Saturday night open review - September 7, 2025

Jimmy Gaskin knocks in Doncaster treble 

The racing at Doncaster over the next few weeks should be excellent with the Yorkshire Derby and the BGBF St Leger kicking off at the track next Saturday night. A pair of Category Two competitions, the quality was excellent in 2024 with the likes of Romeo Command in action and this year looks set to be strong.

Local trainer Jimmy Gaskin got the card off to a smart start with Gripwell Peg landing the opener over 450m, the same distance that saw his On The Line justify an 8/11 starting price. The latter is a January '24 pup who clocked slightly the quicker time of the pair. The treble was rounded out with Swift Jeronimo helping to top and tail the card.

Quickest of the 450m winners on the night was Kevin Ferguson's Acomb Felix who scored in 27.64. That was just three spots quicker than On The Wall to help frank the quality of that pups run. Felix had to dig deep to see off the challenge of Keefill Rocky who had led the contest up, the pair producing one of the races of the night.

John Flaherty's Northern Flat winner Naochra was a narrow winner in a strong 483m contest with Catunda Ciaran and Keefill Goose also in the race. He was a semi-finalist in the Yorkshire Derby last year but has stepped up a level in 2025.

Three sprint contests on the card saw Sunnyside Jayden go quickest of the winners for Ted Soppitt. Generally seen at Sunderland on a Friday night, he paced well to the bend to claim victory. Dunelm Dragon was also a winner for Soppitt earlier in the night. 

Rental Crisis had to work harder to win for David Fradgley to see off the attentions of Westfield Bullet who had led him up in a Category Three sprint final. That is now 12 wins from his last 15 starts. The third sprint was won by Luminous Dream for Susan Watson. 

Maxine Locke made the trip up to Yorkshire worthwhile with a win for Mr Funky Monk who landed one of the invitationals on the card. Collliers Bucholz landed the money for Paul Prior in a 450m invitational while Grovenor Tails won a 483m contest for Beverley Heaton. 

A trial session prior to racing saw some notable names having a look around ahead of the Yorkshire Derby.

Monmore doubles for Driver and Billingham-Hine

No Better Feelin has been a smart performer for Esther Driver in 2025. A Derby semi-finalist, he got back to winning ways at Towcester last week, following that up last night with a 28.52 success. Quill Quids stepped up to six bends for the first time, making no mistake to claim a win over 630m.

It was a pair of sprint contests that went to Kim Billingham-Hine. Newinn Batchelor was the quicker of the pair by a fair margin but perhaps the win for Out The Glen will mean more. Nursed back from a nine month break between his last run for Maxine Locke and first for Billingham-Hine, he has worked his way up the grades, winning D4, D3, D2, D1 and now an open.

Thor Odinson has been keeping strong company over six bends, winning on his return to 480m for Chris Fereday. The other open race winner on the card went to Richie Taberner and Aero Academy.

Open winner 150 for the year for Kevin Hutton

Just three opens on the Oxford card with a pair of them going to Kevin Hutton. Ollie The Ox was the 150th open race success for Hutton in 2025, making a winning start to his career. He did plenty wrong which is to be expected as a pup on debut, especially one nudging 39kg.

Start The Engine was Hutton's other winner. He is yet to race away from Oxford but with 11 wins from 13 runs on his own stomping ground, he is one who will continue to tick over until the right time comes.

A six-bend open on the night was picked up by Heather Dimmock's Droopys Mikado. He missed five months of race action after a fall at Hove in March, making it a perfect 2/2 over this 650m distance.

Central Park sprint clock falls

Stopping the clock in sub 16 seconds in a 277m contest happened for the first time last night as King Presley took his track record back from Rioja Oisin with a 15.99 run. Liz McNair's wide runner found trouble in the final of the Silver Salver when Kevin Hutton's speedster beat his clock by a single spot. It was his 15th open race win of 2025, just Mongys Wild and Acomb Felix have more.

A messy race opened the card but Punk Rock Rose was away and gone for Stuart Maplesden, missing the trouble behind her. Sent off at 28/1, she was a surprise winner for punters but was winning for the 15th time in 40 career starts. A double for the kennel was brought up courtesy of Shore Rd Maximus who used the same tactics as his kennelmate from the front.

The other open saw a 1/4 victory for Barry O Sullivan's Millbank Lily. She ended her time with Dan Brabon on a 17-race losing run, so perhaps the change of scenery has done her some good, landing a staying contest.

Upcoming Opens

Sunday: Towcester

Monday: Nottingham

Friday: Romford ♦ Sunderland