Thursday action from Newcastle and Valley
There were open races on Thursday evening at both Newcastle and the Valley, with some smart winners at each track.
Phantom takes off for Heilbron
There were only two open races at Newcastle last night but both produced excellent winners with very different running styles.
Glengar Phantom made it 2/2 since joining Tom Heilbron with another superb effort form the front. He was quickly in control of his rivals, clocking 28.26. The list of dogs who have gone quicker than him so far in 2026 at the track reads Slingshot Poppy, Woltemade, Wicky Ned and Fabulous Harmony. That's great company to be in so quickly for him.
Speaking of Fabulous Harmony, Joe Edgar's bitch was runner-up in the other open, going under by a head to Jimmy Fenwick's Singalong Cherry. The winner was a smart type for Pat Buckley in Ireland and made the semis of the Produce Stakes. She was last in the early strides, coming home powerfully after the race got messy at the third bend.
Before racing there was a staying trial from Fenwick's Zenith Boom over the 706m distance, going under the current track record. He will head to Shelbourne for the Winter Festival with Zenith Pasha.
Valley double for Gresham
Two and a half weeks away from the third anniversary of her debut, Ballymac Madgie landed another open contest at Valley for Shaun Gresham, backing up her defeat of Carrick Scholsey last time out. She turned veteran in July but has enjoyed a remarkable last 12 months. Twice a Cat One finalist (has made three overall) and twice a Cat One semi-finalist in that time, she has run the likes of Mongys Wild to two lengths over 731m and Strike It Skye to two and a half over 515m, a remarkable range to her talents.
Gresham had kicked off a double earlier on the card with Zenia who produced the top four-bend time of the evening. She picked up a couple of graded races at Hove for Patrick Browne before moving to Gresham, now looking as if she has her eye in around Valley with a second win on the bounce. 28.20 took her into the top 20 times of the year, and as a half-sister to St Leger finalist Lets Go Girl and Cork Oaks winner Bombay Special, she has plenty of future value too.
Early Tiger is a nice recruit for Mike Burton, building on the promise that he showed on his race debut in a deep affair at Monmore with a fairly straightforward success here. He trapped much better last night which was a huge help to him, forcing his way to the front at the opening bend, and from there, the further he went, the better he looked.
There was a win over six bends for Quivers Quest who produced the swifter of the staying times, scoring for James Danahar. This was her debut over 640m, making a very smart impression to produce the sixth quickest time of the year despite not getting her head in front until the run-in.
A sprint race went to Joshua Morris's Gizmo Mysterious, another to produce a solid time on the night, stopping the clock at 16-dead. She has been in serious form of late, with this a fourth win on the bounce, a sixth from her last seven starts, and an 11th from 23 races overall for Morris. Pacing up best to take the lead at the opening bend, from there she never looked like being caught.
The other open on the card went the way of Burkos Delaney for Christian Darch. He had rattled off a quick hat-trick in A4 grade in September, bouncing back to winning ways with a solid effort from the front. Having picked up the lead early, he came away from his rivals by more than three lengths.
