Liam lands the Silver Salver and a Wallis forecast at Central Park

Picture from Central Park X feed

Liam lands the Silver Salver

For the second year running, Ballinakill Liam made the final of the Arena Racing Company Silver Salver. Third last year behind a track record-breaking Rioja Oisin, he made no mistake with a slick exit from the outermost box. It was only his third run back from a broken hock which makes the performance all the more remarkable.

He was chased home by his kennelmate Pavilion Team, filling the runner-up slot in each of the three rounds of this competition. He too was a finalist here last year, finishing fifth in that decider. Shadow Storm filled out the tricast for Richard Rees, not coming away as well as he can and probably beaten by the draw as he had been from the same white jacket on Derby night. 

Nightingale Crew, Headford Cian and Hackney Toast rounded out the field for Craig Morris, Maxine Locke and Afzal Ali resepctively. 

There was a treble on the undercard for Paul Young, including a new track record for the 946m distance from Droopys Rated. He boasts a bit of early pace relative to most marathon performers and in a similar fashion to the Dorando, once he hit the front within the first few strides, it was simply going to be how far. Just the 12th start of his life, he scored by 26 and three-quarter lengths.

Young's other two wins came in sprint contests, led by Lesleys Buddy. He had missed the Silver Salver to be part of Young's team on Trainers' Judgement Night, clocking a time 10 spots slower than Ballinakill Liam with his success. He is still a puppy through next month and is an exciting type. 

Gudhand Ben was the middle leg of the trio, making a winning start to life with Young. He had won an A1 final at Shelbourne last September but had been seen just twice in Ireland between then and being picked up by Young. Clearly, he has plenty of pace at his disposal and is another decent type for the kennel who boast the most open race winners this year.

Although Locke was out of luck in the big final, she picked up a double on the night. Ballymac Blanco took advantage of the red jacket to secure first run on his opponents in a competitive 491m contest. The Laurels finalist had not got his head in front since the opening round of that competition back in March but he has kept some warm company since. His 28.72 led all four-bend times.

Over 664m, the top time of the night was set by Locke's Bluejig Outlaw. He has three of the top six times of the year over this track and trip, including setting a new track record back on April 25. It was a fifth straight win here and the time produced was more remarkable given that he had to come from behind to produce it.

The other three times in the top six over 664m all belong to Tony Dean's Bubbly Evie who landed the other six bend race on the night. She too had to come from the back to pick up the win,  getting herself to the front at the fifth bend before pulling clear to land a minor final with plenty in hand.

There is a string of exciting young dogs at present and one of those opened the night with a win in a puppy contest, Droopys Assured for Craig Morris. Central Park would not be the most difficult circuit to run without a look, but equally there would not be many who would clock 28.76 first go! 

16 quicker times have been recorded this year, and of those, four have been by Scooby The Lady and three by Proper Heiress. The pup on career run number six is already in rarified air, the winner of five including quick clockings at both Doncaster and Yarmouth.

Two more winners dipped under 29 seconds, including Harlequin Lizzie for Barry O'Sullivan. She had won her heat of a bitches competition from the front last week and her early pace got her on the bunny in the early strides once more. It was her seventh win on career start number 11, producing superb consistency so far in her career.

The other sub 29-second winner was Avarua Zlatan. The Rees-trained railer was slick away from the red jacket, well in front of the trouble that befell his fellow inside runners at the opening bend. It was his first start over a 'proper' four bends since the final of the Ladbrokes Gold Cup at Monmore last August,  though he had run over 400m at Romford plenty in the meantime. 

Sussex Cyclone saw Jamie Kingsley get a winner on the board in a bitches contest. Her winning form had all come at her home track of Hove up until last night, coming away from the traps cleaner than she had last week when losing all chance with a stumble. 

There was a winner for Dan Brabon as Swift Quaid broke his duck at the sixth time of asking. He had a rough time of things in the opening round of the Puppy Trophy at Sunderland but the return to home soil was a plus. He had been behind Harlequin Lizzie on his most recent start at Central Park, giving that bitch a form boost before she won later in the evening. 

The other winner on the card came for Richie Taberner and Clona Crystal who had just two rivals to beat. Sent off as the 1/2 market leader, she picked up the lead as they headed into the back and pulled more than three lengths clear come the winning line. 

Four for Gaskin at Doncaster

Doncaster was back up in numbers to 15 opens on the card last night where Jimmy Gaskin had four straight winners on the evening to take top honours. There were only two rivals for Deerjet Rocket to beat, though one of those was Magical Supreme who has the fastest 483m time of the year to this point. The winner produced the fourth fastest himself in a race he had in safekeeping from early on.

