Post by BVADMIN on Sept 2, 2019 21:21:58 GMT
ROXHOLME NIDGE was at his brilliant best as he put his rivals to the sword in heat three of the RPGTV East Anglian Derby over 462m at Yarmouth on Monday as only 19 spots separated all eight first round winners, writes Jonathan Kay of the Racing Post.
Hayley Keightley’s star showed brilliant early pace to quickly put distance between himself and his rivals, going in to beat Taydal Boy by over five lengths in 28.00sec on a heavily-watered track which was running in the slow side.
It was the winner’s first race since elimination from the Sunderland Classic at the semi-final stage and assistant trainer Mark Keightley said: “He’s cramped a little at the end but that’s understandable and we’re delighted with him.
“As ever, it’s how he comes out of the race but he’s shown what we know he’s capable of.”
Keightley’s Roxholme Glory put down an early marker with an authoritative landing of the odds in heat one.
He broke well from trap three and, despite minor contact with Grogeen County on his inside, cleared that rival comfortably enough and went on to beat him by nearly four lengths in 28.04sec.
“The run to the bend is probably just a little long for him as he struggles to hold the real early-pacers even if he breaks well,” said Mark Keightley of the winner.
“But get him round in front and he’s so strong.”
Seaglass Phantom, runner-up to Affane Party in the event last year, got off to a winning start this time around with a battling heat two victory.
Bramble Milburn belied his lack of previous course knowledge by taking the field along for a long way but he tired close home.
Seaglass Phantom, who had got inside Roxholme Jim at the second bend, got first crack at the weakening leader and went on to beat Roxholme Jim by one and a half lengths in 28.07sec, with Bramble Milburn doubtless better for the run back in third.
Bramble Milburn’s trainer Steven Anderson did get on the scoresheet when his Bramble Reggie took heat four.
Only modestly away from trap one, he paced up well to the opening turn then went clear before holding off strong-finishing Rising Vicki by two lengths in 27.99sec.
Race of the night, both in terms of excitement and on the clock, came in the heat eight finale where the judge, not helped by an indecipherable photo, could not split Janssens’ Seaglass Tiger and Erica Samuels’ Scotch Mist after they had a terrific tussle in the second half of the contest. The winning time was a best-of-round 27.95sec.
Michelle Brown’s Perrys Choice (28.12sec) proved strongest in heat five, likewise Paul Young’s Wildfire Jimmy (28.14sec) in the sixth but Mark Wallis’s Antigua Romeo took early charge en route to heat seven victory in 28.06sec.
Second round draw to follow