Collett's Lenson Bob bolts up in Sussex heats

Tony Collett: Trains Lenson Bob who was the fastest heat winner in the Coral Sussex Cup at Hove

  PICTURE: STEVE NASH  

THE Category One Coral Sussex Cup got under way at Hove on Thursday night with six first round heats over the 515-metre course and the fastest and most impressive qualifier was Lenson Bob.

The semi finals of the competition can also be seen live on the RPGTV channel next Thursday with the final of the £10,000 to-the-winner event, won last year by the Colin Callow-trained Longwood Days, taking place on Tuesday July 31 live on Sky Sports.

Heat 1: A terrific buckle between market leaders Fortunata and Bridge Honcho. The latter showed superior pace from bends one to three but Matt Dartnall's bitch, who broke well but lacked the pace of her rival, rallied gamely to get back up close home to score by a head in 29.99sec.

Heat 2: Market rivals Mark My Words and Bubbly Jaytee dominated this contest with Paul Sallis's Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic winner getting first run and comfortably holding the 6-4 jolly by 2 1/4L in 29.95sec.

Heat 3: Another brilliant race for which Seamus Cahill's Sunderland Classic winner Loughteen Blanco set a fast and furious pace. However, ante-post favourite Airlie Impact made significant gains from the third bend but still failed by a neck to catch the front runner who clocked 29.74sec.

Heat 4: Tony Collett's Lenson Bob, the odds-on favourite, broke fast and produced an exhibition round to make all and beat Holloway Road by 4 3/4L in 29.68sec.

Heat 5: A heat were the runners were bunched going into the first bend. Dean Childs' Dropys Vito, the 7-4 jolly, just managed to squeeze round in front and once on the bunny was always in control and beat Be Real by3L in 29.97sec.

Heat 6: Jazz Apollo was a game winner for Mark Wallis. Sakara Star was a surprise leader but was done for middle speed and, despite rallying from the final bend, was never quite getting to the winner who clocked 29.78sec.

Semi-final draw:

First: 1 Westmead Maldini, 2 Jazz Apollo, Brinkleys Flyer, 4 Loughteen Blanco, 5 Droopys Vito (m), 6 Sakara Star (w). Second: 1 Be Real, 2 Mark My Words, 3 Holloway Road, 4 Airforce Tom (m), 5 Bubbly Jaytee (w), 6 Go Go Sonic (w). Third: 1 Offshore Rebel, 2 Lenson Bob (m), 3 Fortunata (m), 4 Hugo You Go (m), 5 Bridge Honcho (m), 6 Airlie Impact (w).

The highlight at Monmore, also seen live on RPGTV, was the Ladbrokes.com 630 Trophy final for which Liscahane Razl (3-1) made all of the running.
Sandra Ralph's bitch, who had been picked up by Peggys Style in the heats last week, was always calling the shots to beat Glenbane Mile by 1 1/2L in 38.16sec.