Headford Sarah goes quickest in Harlow's SIS Sprint

Sarah equals Harlow sprint best for 2026

It was good to see some open race action back at Harlow, with the heats of the Category One SIS Sprint headlining the card. Maxine Locke has the quickest of the six heat winners with Headford Sarah who was the only scorer to dip under 15 seconds. She also equalled the best time of the year over the two-bend trip. 

Arc Scurry Gold Cup finalist Roanna Mamba was next best, scoring for Michelle Brown. He was well away on the inside and that allowed him just to move a touch to his right to take his preferred angle into the opening bend. It was open race win number 37 for him, 26 months after scoring his first. 

Nathan Hunt picked up a win with Bretons Girl who produced the best exit from the boxes and allowed her to go around well in front. Her main market rival Lesleys Buddy by comparison stumbled out the traps, giving the winner a good five-length start which he had closed down to a length and a half come the line. The winner is a smart type on a tight track as she showed once again. 

One of the better drawn dogs in the heats had looked to be Patrick Browne's Sunnyside Ted but he didn't need to have any help from the draw of others as he was away and gone in the opening few strides. It was a third straight win for him, really discovering his form again in recent weeks. 

Jamie Kingsley got on the board with Croydon Bucko who showed plenty of straight line speed to overcome a moderate break to get himself to the front at the opening bend. Third to Lennies Eddie in the opening round of the Laurels on his final start in Ireland, this was his English debut and a very taking one at that. 

The other heat went to Rosstemple Vivo who caused the surprise of the round with a. 16/1 victory for Martyn Wiley. It was only his fourth start for the kennel, making the semis of the Coral Romford Puppy Cup where he got badly hampered. His early pace helped him in a race where he got the better of a pair of smart types in Yahoo Megan and Nightingale Crew.

There were three supporting opens with Swift Opel taking the win in one of the two monkey maiden heats for Julie Pearson. He had won five straight A5 contests ahead of this open race, so he was certainly in smart form over this track and trip. 

The other monkey maiden heat went to Alien Tiger for Gemma Evans. There was plenty of early pace in the contest but he just got to the bend in front from his inside draw having been a little awkward coming away from the traps.  

Royston Rocket took another sprint open on the card, clocking a fair enough time given he was not part of the Category One competition. He is a veteran these days but he picked up a smart D3 success last time out and he remains in decent form. 

Nottingham treble for Wilton 

Kelly Wilton was the trainer to beat at Nottingham with a treble on the card led by a sixth win in seven starts from Aegean Song. Things opened up nicely for her on the inside at the opening bend but she had to battle back after being headed at the third, coming back around the outside of Wakawaka Eh Eh who had done her for a bit of middle pace, outstaying Lynn Cook's runner.

Sambar Dream might be a five-year-old now but she is on sparkling terms with herself, getting up late on to land a staying contest. She scored in an S1 over the 680m distance last time out and in an A1 a couple of starts prior to that. She has now won 13 times since she became a veteran. 

A maiden 480m contest was won in very convincing style by Stud Muffin, able to avoid the trouble behind him having got himself out in front, running clear by almost 10 lengths in the end. He has a couple of A2 wins here to his credit recently, with his early pace capable of keeping him competitive at a higher level. 

The race with the most trouble on the night was won by Ruth Lambe's Advantage Rule. His draw on the outside of the runners was a huge plus to him as he swept around the trouble at the opening bend and was miles clear when further crowding arose later in the contest. He ended up wining by a ridiculous 18 and a half lengths. 

There have been some bad draws in recent week for The Other Kodi but Barry Denby's crack local has managed to overcome them all with his early pace. He just got to the bend ahead of his kennelmate Skeard Daisy May, cutting her off which caused some trouble behind as he kicked clear down the back. It was a fifth straight win for the son of Ballymac Best.

Two sprints concluded the card with Esther Driver's Ballymac Gian the swifter of the two winners. The pup has really settled into a nice rhythm around here, winning for the third time in four starts, coming away a little better than he has in his other victories. Just a March 25 whelp, there is surely better still to come from him. 

Cook may have been out of luck with Wakawaka Eh Eh earlier on the card but she took the final race of the night with Shelt Hill Rosie. The red jacket has not been the one to sport over 305m in opens this year, just 6/65 but that did not stop the winner who was in control by the first bend.