Just three opens at Nottingham on Monday
It was a quiet Monday night at Nottingham with just three open races on the card but there was still a smart enough sprint run to look over.
Monday Nottingham report
Just the three opens but there was a smart performance from Frank Macklin's Michelle My Bell who picked up a sprint contest in 17.69. There have been plenty of smart runs over the 305m distance this year, with this taking over as the 16th quickest time of 2026.
She has gone though the grades well over four bends at the track, landing A4, A3 and A2 wins before dropping back in trip for this second try in a sprint. It clearly suited her well and open up more options for the July 24 puppy who is now 5/10 in her career.
A draw in four looked a tough one for Aghaburren Ben with some fair types inside of him but a 5.02 split sent him clear at the opening bend and with some smart form in the book around here in A1 company, Barry Denby's son of Dorotas Wildcat was not going to be coming back to them.
He was a finalist in the Puppy Classic last summer, finishing fifth in that race which was won by Romeo Alliance. Ben finished fifth splitting Kranky Drake and Bouncing Monarch.
The other open on the card was also a 500m contest which went the way of Ballyboss Hack for Esther Driver. She had been no match for Swift Home in the heats of this bitches contest the week before after early trouble, but with the chips down in the final. she snuck up the inside of that rival at the opening bend, made some room for herself and kicked away down the back.
It was a career-best run from her, working her way into form nicely in recent weeks. She has now landed three of her four starts since moving to Driver from Rose Draper.
