Judgement Night treble lands the David Lipsey Trophy for Nathan Hunt

Photo from Monmore X feed

Hunt plays his joker to perfection to land the David Lipsey Trophy

Playing the right joker had a huge impact on the direction that the David Lipsey Trophy went at Monmore last night. Both Maxine Locke and Mark Wallis had called it right with theirs and it was down to Nathan Hunt who had coolly selected Senahel Sydney in the final race of the six to carry his hope of double points. 

It was a race where the favourite belonged to Locke in The Other Chief, while Paul Young was still in with a strong chance of lifting the trophy after a string of runner-up efforts. His final runner in Underground Arlo also filled that slot to make it five of the six races that saw Young's representative finish second.

Both Senahel Sydney and The Other Chief had turned out the back of the field while Underground Arlo set the early fractions in front. The winner is renowned as a power-packed finisher over this trip and he timed his challenge to perfection to land Hunt's joker and the competition outright for his handler.

Hunt's opening winner came from Sams Magic who got the better of a great clash with Copney Queen who was making her debut for the Young kennel. It was the runner-up who had shown the best pace to the bend but having moved off on the run to that opening turn, she allowed the winner up her inside before the pair went head-to-head all the way to the line. 

Romford Puppy Cup winner Scooby Diamond picked up the middle leg for Hunt, keeping on strongly to the line to deny Lesleys Buddy who had popped out in front. The runner-up did nothing to damage his claims to being one of the top sprinters in the country, falling to a local who had more reps at Monmore.

There was a double on the night for Mark Wallis with Vhagar justifying her position as a very warm market leader by blitzing her rivals over six bends by more than eight lengths. She was electric from the lids, with her rivals knowing that the game was up after just a few strides. It was win number 25 in a sparkling career.

After a string of four straight wins, Armagh Daithi had lost his way a touch at Monmore, arriving last night off the back of four straight defeats. He got back on the winning trail when it mattered the most, highlighting once more his love of the Wolverhampton circuit where 80% of his career wins have come. 

The opening contest of the night saw an impressive success from Locke's Annadown Warrior. He showed the best speed to get to the front at an early stage and with form over a stiffer four bends than this at Hove and Towcester, it was always going to be tough for any of his rivals to get close to him, running out a four-length winner. 

There was a treble on the undercard for Mike Burton, including a pair of winners over 630m. Carrick Scholsey was the quicker of the pair, his 37.82 is the fourth quickest time of the year so far, with Vhagar holding two of the three quicker clockings. The winner was making it four straight wins over the track and trip.

Face The Storm was Burton's other six-bend scorer, adding to an impressive debut success over the trip a fortnight ago. Connections have found the key to him with the step up in trip and as a July 24 whelp, there remains the potential for more to come from him as he matures.

Puppy Collar winner Outa The Clouds picked up a sprint contest to round out the Burton treble. It was the first time that he has got his head in front since January but the class is there for him to go on a winning spree if this is a help to his confidence. 

The final race of the evening saw David Page grab another win with his progressive Wise Tournament. She saw her winning run end last time out but she got quickly back in the groove, going from the front in impressive fashion once more. Her 28.18 was the quickest run of the evening over 480m. 

Kim Billingham-Hine won the recent Open Championship at the track, so it felt only right that she got a winner on the evening in the form of Newinn Bachelor. He has been a great flag bearer for the kennel over the last year, taking his career strike rate to 40% with this victory.

It was Holding Hollie and Richie Taberner who picked up the other open on the card, showing plenty of boot from the lids to go around in front over 480m. All three open race wins have come when she has sported the red jacket, though she does have a graded win from the blue.

Hove double for Green

There were eight opens completed at Hove with the two 695m contests abandoned. Belinda Green led the way with a pair of winners, where Guzzler continued to show the younger dogs how it's done. He needed all of the 285m to get past King Presley but got up at the right time to make it a hat-trick of wins and 31 for his career.

Bonus Bullet added to her win from last week at the main expense of the promising Smokestack Saxon. Her main market rival had won both of his prior starts at the track but he found the daughter of Ballymac Cooper too strong on this occasion. 

Seamus Cahill was responsible for one of the most impressive winners of the night in Droopys Invent. He got himself to the lead early on in the contest and was able to take advantage of the favourite finding some trouble at the first bend to stretch clear.

There was another odds-on shot turned over as Carl Gardiner's Shes High took advantage of a slow exit from Shudacudawouda. This was her first win in open race company, kicking off her career with an A7 success at this track last November and working her way up the ladder. 

One who did manage to justify a short price on the night was Rapido Benji for June Harvey. He only had three rivals to beat, all puppies, and made his experience count. He was another to make the breakthrough in open race company for the first time after winning a couple of A1 contests back in May.

Alien Chieftain has not been with Derek Knight long but has already picked up a pair of wins from his first three starts for the kennel. Both of his starts at Dundalk were over 400y but he has shown that 500m is well within his compass.

The other sprint on the card saw a win for Gemma Byford and Solid Amber. She has hit form with a vengeance of late, now the winner of three of her last four on a run that saw her winning a D3 as recently as June 6. 

Ventian Jock was the surprise winner for punters on the night, scoring at 9/1 for John Campbell. It was a fifth career win at a fourth different track for him, with only Oxford seeing him great the judge in front on two occasions. He got to the front at the third bend to land a 515m contest. 

Veterans on top at Newcastle

There were three open races on the Newcastle card last night, where the two most impressive winners were both veterans. Niosfearrnabolt has not been seen often in race action since landing the National Sprint in 2024 but he showed that the natural pace is still there with a win that went straight into the top 10 quickest times of the year.

Naochra had won his first race as a veteran on Derby final night and followed that up in impressive fashion from the front. The reigning Northern Flat champion is three weeks away from the opening round of that competition this year and looks to be coming to the boil at the perfect time. 

The other open went to Brian Fairbairn's Winhaw Tam who made it a winning UK debut. He signed off in Ireland with a 28.48 victory at Limerick so he should step up on his 29.07 winning time here as he gains experience.