Monday Night Nottingham Open Review

Monday Night Nottingham Open Review

 Aside from the two Category One finals won by Chelms Bear and Mongys Wild, there were a whole host of other opens on the card at Nottingham on Monday night, including two £1,000 to the winner finals

Esther Driver’s No Better Feelin (11/8F) won the first of those contests, the Arena Racing Company Standard Trophy,  when he forced his way to the front at the third bend to take up the lead from Jason Gray’s Kellies Emerald to run out a length and half winner from Kim Billingham-Hine’s Droopys Poker, and the Mark Wallis trained Rackethall Brute in 29.53 (+60). Both runners made up late ground but were unable to reel in the winner, who landed the four-timer after previous victories at Towcester and Monmore

Just under an hour later, Hopes Ompaloompa (4/7F)  landed a first victory since May and in doing so, landed the double for Driver, when running out a convincing winner over the 500m distance, making all the running to stop the clock in 29.21 (+60) for a four and a half length victory from Chelms Charmer.

Ruth Lambe, who has only recently taken over the trainers licence from her father, John, landed her first Category Three title as Lissan Buzz (6/1) trapped well and made all the running in the final of the other £1,000 to the winner competition, the Arena Racing Company Sprint Trophy over 305m.  Ballinakill Liam was sent off as the 8/15F but a slow start proved costly to his chances, as Lissan Buzz took full advantage, blasting clear from the boxes  to build up a winning lead, crossing the line two and three quarter lengths clear of Ballinakill Liam, with the Mark Wallis runner sticking on for second, in a time of 17.59 (+20) and Lambe this morning spoke about life since taking over that licence

"Things are going well, I’m enjoying it” she said

“I’ve learnt a lot from my dad over the years and really wanted to give it a go myself. It feels the same as when it did when he was in charge but now I have more responsibility. I want to try and have a successful career just as my dad did. At the minute we’re just trying to build our racing strength up so it’s been tough but in the next few weeks we hope to be well on our way”

Craig Morris, whose Chelms Bear landed the Arena Racing Birmingham Cup, was another trainer who notched a double on the card as his Getaway Car (11/4) overcame a slow start and trouble in running on a couple of occasions to reel in Vale Bluebell in the Arena Racing Company Marathon over the grueling 905m trip. Vale Bluebell had led with a circuit to go for Jill Llewellin and looked as though she may hold on for victory, but Getaway Car stayed on well to pounce in the final strides for a three quarter of a length success in 57.14 (+100).

Patrick Janssens was also able to land a double on the card. Romeo Alliance (1/9F), who won the Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic last month over the 500m course and distance, put a disappointing Produce Stakes campaign at Swindon behind him with an emphatic nine and a quarter length victory, overcoming a tricky looking draw in trap five with an electric burst of early pace, enabling him to build up a race winning lead to make it six wins from six starts at Nottingham in a time of 29.15 (+50)

Yahoo Megan (4/9F), who finished runner up at Yarmouth last week, landed some compensation for that defeat when winning over the 255m distance for Janssens later on in the card, as she took advantage of her draw in trap one to lead round the opening bend, running out  a two and three quarter length winner in 15.01 (+20)

Black Chintz (4/1) had got the open race action underway earlier in the evening, when pinging the lids and making all the running, taking advantage of some first bend crowding to record a seven and a quarter length victory over the 305m distance, stopping the clock in 17.87 (+30). In doing so, she landed the five-timer for trainer Sharon Saberton with a first open race victory, with her previous four victories arriving in D3 company at Harlow. 

Local trainer Neil Chapman’s Tally Ho Swift (5/2) also lost his maiden tag In a similar fashion, leading out of the second bend to draw clear of his rivals in his first open race contest, stopping the clock in 29.64 (+60) for a five and a half length victory to land the double, having made all the running in A2 company previously

Kinsley trainer David Fradgley continued his fine year when landing the finale with Stonepark Wes (100/30). Trapping well, he was able to make all the running for a length and a quarter victory from Cul Na Braithre back in second, in a time of 29.49 (+50) for the 500m

All photo credits: @nottingham_dogs X account