Monmore and Shelbourne take centre stage on Saturday

Picture from Monmore Green Stadium X feed

Wicky Ned and Vhagar set early Monmore standards

Monmore had on one of the best cards to the year so far as the Ladbrokes Gold Cup and Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic both got underway on Saturday night with six heats of each. 

There was a pair of Gold Cup winners for Jimmy Fenwick, with Wicky Ned going quickest of the opening round. He had given hotice during the Time Northern Flat that he had come back to something like his best once more and this was another step forward on that runner-up effort in the final. 

The dog that beat him in that Newcastle decider was Woltemade, and he made a very smart start to racing at Monmore with a fluent win, clocking a time just three spots slower. He has a huge amount of early boot, able to clear Strike It Skye inside of him, going into the opening bend and getting far enough clear to hold off the late challenge of Headford Cian. 

There was also a double in the heats for Nathan Hunt with Goldcash Warrior finishing late and fast to pick up his heat. Dropped back to four bends after making the final of the Time 3 Steps to Victory, his win was rather overshadowed by the discussion on social media last night over whether runner-up Slingshot Poppy was rightly marked awkward or if she should have DQ'd. Opinions were split (as they always are) but it would've been the latter for me. 

Hunt was adamant in the lead up to the event that Scooby Diamond is stronger now and having won over this distance at Dunstall Park, she added a heat win to her credit here. None of her rivals got remotely close to laying a glove on her, and while there will be stiffer tasks to come, she is in absolutely flying form at present. 

A 10/1 heat winner was Venetian Nero for John Campbell. He had signed off in Ireland with four straight wins, scoring for the second time in four starts for his new connections. It was a 10th open race winner of the year for the kennel from 80 runners but the team are red-hot with five winners from nine open race runners in August. 

Grouchos Gregor took the opening heat of the night for Kelly Wilton, showing good speed to take advantage of the innermost draw. He was another to be making just his fourth start for his current connections, adding to a win on his debut at Nottingham back in late June. 

There was a double on the night for Wilton as her 3 Steps To Victory champion Fortanach Col got his Summer Stayers Classic campaign off to a perfect start. He has now won four of his five starts since arriving from Liam Dowling, but he still gives the impression that there is more to come from him. 

Quickest of the winners over six bends was Mark Wallis's Vhagar. The winner of this competition in 2025, she was installed as the ante-post favourite to go back-to-back, and nothing that was seen last night will have dissuaded her fans that she is not the one that they all have to beat in the competition once more. 

It was great to see an authoritative performance from Romeo Empire, making good use of his draw in one to go around in front and put his rivals to the sword for Patrick Janssens. The five-time Category One finalist is yet to get this head in front in a big one, but he ran Vhagar to a neck in the bet365 Challenge Cup final in December, so we all know that he is more than capable.

Maxine Locke picked up a win with Newinn Jolie, hitting the lids as she had at Central Park on her most recent outing over six bends. She has improved for being stepped up in distance, but might need another jolt of progression as things get tougher next week.

630m around Monmore would be on the short side for Malcolm Bosh but Angie Kibble's powerful finisher came from the clouds in a race that set up well for him, with things not going right for those at the head of the market. He has won three of his last five starts, making the final of the recent Arc Stayers Cup at Dunstall Park. 

At 16/1, the success of Timmys Hunter was the biggest surprise on the night. It was this first race win since March, though he did make the final of the 3 Steps, so he has some prior form at the top level. The striped jacket suits him well, and having turned on the speed, he proved too strong late on for Aero Pepinillo.

Shelbourne sees 29.10 clocked twice in the Derby

Night two of the Derby kicked off in spectacular fashion with a flying 29.10 success from Bouncing Monarch for Michael O'Donovan. Taken out of the English Derby after his Kirby success, he has been put away with this competition in mind, and this was a perfect start for the son of Deerjet Sydney. He is a leading player for outright glory. 

There was a double up for O'Donovan later in the night as Skywalker Bruno took heat 20. He had shown the best trapping skills but was just outdone on the run to the opening bend by Jaykay Fly. He tracked that one around and proved too strong coming home to grab the money.

Bouncing Monarch was not the only one to clock 29.10, Sleight Of Hand produced an identical time for Laurence Jones. An October 24 pup, he was only making the ninth start of his career, all coming at Shelbourne. A half-brother to multiple British Cat One finalist Kilmore Diamond, he is a classy type.  

