Three for Janssens at Nottingham but Eagles Respect goes fastest

Eagles Respect causes Nottingham surprise as he turns over Romeo Tomcat

The opening round of the BGBF British Breeders Stakes mostly went to plan for punters until the final leg. Romeo Tomcat had not been seen since the final of the Gold Collar but he had trialled well enough to think that he was set to go. He found one too strong, though connections won't be disappointed given it was his return to action. 

Eagles Respect hit the scene last year in the Produce Stakes and has built on that since. He has not often turned in front in his races over four bends but given his stamina for further, even the brute pace of Romeo Tomcat couldn't pull back Angie Kibble's runner. They eyeballed all the way from the first bend to the three-quarter mark but the superior trapping on the night won the day.

It was a sole blip on the card for Patrick Janssens who swept the other three heats. Romeo Empire was the quickest of those, having no problems dropping back from six bends. He got given a good run for his money from Gwenyth Rees's Aurora Dawn to the third bend but he always looked like he was going to come out the stronger of the pair. 

Romeo Ability chased Eagles Respect home in the final of the Produce Stakes last autumn, and he picked up his heat with a minimum of fuss. He was 10 spots slower than the Kibble runner and eight behind Romeo Empire, so it is tight enough heading into the semis next week.

The other heat went to Fabulous Heka. She opened up the Janssens treble in the first heat, scoring by the widest margin. Like Romeo Empire, she has been campaigned over further, and once she had forced her way up the inside at the opening bend, there was never going to be a way back for her rivals. 

Newinn Oscar was an impressive winner of the Arc 480m Trophy final for Nathan Hunt. An early lead got bigger and bigger as the race went on, eventually running out a seven and three-quarter length winner. It was a fourth win in a row for him.

There was a solid return to Nottingham for No Better Feelin, continuing his good work at the track. Esther Driver's Derby semi-finalist has been victorious in nine of his last 11 starts at Colwick Park.

A sprint on the card went to Lynn Cook's Nunos Nugget. He got up in the nick of time to grab Time Counts right on the line. That rival is an October 20 whelp and still going strong! The winner has been successful in five of his 10 starts for Cook.

One other open on the card went to Rossa Vita for Sharon Saberton. She has won three of her five starts at Nottingham now and six of 12 overall. An April 24 whelp, she may well still have better to come yet.