John Mullins produces Aayamza Shazza to perfection for East Anglian Derby success

Picture - Sam Fry Trackside Media

Shazza lands Yarmouth glory in the East Anglian Derby

Aayamza Shazza has made just 13 starts since arriving from Ireland, but in that time, she has made a remarkable three Category One finals, landing her first win at the top level in the final of the Click Competitions East Anglian Derby on Wednesday evening for John Mullins.

She had to be brave on the run to the opening bend, squeezed on both sides, she held her ground before making her telling move into the back. Hasselbomb had led up from red again for Kelli Windebank but moved off, the winner spotting a gap to exploit up his inside into the second bend, she showed her trackcraft to read things in front of her perfectly, and once in front, there was no coming back. 

Hasselbomb kept plugging away for second, showing his best form so far for Windebank in this competition. Strathrannoch grabbed third for Irene Barnard, just getting the better of Craig Morris's pair, Droopys Buck (who was undone by a wider than ideal draw) and Montana Tiger. Romeo Ability completed the field for Patrick Janssens. 

Early pace won the day for Always Wrighty who got the Mullins treble up and running. She cleared her fellow inside runners with a minimum of fuss and with trouble brewing on the outside into the first turn, she was able to open up an unassailable lead. An open race winner over two, four and six bends, she's given connections plenty of fun.

The Derby Purse saw a win for Swift Depot who drove the opening bend well to go around in front, with plenty of trouble on his inside springing him well clear of his rivals. He is a former track record holder over the 462m distance and Mullins had the veteran prepped perfectly for the occasion. 

Although Morris was out of luck with his two runners in the big final, he had a pair of winners on the night led by Lady Gambet. She has now won five of her seven starts for Morris, her only two defeats coming in the semis and final of the Arc Puppy Classic. A missed break saw her on the back foot early but she ran the second bend brilliantly before taking off down the back. 

Fashionably Late lived up to his name, looking a danger to the longtime leader Adamant Erin as they approached the third bend, but having loomed up, he took until the final five strides or so to get himself to the front. He has found his form in no uncertain terms of late, winning for the fifth time in seven starts, starting with an A4 on August 1.

A former Morris inmate picked up the MWD-sponsored sprint competition in Nightingale Crew. Now in the care of Gemma Evans, he paced up best to the first bend to back up his impressive heat win from last week. It will be interesting to see if he will be Dunstall Park bound next month for the Scurry or back to Romford where he has shown some of his best form.

The card opened with a win for Mark Wallis and Forgottotellya. Things didn't fall his way in the opening round of the East Anglian Derby and he was steadily again here but the runners either side of him afforded him plenty of room into the opening bend and that saw him run down the long time leader Ballymac Stud late in the day. 

New Ground scored by nine lengths in a staying race for Jane Craske. He put himself in position to score with a smart break and with trouble behind him, he was able to pull comfortably clear. His last five wins have all come over this track and trip but this was a comfortable best from him over 659m.

Another winner over six bends was Kevin Cobbold's Rosshill Storm. He was the subject of plenty of support having won an S2 before picking up a Doncaster open over 483m. He was another on the card who was quickly in control of his rivals, putting plenty of distance into them with a visually impressive success. 

The final contest on the night was a sprint that went to Jenesaisquoi to give Barnard a winner. A triple A3 winner at the track, he didn't drop into a sprint until a D1 contest last time out where he showed more than enough pace to think he can make it over two bends. In taking the scalp of Lesleys Buddy here, he proved that a little earlier than perhaps was expected.

Mia Hewer has not had a trainers licence for long so the victory of Hunsdon Thor on Yarmouth's biggest night of the year should have been cause for a huge celebration last night. An A5 winner on his debut for the kennel, he was undone by a triple upgrade on start two but took another step forward here.

Another in a sprint to take a sizeable scalp from the front was Alfies Lad for Alfie Tarpley. He was the joint biggest surprise for punters on the card, alongside Swift Depot at 18/1, where three of the winners were double-figure odds. Chasing him home was Wallis's smart veteran Crafty Alejandro.