Heath the man to beat once more at Hove

Another three at Hove for Heath

It was back-to-back excellent Thursday nights at Hove for Jason Heath, picking up a treble last night after four last week. Smokestack Saxon has quickly become the star of the kennel after his Coral Sussex Cup success, taking his record to 8/11 with a pair of seconds and a third for Heath with a 29.38 success. It's easy to forget that he is still a pup.

The first open on the night went to Burrows Fizz who would produce a time 10 spots quicker than her kennelmate. The early fractions were set by Carrigoon Milo but the winner was always in a handy position, stalking the speed, and got herself to the front where it mattered the most to back up her 515m victory from a week ago. 

Burrows Dilemma completed the treble for Heath, holding on by a short head in a maiden stayers contest. The runner-up had looked like a short runner when trying this trip in the past, so it will be interesting to see how this form works out for the rest of the year but he did well to overcome a wider than ideal draw to back up some recent graded successes.

Paul Young picked up a double on the night with Copney Queen kicking things off. The Sussex Cup runner-up had filled that same position for John Flaherty in the Gymcrack earlier on in the year, showing plenty of class once more to get the job done at a track that clearly suits her well. 

The end of April was the last time that Bowmers Wildcat had managed to get his head in front but he saw off a decent field to get himself back on the top podium spot for Young's double. He had chased home Burrows Fizz last week and with that form franked earlier in the night, he went about his business well from a wide draw, quickly to the front.  

A maiden stayers final went to Jamie Kingsley's Sussex Villan. She had only scrambled home in her heat but that first look over six bends seemed to have switched her on as she got to the front at the end of the back straight here and powered clear to score by four lengths. 

Derek Knight took the final 695m contest on the night with Candolim Typhoon, who also produced the quickest of the three winning times. Three of his four rivals were veterans but a pair of those had open winning form last month to their credit. The winner took control of the race heading away from the stands. 

There was a decent looking bitches contest that saw Rebel California get the job done for Richard Rees. The pair to the left of her touched after a few strides which saw her comfortably take control of the inside runners and having squeezed up the inner of the early leader at the opening bend, things were fairly straightforward for her. 

Limestone Fizz kept things simple for Seamus Cahill, showing the best pace to the bend, she had things well in safekeeping from an early stage. She has been finding others too strong for her late in the day of late in graded action but she was able to get off the mark in open race company.

The surprise on the night for punters was the win of Carl Gardiner's Droopys Crafty who took the final race of the night at 33/1. The quickest into stride, he moved left to the rails and found himself in front of the trouble that cost those behind any chance of picking him back up again.  

Hale and Heilbron take Newcastle's only two opens

Just two opens at Newcastle last night with Putya Foot Down the quicker of the pair for Raymond Hale. A 4.50 split won the day for him on just his sixth start for the kennel having come over from Sunderland. He won just once in his first 13 starts but this was his third in seven, so looks to be finding his feet now, despite being almost three.

Tom Heilbron took the other open with My Twilight Zone. This was won in very similar fashion, the March 25 pup showing the best turn of gear to the opening bend before running away by six lengths. This was a step up on the form he showed winning an A3 last time out which he did from behind.