A pleasant summers evening for a seven race card on the all weather.

The card began with an apprentice handicap which turned out to be something of a muddling race, with there horses sent off as 4/1 co-favourites and none of them having any part in the final action.

One of the co-favourites, Sion Hill made the running only to fade two out. The other pair were nearer last than first for most of the race with Hits Only Money showing nothing under pressure and Eagle Nebula looking most reluctant sitting stone last most of the way and when finally stoked up ended a never closer fifth.

Conversely the winner, Parthenope, under Jack Dean ran a most impressive race. Happy to track the leaders he ran on to take the lead a furlong out, running on quickly to win convincingly.   

The next two races were a couple of two-year-old affairs. In the first Roly Boy from the Richard Hannon yard was sent off the 2/5 favourite. However his supporters must have had serious palpitations as he really had to fight hard to fend off a late challenge from Andrew Balding’s newcomer Celtic Spur.  Indeed it could be argued that had the colt not run green earlier on there would have been an upset. Sent off at 25/1 I cannot see the runner up going off at that price again and it is definitely one for the notebook. The winner also had to survive a stewards enquiry as he edged left in the final furlong leaving the runner-up short of room.

The second two-year-old contest was much more competitive with Ahla Wasahl and Sparkling Crystal sent off the 2/1 joint favourites. The former, dropped in class for her second run, had been on her toes in the paddock. However she soon settled in the race tracking the leaders before being switched to the inside and running on inside the final furlong. The form may be slightly diminished by two outsiders taking the minor honours but she looked impressive. Sparkling Crystal, on the other hand, ran disappointingly – running in snatches before running on at the end but having been left too much to do was never a danger.

The fourth race was, on paper, a very competitive six furlong handicap. So it turned out to be in reality with only about four lengths separating the entire field of nine. The two co-favourites, Whiskey Junction and Diriculous, having very differing fortune. The latter is a huge horse and looks more like a chaser than a six furlong sprinter. He took a very strong hold hanging badly and although looking to be in contention at one point he ended up finishing last. Whisky Junction on the other hand looked to be the pick of the paddock.

Taking up the running two out the Andrew balding trained gelding had to be strongly ridden by Liam Keniry to hold on from the late challenges of Dvinsky and Sheriff’s Silk.  The latter was, arguably, an unlucky loser having been bumped at the start.

The mile and a half handicap was, frankly, relatively uninspiring after the earlier action and it ended up being a two horse race with James Fanshaw’s Buster Hyvonen getting the better of Gerard Butler’s Jagger  inside the final half furlong, the pair finishing six lengths clear of the remainder.

The mile handicap at 8:50 provided the most exciting finish of the evening with the joint favourites battling it out to the line with the grey Totally Focussed just getting the better of Willow Dancer in a bobbing finish where the lead changed several times in the final half furlong.

The finale was a two mile marathon. Moonshine Beach looked to have the race sewn up taking a four length lead two out. However he ended up having to really fight hard to hold off the late challenge of the favourite Leyte Gulf who, in a few more strides, would surely have grabbed victory. Interestingly the three course and distance winner in the field, Colwyn Bay, Mister Completely and Critical Stage all performed most disappointingly.

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Non-Runners

6:20
7 Having A Ball (Lame)
8 Double Valentine (Lame)

6:50
7 Learo Dochais (Lame)

7:20
3 Chifong (Temperature)

7:50
2 Kyle
5 China Cherub (Other)
7 Rabbit fighter (Lame)

8:50
11 My Shadow (Other)

9:20
9 Pepito Collonges (Other)
11 Magic Amigo (Swelling)

Results

6:20

1st 9 Parthenhope 7/1
2nd 6 Million Percent 6/1
3rd 5 Trivia 16/1
12 Ran NR's 7 & 8
Distances 3 1/4L & 1 1/4L
Tote
Win £7.80
Place £2.50 £2.90 £4.80
Exacta £55.30

6:50

1st 13 Roly Boy 2/5 fav
2nd 2 Celtic Spur 25/1
3rd 4 Duke Of Aquitaine 14/1
12 Ran NR 7
Distances head & 3/4L
Tote
Win £1.40
Place £1.02 £5.30 £2.90
Exacta £16.50

7:20

1st 1 Ahla Wasahl 2/1 jf
2nd 4 Deal Clincher 16/1
3rd 10 Today's The Day 20/1
9 Ran NR 3
Distances 2L & Short Head
Tote
Win £3.20
Place £1.10 £4.00 £4.00
Exacta £44.30

7:50

1st 3 Whiskey Junction 11/4 jf
2nd 4 Dvinsky 4/1
3rd 12 Sheriff's Silk 25/1
10 Ran NR's 2 , 5 & 7
Distances Neck & Neck
Tote
Win £2.20
Place £1.20 £2.20 £6.20
Exacta £12.00

8:20

1st 1 Buster Hyvonen 7/2
2nd 3 Jagger 8/1
3rd 6 Cleaver 4/1
10 Ran
Distances 3/4L & 6L
Tote
Win £4.60
Place £1.50 £2.20 £2.10
Exacta £34.10

8:50

1st 13 Totally Focussed 7/2 jf
2nd 7 Willow Dancer 7/2 jf
3rd 5 Murrin 6/1
13 Ran NR 11
Distances head & 3 /14L
Tote
Win £4.50
Place £1.60 £1.50 £3.00
Exacta £15.90

9:20

1st 6 Moonshine Beach 17/2
2nd 3 Leyte Gulf 11/4 fav
3rd 7 Adage 12/1
12 Ran NR's 9 & 11
Distances 3/4L & 3/4L
Tote
Win £10.20
Place £3.50 £1.60 £3.00
Exacta £44.60