Open racing returned to Harlow on Monday night

Local Mai Tai goes quickest in SIS British Bred Sprint

It's been far too long since Harlow saw open race action but they returned with a bang last night with the heats of the Category Two, SIS British Bred Sprint. 

It was local knowledge to the fore in the quickest of the three heats with Darren Whitton's Moaning Mai Tai away and gone from the striped jacket to score in 15.11. She had picked up a pair of A6 wins last month and a D3 this, to make it four wins from her last five starts. Pro Parker chased her home for Michelle Brown.

Sunnyside Ted has not been with Dave Lee long following a move from Ted Soppitt. He picked up his first win for new connections in 15.19, another to make best use of a slick exit from the widest draw. Moaning Hearns chased him home having fluffed the start, he was almost unbeatable in sprints at Suffolk Downs in the early part of the year and is still a strong contender for the final next week.

Maxine Locke took the opening heat with Keefill Zeus, breaking the beam in 15.25, kicking off a clean sweep of heat winners to sport the butcher's apron.  It was his first start since April but being fresh was clearly no issue for him, leading home a third finalist for Whitton in Moaning Gabriel, a November pup who has not yet managed to put it all together. 

Whitton was also on the scoresheet over 415m with Moaning Tom who produced the pick of the times in the two heats of a Monkey Maiden. He was making his debut over four bends, racking up plenty of success over shorter and using that sprinting speed to go clear. Dan Brabon's Swift Krab was runner-up, the only dog to sport the striped jacket in an open on the card and fail to come home in front. 

Baggins Lad for Diane Jinks had won the opening heat, picking up the running at the third bend. He was helped by his wide draw, avoiding the trouble that plagued the inside three runners within the first few strides. He has been enjoying an excellent run of form of late, with this his ninth win from his last 15 starts. 

Driver at the double at Nottingham 

The 'right' dogs came to the fore, in terms of the market at least in the final of the Maiden Standard over 500m with Esther Driver's Mossrich Mossy coming out on top. He just had enough about him to the bend to hold his position on the inside of Fortanach John. When that rival moved off a touch to crowd Santas Tornado, the winner took the opportunity to escape. The first three all look nice types.

Driver's double was completed by Skyfall Khan in the final race on the night. It ended up as just a three-runner affair with the winner comfortably justifying favouritism from the front. An August pup, he had shown a good attitude when winning at Sheffield prior to this and is part of a promising litter than contains Nathan Hunt's Whyaye Mister and Patrick Janssens's Rodriguez.

The other four opens on the card were all sprints with one of those having just three go to traps as well. Despite the lack of numbers, just a short head separated Da Don and Shelt Hill Rosie come the winning line, with Mark Russell's dog just coming out on top. The runner-up had been braver at the bend to chop the winner off but Da Don ran her down in the shadow of the post.

Stuart Tighe has been going well with sprinters, and his Vialli won the first open on the night in 17.74. He had dipped below 16 seconds in a Towcester trial when in the care of Roy Peckham back in January so the promise was there, scoring for Tighe at the first time of asking last night. 

Coolruss Ronnie landed a win for Robert Copping, equalling the fastest sprint of the night alongside Vialli. He arrived off the back of three wins from four A1 starts at Yarmouth but the drop in trip to sprinting has opened up another door for him. Not short of pace, a stiff two bends clearly suited him well.

The other sprint open went to Glory Max for Kelly Wilton. It brought up a hat-trick of wins for him following successes in D3 and D2 grade, picking up his first open race win here.