Monday Open Report - Nottingham

Monday Open Report - Nottingham 

The Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic Trial Stakes races took centre stage at Nottingham last night with some of the top youngsters in the country running in preparation for the upcoming £12,500 to the winner Category One competition. 

The first ARC Puppy Classic Trial Stakes open race at 7.27 saw the Jimmy Fenwick-trained Ballymac Shontae start as the 2/5 favourite from T6, but he slightly missed the break on debut and couldn’t clear Return Package, who attempted to lead round from T5. As they approached the first bend, Deelish Denzel nipped up the inside from T2 and hit the front after giving Return Package a bump. Off the final bend, Deelish Denzel was leading by a couple of lengths with Zenith Ottoman (T1) catching the eye, staying on well in second place. As they approached the winning line, Ottoman hit the front, pulling clear with Harlequin Fifty getting up for second, a length and a half behind the winner. 

Zenith Ottoman, trained by Dave Mullins, clocked 30.28 and won the race at 12s with Harlequin Fifty in second at 33s. 

The forecast paid £182.12, well done if you found that one!

The second of the ARC Puppy Classic Trial Stakes race at 7.44 went to plan for favourite backers, with Not So Steady (T4) recording a quick-away-made-all success for trainer Patrick Janssens. Not So Steady clocked 29.71 following a 5.05 sectional, with further improvement likely from the lightly raced son of Ballymac Bolger he could go close in the competition outright. Droopys Poker (T5) showed nice middle gears to challenge but could never quite reel in the leader and went down by a length and a half. Aghaburren Ben (T1) did plenty of running to take third and looks a nice type. 

The third and final ARC Puppy Classic Trial Stakes race at 8.01 looked a cracker on paper with recent JR Racing Juvenile Classic winner Romeo Allianace (T3) taking on littermate Romeo Ability (T2) from the Janssens kennel and Kranky Drake who lined up from T4 for trainer Kevin Hutton. 

As the lids went up, it was a level break and the race hinged on whether Romeo Alliance could clear kennelmate Romeo Ability into the first corner. Alliance drove the bend and Ability checked off behind. Suddenly, the Patrick Janssens-trained superstar Alliance was a couple of lengths clear of Zenith Kindy (T1) with Kranky Drake catching the eye in third a further length back. At the third bend, Kranky Drake took second and set his sights on the leader. It was a huge run from the September 2023 son of Malachi, but he went down by a length and lost nothing in defeat, and he laid down a huge marker for the upcoming ARC Puppy Classic. 

Race winner Romeo Alliance recorded an impressive 29.62 clock over the four-bend 500-metre trip and heads into the competition as the one they all have to beat. Romeo Ability stayed on well to grab third and looks an ideal competition type for those looking at each way betting options. 

A little later on, the Arena Racing Company Sprint Trophy was won by Witton Thomas (T4) in impressive fashion as the Kevin Hutton-trained October 2023 son of Ballymac Cashout made all in 17.91 to reward those that snapped up the 4/6 on offer from bookmakers. 

It was a similar story in the second ARC Sprint Trophy open race at 8.54 with Stonepark Hoffa making all at 4/11. The early-paced railer trapped well and won by just over four lengths in a flying 17.57. Time Counts finished second at 33s with Noels Shadow third at 8s. 

The final open race on the card went to Vale Bluebell (T3) at 4/7 in the ARC Stayers Trophy open race at 9.28 over the six-bend 680-metre trip at the Colwick Park venue. Swift Home led round from T5, but this was her first attempt at six-bends, and she looked vulnerable as they approached the fifth bend. This is where Vale Bluebell took the lead and kicked for home. It was all over bar the shouting at this point as she skipped five lengths clear to record a 41.50 victory. 

That’s now two on the bounce for the August 2022 daughter of Broadstrand Bono and a tilt at retaining her crown in the upcoming Select Stayers could be next for her.