Domino Storm: gets the vote for Classic gold at Belle Vue Storm warning for layers in ECC Timber Oaks final By Jonathan Kay of the Racing Post DOMINO STORM can crown a tremendous campaign with victory in the £15,000 ECC Timber Oaks final over 470m at Belle Vue tonight (9.08, live on Sky Sports 3).
Mark Wallis’s charge reached the final of the year’s earlier Category One competition for bitches, Towecster’s Lowther Stakes, and also landed the Derby Plate at Wimbledon in addition to finishing third in Nottingham’s Select Stakes and also the Angel of the North at Newcastle so her credentials are hard to fault.
She has faced difficult tasks in every round of this event but showed real durability in the first two stages before shrugging off an apparently tough semi-final draw in five with a fast break which allowed her to make all in the fastest time of the round.
In Tyrur Caroline, representing Charlie Lister and big-race sponsor PJ Fahy, she is drawn outside a rival unbeaten in the competition who is clearly a massive threat but the selection has twice produced quicker sectionals and that can allow her to clear.
If she makes the first bend at the head of affairs, the strong-running daughter of Makeshift and Swift Erin will be very tough to beat although Roxholme Hottie’s performance in closing in on her along the back in the semis before being chopped for room means full celebrations would have to be put on hold for a little while.
Evanta Evita and Bromwich Sue have made the decider for the second successive year with Bromwich Sue better drawn but desperately requiring a smarter break, while Newinn This Way has done brilliantly to reach the final in the face of adversity but trap six in an all-railer field may not work to her advantage as it can do for some.
Hayley Keightley is the only trainer with a representative in both feature finals and, while her Roxholme Hottie is clearly coming to hand and cannot be written off in the Oaks, the kennel’s On Alert looks to hold stronger claims in the £6,000 ECC Laurels decider over 470m at 8.33.
Key here will be whether unbeaten Millwards Whitey can clear speedy Blakes Turbo without incident about which there must be some doubt and the strong-running On Alert, who came into the competition fresh, will be hard to hold on semi-final evidence is there is any tangling between that duo.
Taranis Bolt in six has a good make-up and has to be respected although he was readily left behind by On Alert in the semis.
Pick of the supporting opens is the 7.59 over 470m which is akin to a Laurels consolation with five of the six having reached the semis of that event. Preference is for Charlie Lister’s Gymcrack winner Stay Loose who is capable of getting first run on the basis he is drawn inside Roxholme Barkley and Tyrur Supermac.
Best bet of the night could come in the 8.16 over 590m where Charlie Lynch’s Blakefield Jack, unbeaten in seven races over the trip including a track record on September 19, can shrug off an absence.
He has not raced since mid-October but has been kept busy with a series of impressive trials and can use his local knowledge to account for Swift Whirlwind, whose presence should at least shore up his price to some extent.
Sean Davy’s Loop The Loop looked an excellent recruit to the marathon ranks when powering home at Nottingham last month and it will be surprising if he does not follow up in the 8.51 over 878m.
First up on Sky is a 590m open at 7.11 in which Kim Billingham’s Whittle Eagle is interesting from the inside draw; kennelmate Chaotic Lynda can bounce back from semi-final Oaks elimination in a 470m bitches‘ contest at 7.26, while Gary Carmichael’s Liosgarbh Charl is another who can put a disappointing run behind him when he goes in the 7.43 over 670m.
Two opens before the Sky Sports section of the card can go to Nigel Saunders’ Bags Track Championship winner Baltylum Bumble (6.38) and Steve Hewitt’s Ridgemount Gump (6.56), while Carl Perry’s Geelo Midnight (9.24) and Nigel Saunder's Troilus (9.42) can take post-Oaks final contests.
With Belle Vue racing this evening, Swindon hosts an afternoon Bags card featuring three opens.
Sporting Captain, a winner for Kim Billingham and Monmore over the course and distance last week, can follow up in the 2.57 over 285m, John Spracklen’s Moreton Volare gets the vote in the 3.58 over 509m and Graham Holford’s Lemon Laveer can beat a tough draw to follow up a win from seven days ago in the 4.57 over 685m.
Open Check nap
Blakefield Jack
8.16 Belle Vue