Post by BVADMIN on Feb 20, 2021 22:37:13 GMT
QUEEN JESSIEJ starred as Liz McNair achieved total domination in the Ladbrokes Winter Derby semi-finals over 480m at Monmore, writes Jonathan Kay of the Racing Post.....
Kennelmate and litter-sister Queen Lilly had already taken the opener, where favourite Gymstar Elusive lost all chance when stumbling badly at the start, in 28.64sec before Queen Jessiej put her rivals in the ultra-hot second semi to the sword.
Quickly in front, she was already in control when there was general scrimmaging in behind at three-quarters which saw her extend her winning margin over Coolavanny Kyser to five lengths in a superb 28.22sec on -30 going.
Tenpin had been easy to back due to worries about the draw which proved well-founded although he nearly got a route back in due to that crowding between the last two bends only to run into the back of the chaos himself.
King Louis completed the McNair treble when stealing a march in the third semi and, hard though heavily-supported Signet Ace tried, he was not for catching and prevailed by two lengths in 28.39sec.
Dannid, trained by Matt Dartnall for top golfer Lee Westwood and Andrea Wylie, powered to a best-of-round victory in the third semi-final of the Ladbrokes Puppy Derby.
Blastoff Mason had forced himself round in front but could never shake off the chasing pack and weakened on the run-in to be passed by both Dannid and uneasy favourite Jaguar Macie.
At the line, Dannid was one and a half lengths to the good in posting an excellent 28.45sec.
Westway Blake (13-8F) defied a huge market drift to take the opening semi in tremendously game fashion for Angie Kibble.
The layers were out in force against the hat-trick seeker on the basis that a draw outside Dapper Donnie would prove troublesome and that is exactly how it panned out.
Dapper Donnie led up with Westway Blake squeezed between him and Strategic Lenson but the Kibble runner managed to get in the clear along the back and powered up to challenge the pacesetter.
Digging deep, Westway Blake asserted off the last and went on to beat Dapper Donnie by three-parts of a length in 28.88sec.
Patrick Janssens’ Bockos Belly had been a beaten favourite four times in a row after his stunning Central Park debut victory but ended that frustrating run in the second semi.
Just shaded by Deelish Hero (15-8) in the market, the 2-1 chance saw that rival swing round him to go after leader Hungry Horace with the principals both closing in along the back.
Delight Hero got to the front approaching the last but Bockos Belly was in full flight by then and proved stronger when it mattered to score by one a half lengths in 28.79sec.
Heats of the Ladbrokes 630 went to Mark Wallis’s Ivy Hill Skyhigh (38.08sec), Paul Young’s Bubbly Dave (38.28sec) and Carol Weatherall’s Fight The Power (38.30sec).
Bubbly Dave’s victory was particularly noteworthy as injury had kept him off the track since last August when he chased home Kingsbrook Glyn in the Summer Stayers Classic over the course and distance.
There was a Newcastle double in heats of the Ladbrokes 480 which went to Jimmy Fenwick’s Lightfoot Ripley (28.45sec) and Tom Heilbron’s heavily-supported Pacemaker Ted (28.37sec).
Saturday’s Category One finals - Ladbrokes Puppy Derby (£12,500): 1 Bockos Belly, 2 Westway Blake, 3 Dapper Donnie, 4 Jaguar Macie, 5 Deelish Hero (m), 6 Dannid (m).
Ladbrokes Winter Derby: 1 Coolavanny Kyser, 2 Amazing Wink, 3 Queen Jessiej, 4 Signet Ace, 5 Queen Lilly (w), 6 King Louis (w).
The draws for the supporting 480m and 630m finals will be made at the GBGB on Monday.