Co-shortest priced winner on the night (alongside Bouncing Monarch) was Ballymac Deniro for Liam Dowling, the English Derby runner-up taking his first step on his journey in the Irish equivalent. There was little to separate the field as they flashed across the line for the first time, but he had pulled five lengths clear when it mattered. 

There was a double on the night for Karol Ramsbottom, led by Kapok Coley. A powerful runner who is yet to finish out of the first three in the 11 starts that make up his career to this point, he could end up being a very interesting one to go deep in the competition.

The biggest surprise of the night for punters was left until last as Ramsbottom brought up a double courtesy of Amidus Hawk, sent off at 20/1. He was chased home by 100/1 ad 66/1 outsiders as both the English Derby champion Lennies Eddie and Kirby finalist Ballymac Setanta were both sent crashing out in their opening heat. 

There was also a double for Paul Hennessy led by Coloursaregreen . The Tote Gold Cup winner from back in February had to be withdrawn from his intended third round engagement at Towcester when he was lame. Hopefully, he can stay sound and give his connections plenty of fun with a deep run here. 

Priceless Romeo brought up the Hennessy double, producing a strong-running display. He was a quarter-finalist at Towcester, missing out on a spot in the semis by a neck, making the same stage in this competition last year where he found himself against two eventual finalists, including the winner Cheap Sandwiches.

Pat Buckley got on the scoresheet with Singalong Cherry. A daughter of 2022 runner-up Singalong Sally, she got herself to the front early on and just kept finding off the front. Her 29.37 reads well in the context of the other opening round heat winners. 

The exact same time was produced by Hackney Dancer who used similar tactics to grab the lead in the opening stages of the contest. He had not been seen in race action since finishing fourth in the semis of the Produce Stakes at Clonmel in May but that was clearly no issue for him. 

After a treble on night one, Shotgun Dez added to the Graham Holland winning haul on night two. He had beaten Ballycowen Frank in the final of the National Puppy at this track back in November, seen for just the third time in race action in 2026 last night. He arrives fresher than most, picking up his seventh straight success.

There was also a win for Waitingforastar for Patrick Guilfoyle. It looked like Slippery Brian had managed to make a winning move as they entered the back straight, but Guilfoyle's runner is nothing if not game, gradually eroding the deficit to get his head in front at the line by a head. 

Central Park doubles for Locke and Gardiner

The 29-second barrier was broken once at Central Park last night by Maxine Locke's Mystical Batman. He was quickest into stride as he had been a week ago, but this time with a track more conducive to running a reasonable time rather than -50 last week, he produced a very smart performance. 

It was a similar story for Locke's Headford Lily who popped out in front and never saw another rival. The winner of four of her last six starts, she is in a good vein of form at present and is more than capable of extending that. 

Another trainer with a pair of winners on the night was Carl Gardiner. Droopys Crafty closed out the card with an 11/1 success, staying on powerfully to get his head in front right on the line. A half-brother to Champion Stakes finalist Droopys Google, it would not be a surprise to see a little further explored with him in time. 

Clairkeith Candy had started the Gardiner double with a win in a messy maiden contest. She showed her strength to hold her line around the inside of the opening bend, riding a couple of bumps to get herself away and clear as the field headed down the back. 

The shortest price on the card was Bubbly Evie who went off 1/7 in a staying contest for Tony Dean. She ran out a 13 and a half length winner in a race that was as uncompetitive as the starting price suggested it would be.

The other six-bend contest on the card went to Tony Gifkins and Capel Fortuna who showed the best stamina late on to grab the lead late on. She was last passing the stands for the first time, having only gotten into the contest as a reserve. Just a November 24 whelp, she looks to have stamina in abundance and could be an interesting prospect.

Barnfield Story was a narrow winner for Nick Carter, grabbing the lead around the opening couple of turns to stretch his lead just enough to hold off the late charge of Locke's Finally Matched to take a fourth open race win at the venue.

Two sprint opens on the card saw the quicker of the wins from Blackburnmybullet for Martyn Wiley. It was the first time that he ha got his head in front since Romford in March, the only track that he had been successful at prior to yesterday. There have been some flashes of very smart form in his career, just not quite the consistency to put them together on a regular basis.

