Westmead Melanie: the 2012 williamhill.com Springbok winner
Bob Morton is back on the Springbok trail
BOB MORTON, who won the 2012 williamhill.com Springbok with the Nick Savva-trained Westmead Melanie, looks to have a live contender for this year’s renewal after Westmead Meteor put in a smart workout at yesterday’s Wimbledon trial session.
The Ricky Holloway-trained dog, who has been plying his trade in A1 grade and minor open-class since switching from Savva in November, entered the standings for the novice hurdlers’ championship in seventh after posting 29.83sec (going nornal) for the 480m jumps course in a solo.
Holloway said: “I’m delighted with that. That was his first four-bend hurdle trial after a sprint spin last week and he’s gone less than 20 spots slower than the more experienced Lenson Johnny.
“There’s definitely potential there, and I was pleased with Bob’s bitch [Westmead Charlot] too, who had a two-bend hurdle trial. She’s still learning at the moment, but is fearless and could be anything.”
Quickest over the full qualifying distance was Tony Collett’s Lenson Johnny, already a race winner over the sticks at Sittingbourne, clocking 29.64sec.
Seamus Cahill’s Coronation Cup finalist Mash Mad Snowy gained more valuable experience when beating Chris Allsopp’s Daddy Knowsbest (hit third and fourth hurdles) by 12 lengths in 29.72sec.
The Springbok final will feature as part of the first new SIS-produced Sky Sports broadcast on March 19 in a double-header with the Racing Post Juvenile, and racing manager Gary Matthews is hoping trainers will continue to target trial stakes for the event.
He said: “We’ve got a trial stake on Saturday, and I had to use my discretion in leaving out Droopys Lorenzo, who slammed a much better field here last week.
“Hopefully, as dogs seek more experience we’ll be able to duplicate and accommodate more entries.”
Springbok Top 10:
LENSON JOHNNY 29.32 - A. Collett (Sittingbourne)
DROOPYS LORENZO 29.34 - D.Childs (Hove)
MASH MAD SNOWY 29.68 - S. Cahill (Hove)
STELLARS BLUE 29.72 - J. Simpson
AERO LILLIE 29.73 - D. Childs (Hove)
COOLAVANNY SHINE 29.81 - T. Taylor (Sittingbourne)
WESTMEAD METEOR 29.83 - R. Holloway(Wimbledon)
BARNISH MAYWAY 29.95 - N. McEllistrim (Hove)
ROCKVIEW ROYAL 29.98 - K. O'Flaherty (Unattached)
FIRE FOOD CHILI 29.99 - J. Daly (Yarmouth)