462m, he was always going to be a tough one to claw back once he had gone around in front, 

Although Lee was out of luck with Slippy Coleman, he took home a winner on the evening with Ontherun Jamie. The January 25 pup has been improving week by week, notching up his fourth win on the bounce. Such has been his improvement that he was sent off favourite in a contest that contained Headford Sarah, Piemans Goalie and Bombay Buck, and then justified that position as market leader. 

The final race on the evening was a 575m contest which went the way of Seamus Cahill's Blackstone Harry. He got caught up in a melee in the opening round of the Champion Stakes when sent off favourite for his heat after a very smart trial. He let his main market rival take the lead off him at the second bend when he ran wide but showed plenty of determination to pick her back up again close home. 

There was also a winner for David Mullins as Zenith Impact scored in a 400m contest. This trip is on the short side for her but she smashed out on the inside to take the lead early and given the strength of her form over further, there was no way back for her rivals from that point. 

Sunderland sprint double for Roberts 

Savva Roberts took both heats of a sprint competition at Sunderland last night, with Mossend Lav the quicker of the pair. He had been impressive in success the last two weeks given that he was not the sharpest into stride on either occasion. Last night he popped out in front to produce a time just seven spots off the quickest of 2026 at the venue.

Mossend Brute took the other heat for Roberts, once more doing things the easy way from the front. He is better known as a four-bend performer, a finalist in both the Arc Northern Puppy Derby and the Harry Burton Trophy when behind Woltemade both times, he a semi-finalist in the Time Northern Flat over the same 480m at Newcastle in July. The drop back to sprinting certainly did him no harm.

The sole 450m open on the night went to Unsurprisingly for Raymond Hale. He was against a strong field but having got his head in front before they crossed the line on the first occasion, he put himself in pole position to control proceedings from the lead. It was his first run since losing his puppy status.