Monday Open Report- Mongys Wild and Droopys Aladdin go quickest in heats of the PGR St Leger and ARC Birmingham Cup

Mongys Wild and Droopys Aladdin go quickest in heats of the PGR St Leger and ARC Birmingham Cup

Mongys Wild sets new track record in heats of the PGR St Leger while Droopys Aladdin makes all the running in the ARC Birmingham Cup as part of a double for Mike Burton

Mongys Wild (below) was back to his brilliant best in the heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger at Nottingham last night when setting a new track record for the 730m course when defeating Droopys Flare by three quarters of a length in 43.82.

In his first race since being surprisingly beaten at 1/11F by the Patrick Janssens trained Fabulous Heka in the Arena Racing Company Select Stayers Stakes on August 25, who herself equalled the clock on that occasion, Mark Wallis’s multiple category one winner and track records holder got back to winning ways with a hard fought success Droopys Flare.

It was Sean Parker’s Droopys Flare, who was herself having her first start since March following injury, who set the pace in the early stages but with Mongys Wild turning in second, it looked to be a case of when and not if he would pass the front runner, and crossing the line with a lap to go, the distance between the two was just a length and a half.

The gap was maintained until the fifth bend where Mongys Wild drew alongside Droopys Flare, and it could have been expected that the possible lack of fitness may count against Parker’s runner, but a lot of credit must be given to Droopys Flare, as when Mongys Wild hit the front off the last bend, she stuck to her task well and battled back, only going down by three quarters of a length, and in fact, dipped under the previous track record herself, with Mongys Wild setting new figures of 43.82 (+60) , 29 spots quicker than the previous record. Savanaregimental was the other qualifier for next week’s semi final, finishing a well beaten third.

Fabulous Heka, joint holder of the previous record, advertised her claims of outright success here with a three length victory, picking up the front running 4/5F Vhagar at the fourth bend to record a three length victory in 44.00 (+60), also dipping under her own previous record time in doing so at odds of 13/8. Coffee Time Guys filled the other qualifying spot back in third.

Heat one threw up a bit of a surprise as the 8/11F Droopys Flotilla, who was unlucky in running, and 11/8 second favourite Garfiney Blaze were unable to reel in the front running Beatties Electra, who made all the running at 7/1 by a neck from Garfiney Blaze in 44.68 (+60) for Monmore trainer Kim Billingham-Hine. 

Heat two through up an even bigger surprise though as Deadly Disco suffered defeat at odds of 1/9F. After a slow start, Richard Rees’s runner never seemed to get going at any stage and it was David Fradgley’s Daring Moaner who skipped clear in the early stages and was never in any trouble, going on to record a two and three quarter length victory in 44.82 (+60) at 10/1, with Tricky Buttons qualifying back in third

The heats of the Arena Racing Company Birmingham Cup were less surprising, with three of the four heats going the way of the short priced favourites.

Mike Burton’s Droopys Aladdin (below), who himself set new figures for the 480m distance last week, backed up that performance in the final heat when overcoming a tricky looking draw in trap four to make all the running for a four and a quarter length victory. Having produced a 3.82 sectional, the 4/7F hit the front early and was never in any danger, recording 28.03 (+50), just over a length off the record that he set last week, with Toddys Tank and Kilmore Dancer back in second and third.

That victory landed the double for Burton (below), who had been on target in heat two with his Droopys Suprstar, who made it two from two starts over this distance since dropping back down from six bends, but the 7/4F had to battle to secure victory, eventually overcoming the front running Tom Heilbron trained Unanimous Leon close home for a three quarter of a length victory in 28.24 (+50), with Brinkleys Louis back in third

The Craig Morris trained Chelms Bear is yet to win a big competition, but this could be his opportunity to do so. After a slow start, the strong running type produced another of his trademark come from behind victories, picking up the front running Singalong Rex on the run for home, with the 1/4F drawing clear in the later stages for a two and three quarter length success in 28.28 (+50). Sean Parker’s Droopys Artilery took the other qualifying spot back in third

The remaining heat went the way of Swindon trainer Rob Short as his Cul Na Braithre overcame some trouble in running to hit the front off the last bend to reel in Nathan Hunt’s Cunnigar Yousir to score by a length and a quarter in 28.66 (+50) at odds of 7/2, with Hunt’s other runner Zebedee Cluasa back in third