Woltemade scorches to Time Northern Flat Triumph

Picture from Newcastle X feed

Fenwick and Fairbairn dominate Newcastle competition 

With prior competition wins in the Arc Northern Puppy Derby and the Harry Burton Memorial, Jimmy Fenwick's Woltemade was sent off favourite to add a third big race triumph to his resume in the Time Northern Flat decider last night.

He was electric from the lids in the opening round and he came back to that level of trapping again when it mattered most, though he was still led up in the race by his kennelmate Wicky Ned.

The 2024 winner of the Northern Flat has been building his way back to full fitness again after some lengthy gaps on the card, and he gave as good as he got, but could not hold his younger rival down the back straight.

28.01 was the winning time, a new career-best from Woltemade who now has 10 wins from his 16 career starts, two Cat One wins, another Cat One final appearance and a Cat Two win. A hugely impressive haul for a greyhound with so few races under his belt.

The front pair pulled well clear of Deerjet Sydney who ran on to grab third for Jimmy Gaskin. He had shown excellent pace up in the opening two rounds but missed the break a fraction which cost him in a race where the first pair smashed out. He is proving to be an excellent purchase for the kennel. 

Tom Heilbron's Ballymac Sargie just edged out Bockos Buster for Savva Roberts for fourth with a pair of short heads covering third to fifth. Heilbron's other finalist Droopys Link whipped them in but stopped the clock at 28.82 which shows the quality of the final.

The other big decider on the card was the Arc Angel of the North where Slingshot Poppy was sent off the 1/14 market leader. She produced a time just a spot shy of Woltemade for Brian Fairbairn as she routed her rivals. There has been much more consistency in her trapping though this competition, and taking on her own sex has seen her spectacularly dominant.

Coppice Saphire chased her home for Fenwick, a finalist in this competition now in back-to-back years. She lost absolutely nothing in defeat, with Joe Edgar's Fabulous Harmony filling out the medal positions.

There were three open race winners on the night for Fenwick, kicked off by Elegant Shadow. 480m proved just a touch too far in her heat and semi of the Angel of the North but she had only missed out by a length and a half from a final spot. Still a puppy, she wouldn't have to strengthen up too much to become a very smart type given her potent early speed.

Zenith Magic was the middle leg of the treble in a staying contest. He was slow to stride with Cheryl Ingham's Swift Yawn taking them along. The winner loomed up down the back to take the measure of the leader but she dug back in coming up the straight with the winner only scoring by a short head. 

Fairbairn was able to add three further winners to his Angel of the North triumph, with Slingshot Gazza taking out the sprint final. On paper, it was a decent field and a competitive looking race but the winner was quick to stride and had blitzed his field by the time they got to the opening turn.

The other pair for Fairbairn were both 8/1 scorers, led by Slingshot Louie. He is coming home strongly over 480m, winning a Northern Flat heat a fortnight back from behind. He had a lovely second hare to chase as Zenith Mikmaker led up on his outside, wearing him down on the run to the line. 

Slingshot Blue took the final race of the evening, another to get on top late in the day. This time it was Heilbron's Unanimous Leo who set the pace to chase, and he looked to have things under control as they went down the back but the winner gradually wore him down to grab the cash close to the line.

Heilbron had much better luck with Droopys Bookem who broke his six-bend duck at the third time of asking He was able to get out and on the bunny which was a help to him, stretching further and further clear, with the official margin given as nine and a half lengths in a new quickest of the year. He was just 29 spots off the track record, beating Proper Rockett into second, a bitch who is a decent looking stayer herself.

The other open on the card went to Stephen Caile's Crooks Mackemboy. He had produced some very smart sectionals as he made his way up the grades over 480m at this track, looking a natural for the drop to sprinting. He made it 4/4 for Caile in a time just seven spots shy of Slingshot Gazza, scoring in the fashion of one to keep onside. 

Darch takes both Valley opens

Just a pair of opens on the Valley card last night with Clongeel Bono and Pandy Chris both doing the business for Christian Darch. There was a single spot separating the pair with the former just the quicker. 

Bono has been a win machine over the last few months, picking up his seventh win from his last 13 starts. His last two have now come in open race company, producing the best clocking of his career, stopping it at 28.02.

28.03 was the time of Pandy Chris who won the first open of the evening, producing the best split of the field by a considerable margin before racing clear to score by five lengths. He has been a touch inconsistent this year, though he is capable of getting red-hot as he was when winning nine straight starts at this track from last September to January.