Thursday double lands Billingham-Hine the inaugural Monmore Open Championship

Open Championship concludes

A double for Kim Billingham-Hine saw her comfortably on top of the home league of the Monmore Open Championship. They both came in sprint contests, one over the shorter trip which went to Catchem Boyo and one over the longer sprinting trip to Ivy Hill Viper. 

The first named got the better of his kennelmate Newinn Batchelor, showing the better pace from the traps to take an early lead that he never looked like relinquishing. The latter led early in his race but had to dig deep having been headed to get back up right on the line to grab the success.

Holding Hollie was a winner for Richie Taberner, helping him to second place in the home standings. 480m just stretches the pup at this stage of her career but her pace to the bend is a potent weapon for her. Her dam was a multiple open race winner over six bends at Sheffield as well as adding a 712m success at Towcester so in time, she might strengthen up. 

Kevin Hutton picked up the win in the away trainers competition, holding off Mark Wallis who had a pair of winners on the night. They were split by a single spot with Newinn Tonic just going the quicker of the pair. She came away in style, which was just as well as she was being run down in the closing strides by Senahel Sydney and Armagh Daithi with a pair of short heads covering the three.

Coonough Laura was the final winner on the card, also showing smart speed to the opening bend to make a winning debut for the MWD Partnership. She had a 28.68 at Shelbourne on her card from April and the July puppy looks like another smart recruit for the kennel.

Third in the away trainers standings was Mike Burton who saw his Carrick Scholsey pick up another win over the 630m distance. He was well below his Irish level of form in his early runs for Burton but the kennel have him firing on all cylinders now, picking up his fifth win from his last six outings, the only defeat coming in the second round of the Derby.

A third trainer on the night to land a brace of winners was Ruth Lambe. They took her to five for the campaign but three of those have come in her last eight runners. Advantage Rule was a short price to take the money over 480m on just his third start, pitched into the Derby on just his second.

At a much bigger price, she had a winner with Da Mighty Man who landed a bit of a surprise for punters at 11/1. He finished powerfully to come out on top having turned closer to last than first in a race where the majority of the field had a bit of trouble at the opening bend.

He was not the biggest priced winner on the card, however, that was Simpson Sniper who scored at 12/1 for Shaun Chappell. He popped out in front and was not for catching to pick up his second open race win since joining the kennel. 

The other open on the card went to Pat Doocey's Longacres Boycie. We mentioned last week when he won his first open that he had been a success story for the kennel moving his way up the grades, needing every yard of the sprint trip to get his head in front once more. 

Hove treble for Heath

There was also open racing at Hove where Jason Heath picked up three winners. Smokestack Saxon kicked the evening off, going around in front to win in a decent 29.31. He came away a lot better than he had on his English debut last week but he was much more streetwise at the traps this time around. 

A 515m win was scored by Burrows Charm who gained due reward for his recent run of near misses. It was the first time that he had led up in a contest since the semis of the Kent Plate. Given he is such a strong stayer over four bends, getting his head in front early means that he is always going to be very hard to hold. 

The middle leg of the three was the six-bend debut of Droopys Deploy, who scored in 42.03. His four-bend pace that saw him into an Irish Derby final last year was shown early on to go well clear of his field and while he was running out of petrol late on, the time suggested that he is capable of mixing it over the longer trip with some decent types as well.

Belinda Green picked up a double over 500m, with Ballymac Kinga the quicker of the pair. She had been run down late on her most recent outing but having picked up the lead coming out of the back, she was not going to suffer that fate again, maintaining the gallop.

Bonus Bullet had not been seen in race action since late March, looking a little ring rusty from the traps as she gave her field a start. She was impressive as she wove her way through the field, passing both outside and inside of rivals to time her challenge to perfection.

There was a win in the final race of the night for Richard Rees and Zenith Duke. He had been incredible unlucky a couple of starts back and was certainly not winning out of turn here. He showed the best pace to the turn and was already a couple of lengths clear by the time they got there.

John Campbell was responsible for the other open races winner on the card with Venetian Mario. It may have only been a four-runner sprint contest that he was successful in but was already well in control of his rivals when they crowded themselves out of contention around the opening couple of bends.