Janssens lands Trial Stakes Treble but Pat lays down Derby marker

Janssens lands Trial Stakes Treble but Pat lays down Derby marker

With entries closing for the Star Sports Derby at 7pm this evening, yesterday saw the final batch of trial stakes with runners being put through their paces before the draw which takes place this Friday evening.

Patrick Janssens looked to have a strong hand going into the afternoon and had well-fancied runners in all six of the trial stakes and emerged from those races with a treble. Slick Sentinel (4/5F) was the first of those winners, when coming out of the traps as if on a piece of elastic, recording a 3.95 sectional, enabling him to build up a three-length lead down the back. Maxine Locke’s Droopys Prefect tried to reel him on, but despite narrowing the margin down to a neck, Slick Sentinel held on to score in 29.05 and there may be more to come from him in the next few weeks.

Romeo Empire (8/15F) produced an impressive performance when coming from off the pace to reel in Jamie Kingsley’s Keylogues Runner. Having found trouble rounding the first bend against the rails, the Janssens runner had a good four or five lengths to make up down the back, but he stays on well in the later stages and soon ate up that ground rounding the final bends, On the run for home, he was able to pounce, to score by ¾ of a length in 29.07.

The hat-trick was landed in the final contest of the day when Fabulous Aria (13/8) produced a good turn of early pace to lead round the opening bends to build up a decent looking lead, and never looked to be in any danger when scoring by 2 ¼ lengths in 28.89, from Newinn Deejay, with the Mark Wallis runner staying on well to finish runner-up.

However, the most impressive performance of the day undoubtedly goes to the Graham Holland-trained Bombay Pat (Evs F). He had moved well enough in a couple of previous trials round the track, but the Irish raider, who had been off the track since December, hit the front on the run to the first bend and with a coming together between Vixons Filofax and March On Freddie, was able to build up a six-length lead. The Dave Mullins-trained March On Freddie and the Janssens-trained Barntick Bear gave chase, but Bombay Pat was always in control and crossed the line 2 ¾ lengths in front in a time of 28.60.

Maxine Locke was able to land a double on the day, the first of those arriving in the first of the trial stakes when Ballymac Kobe (7/1) ran out an impressive 7 ¼ length winner from the Paul Hennessy-trained Dynamic Force. Having shown good early pace to lead into the opening bends, Ballymac Kobe took advantage of some trouble behind him to build up a five-length lead down the back and never looked to be in any danger from that point on as he stayed on well to cross the line in front recording a time of 28.90. 

The double arrived later on in the card in a maiden contest when her Maiden Derby finalist Indian Bonnie (10/11F) gained his first victory and was well fancied to do so when leading round the opening bends to record a 1 ¾ length victory 29.28 from Kevin Boon’s Toomuchchat.

The other remaining trial stake went the way of the Mark Wallis-trained Rackethall Brute (6/1), who recorded another impressive victory in this contest. The Janssens-trained Romeo Steel went into an early lead, but Rackethall Brute is in good form at present and set off after him rounding the final bends, picking him up at the last bend and drawing clear at the finish as he did last week, to record a four-length victory in 28.95, landing the hat-trick in doing so.

Sean White’s Broadway Murty (4/6F) followed up last week’s impressive victory over 270m with another all the way success, scoring by 1 ¾ lengths in a time of 15.62, making it three wins from his last four starts, while Brian Thompson’s Tullymurry Troy (10/11F) pinged the lids and made all the running of a puppy contest by 2 ½ lengths in a time of 29.64.

Ellane proves to be Best, but Bono sets fastest six-bend time in Sheffield Opens

Just the five open races at Sheffield on Sunday afternoon, but it saw Ellanne Best (6/4) following up last week’s victory over the 280m distance. Rose Draper's runner, who has recorded the fastest time of the year over course and distance earlier in the year, trapped well and was able to take up the lead rounding the opening bends and went on to record a 1 ¼ length victory in 15.90, a time which is the 5th fastest of the year over 280m.

Sean Davy’s runner Good Knick (6/4) also followed up last week’s victory over the 480m trip when making all the running over the same distance to score by 2 ¾ lengths in a time of 27.95. That was his third victory in his last four starts and could be worth following in the coming weeks if continuing to break well.

There were a couple of six-bend 660m contests, one a maiden and one a standard contest and they went the way of Lisa Stephenson and Kelly Hodson. Stephenson’s Pattys Scoot ( 9/4) proved too strong at the finish in his first attempt over six bends when taking up the lead off the last bend to score by ¾ of a length in 39.97, while Burgess Bono (8/1) trapped well and made all the running to score for Hodson in 39.27 (+15) and in doing so, recorded the fastest time of the year for the 660m course.

Star Pelaw trainer Garry Hamilton took the other open race on the card over 500m when his Carrick Fergie (9/4J) pinged the lids and made all the running to score by 1 ¼ lengths in a time of 28.68 (+10) a time that ranks as the 4th fastest time of the year for the 500m trip in his first start since December.

Upcoming Opens

Tuesday: Swindon

Friday: Romford ♦ Sunderland