On The Wall produced similar away and gone tactics in the very next race to land a fourth win from his last six starts. He had hit a real purple patch of late, his last two wins right up there with the pick of his career form to date. 

Canageo came from further back in the pack to land her hat-trick success, stepping up from A2 company where her last three wins had all come. She had picked up an open win over the shorter four-bend trip at this track in May but this trip looks to suit better.

Another who did it the hard way for Gaskin was Redbrick Beckham, putting his experience to good use in a field where he was taking on pups. It was his first open race success and his first over 483m since a win in April of last year. 

Craig Marston also enjoyed a strong night, picking up a treble. They came in three straight races directly after Gaskin's four, all over sprint trips. The pick of the bunch was Razldazl Beau who clocked a decent 16.87. He had joined the kennel from Maxine Locke, making his debut for Marston in a Star Pelaw hurdle.

The striped jacket and a quick break saw Hello Young Girl avoid the trouble on the inside at the opening bend in her sprint contest. She had won over this track and trip back in April, scoring for the first time since. 

There was a first win away from his home track of Monmore for Marston's Swoop Swoop. He has shown solid enough form at this venue in the past, and in a race where he led the market, he managed to get the job done for connections. 

One other trainer picked up more than a single winner on the card and that was Samantha Lapidge. Gothic Joshua bounced back to winning ways over 450m, his first success since March. He had a spell where he won seven of 12 starting in December so it will be interesting to see if he can find that level of consistency again.

No Coverage picked up the second half of the double in a solid 27.67. She had gone a long time between drinks after a B1 win in January but she has hit form with a vengeance again in recent weeks, picking up her third success from her last six starts, finishing runner-up in the other three.

The quickest time of the night over 450m was produced by Newline Kielty in the final race of the night. She has not had many opportunities for Darren Golightly but has picked up three wins in nine starts, with this a clear career best from her. 

Barry Denby kicked the card off with a win for Ballintubberstar over 661m. She didn't go as quick as she did last week when winning on her six-bend debut, but she came home four lengths clear of her nearest rival, dipping under 42 seconds again. 

It wouldn't be a Saturday night at Doncaster without a winner for Rose Draper, landing her success with Thurlesbeg Lexy. This was another race that was badly affected by non runners, also coming down to just three runners but that won't matter to the winning connections.

Sean Parker grabbed a win from Fourpenny Gift who showed plenty of tenacity with her winning effort. She had led up but lacked a touch of middle pace before being trodden on at the third bend. To battle back to regain the lead from a few lengths down says plenty about the character of the pup.

Reenaderry Road has enjoyed an excellent first half of the year for Susan Watson, picking up win number 12 of 2026 on start 22. A neck defeat to Swift Kev is the only loss he has suffered in his last six races, well in control from an early stage last night after a smart exit from the boxes.

Esther Driver picked up the other winner on the night with Ballymac Panzara. It was a messy contest and on just the second run of her life, so she did well to get herself to the front at the third bend in the style of a decent recruit in the making.

Holloway and Chapman with Star Pelaw doubles

Ricky Holloway is enjoying plenty of success at Star Pelaw in recent weeks, and not just in the hurdles races. Yes, Mickeys Tribute did score over the sticks once more to extend his perfect record at the track to 6/6 but Holloway is picking up winners elsewhere on these Saturday night cards as well. 

Last night it was a six-bend maiden win from Droopys Playgirl whose last two wins had both come in top grade at her home track of Hove. She had to fight hard to get herself to the front at the third bend, but once she had hit the front, there was only ever going to be one winner.

We have mentioned before that Neil Chapman is enjoying plenty of success at Star Pelaw, and he enjoyed his own double on the card. Just two spots separated his winners Brinkleys Louis and Ballymac Kind with the former just the quicker of the pair. 

Racing at Star Pelaw has been a career-making move for Brinkleys Louis who scored just twice in his first 45 starts in this country. He has won three of his last six, all at this track, and is enjoying a real purple patch. Ballymac Kind got up in the dying strides to land her win, another to look well suited to this slightly quirkier track than Nottingham.

The other two open races were both won by outsiders. Glenn Foot's Mossend Jan produced the best early gears to land a 25/1 surprise over her far better fancied kennelmate Slingshot Franky who was sent off at 4/11. 

Coolavannydelboy landed the other open on the card for Ken Kennedy who celebrated his birthday on Friday. The veteran runner was having his first go over 435m since January, winning a D2 two starts back.