Blonde Fletch returns to winning ways at Oxford

Mark Wallis: Trains Blonde Fletch

  PICTURE: STEVE NASH 

THE highlight of Oxford's open card on Thursday night was the 645-metre Stayers' contest at 9.35 where Mark Wallis's Blonde Fletch continued on the comebacktrail.

The 2011 Stayer of the year, who was sent off the 1-2 jolly, got back to winning ways when leading at the fifth bend and drawing away to beat Scala Cosey by 2 3/4L in 39.96sec.
Earlier, the first of the open races at7.50 saw Chris Allsopp's Bandicoot Fionn (5-2JF) storm to a 26.95sec victory.
Mountjoy Orion (5-4F) justified support to win the 595-metre Stayers' at 8.05. Mark Wallis's bitch beat Farloe Orion by a shade over three lengths in 37.09sec.
Richard Yeates's Roseville Bullet (6-4F) then made it three out of three for market leaders when taking the Puppy contest in 27.20sec.
Bookies got some respite 5-4 jolly Hack Up Golddust failed by a short head to catch 5-1 chance Prima Facie who clocked 15.13sec for the 250m Sprint.
The following race, a second 595m Stayers, produced another thriller when Heather Dimmock's Bangcrashwallop (11-8F) dead-heated with Pat Rosney's Head Iton Eoin (4-1) with Paul Young's Coolavanny Fairy just a short-head away in third.
Favourite backers were in clover again when Paul Young's Packin Heat (5-4F) took the 450m Standard at 9.05 in a speedy 26.88sec.
Kevin Hutton's Kilmalady Biffo, a 6-4 second favourite, stayed onwell to land the 9.20 in 27.23sec.