Yassoo Gee One took the other sprint for George Andreas. The April 24 whelp was making a belated race debut but did it in style. It will be interesting to see what he can do from here. 

Kielty half a length off the Doncaster 450m clock

Newline Kielty contines to impress for Darren Golightly, producing a flying 27.17 over 450m. She is proving to be one of the most consistent bitches in training at present, improving all of the time. Hopefully connections have a look at Dunstall Park earmarked for her in the autumn as she is starting to look an interesting one for the Oaks.

Kevin Cobbold made another successful trip to South Yorkshire with a pair of winners on the card. Trumpers Bobcat made it three wins on the bounce in a 450m contest, adding to his win from a fortnight ago here. He is now the winner of seven of his last 12 starts. 

Move Over Toby had got the double started in the previous race, also over the shorter four-bend trip. The November puppy has made a near faultless start to his career, the winner of five of six, and he shapes as if he could be capable of stepping up a level. 

Another trainer to pick up a pair of winner on the night was David Fradgley. Look Smart lived up to his name at the lids, showing more than enough to get himself around in front. He has won four of his last six to continue his good work since joining the kennel from Kirsty Grayson.

Jella was the Performance of the Week winner at Kinsley last week, stepping up on that to take her first open race success to get the Fradgley double started. This is her last month with puppy status still valid, but she looks capable enough to keep improving. 

There were two races over 661m, with John Flaherty's Greenwell Gypsy the quicker of the two winners. This distance is on the short side for her, even on a stiff track, but she timed her challenge to perfection to get her head in front late on. 

Jill Suthurst had the winner of the other staying contest with Confident Josie. She has five graded wins over the 450m distance at Sunderland, stepping up in trip for the first time last night. Slow away, she turned last but made steady progress down the back the second time to take the lead turning for home, and seeing it out well. 

Those who stayed around for the last were treated to an impressive success from Sean Parker's Magical Harper. She was only making her third start for the kennel, getting her head in front for the first time by an impressive six and a half lengths. A half-sister to the likes of Turnthemagicon, she is still very much a blank canvas. 

Grovenor Mona took a sprint contest to open up the card for Beverly Heaton, beating her kennelmate Grovenor Eevee in the process. It was a fifth open race win of the year over 275m for Mona and the eighth of her career. 

Barry Denby was on target with The Other Kodi who continues his excellent record which now stands at 12/22. Early pace won him the day once more from his favourite draw on the rails, though he has won opens from each of the inside four berths. 

The other open winner on the card was Grumpy Kevin for Nicola Langley. His 7/1 success gave the bookies some respite early on a night that saw six favourites home in front. He was away and gone early on and never looked like being caught after there was trouble behind him.

Six in a row at Star Pelaw for Gurkha

Cheryl Ingham has Sunnyside Gurkha on exceptional terms with himself at present, making it six straight wins at Star Pelaw. He once more showed the best gears to the opening turn to take a lead that he would stretch to six lengths come the line. 

Gurkha's former handler Ted Soppitt was on the mark himself with Sunnyside Jayden who took the sole sprint open on the night. He has an exceptional 40% strike rate in his career to this point, winning on three of his last four visits to this track.

Glenn Foot picked up a double in the opener, led by another wide-margin win for Foulkscourt Bono. The track record holder over the sprint trip stepped up to four bends in a race for the first time since landing an A3 back in March.

Witton Gucci completed the double in the very next race, taking a six-bend contest. It was her first win on her fourth start for the kennel but her opening three had seen her make the final of the Arc Angel of the North at Newcastle!

Neil Chapman got on the board via Brinkleys Louis. 435m around this track really seems to suit him better than anywhere else that he has been, with four of his six career wins coming here.

The final race on the evening went to Pothole Bob for Colin Watson. Popper Joe set the pace to the contest but the winner loomed up on his inside at the third bend before just doing enough up the home straight.

The hurdle on the card went to Ricky Holloway and Punk Rock Legend. He had chased him his kennelmate Mickeys Tribute on his first two runs at this track but without that rival to face, he has picked up the victory himself now in back-to-back weeks. 

Holloway was out of luck elsewhere on the card. His Razldazl Tully was sent off the odds-on favourite for a 435m contest but after he had led up, he was out cornered by Ross Miller's Drish Solar before the Holloway runner fought back late on to make it close.