Three for Hunt at Monmore on Thursday

Three for Hunt at Monmore

The Nathan Hunt team were the ones to beat at Monmore last night, heading home with a trio of open winners. Scooby Diamond picked up a sprint heat, the tougher of the two of those on paper. She has shown she can mix it over two bends after her Romford Puppy Cup win and two subsequent Cat One finals over four bends late last year.

Things were easier for Gordon Bennett down in maiden company after making the semis of the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby. Last night was a comfortable career best and given he was pitched into a Cat One after just a single run and win in an A2, he strikes as the type to still have plenty of progression left in him.

The Hunt treble began with a win for Kilara Berb. He is another who has been mixing it at a higher level and his early pace soon took him clear of his rivals, producing a very slick 4.26 split on his way to victory.

There was also a double on the evening for Kim Billingham-Hine. A six-bend contest went to Bandit Paddy, running out an impressive winner by more than seven lengths having gone around in front. All four of his prior wins had come at A2 level, with this just his third try over 630m. 

The double came up in the final open of the night courtesy of Uphill Morsey. The youngster was picking up a hat-trick after a pair of A3 wins. The presentation after the race was made by Jess Owen who was celebrating 10 years on the Tote at the track. Congratulations to Jess. 

Quickest of the night over 480m was Mark Wallis's Armagh Daithi. A Laurels finalist this time last year, he enjoys his racing at Monmore, adding a trip to the final of the Ladbrokes Gold Cup in August. His 28.10 was a rock-solid run off a 4.27 split.

The other heat of the aforementioned sprint competition was the surprise of the night for punters with Rachel Hill's Fluff The Start getting the victory at 18/1. He had won six of his last 12 starts at Oxford, including a heat of the Sandy Lane Sprint, with last night his first run away from that track.