Group Skater took the big-race spoils at Crayford on Saturday

  PICTURE: Steve Nash  

Group hugs rails to give Hennessy Jacket glory

PAUL HENNESSY’S “shot in the dark” hit the bullseye with a superb victory from Group Skater in the £15,000 final of the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket over 714m atCrayford on Saturday.

Hennessy admitted in yesterday’s Racing Post that “it was a shot in the dark coming over for this”, but his calculated gamble paid off in style.

Midway Skipper made a slick break and, holding her pitch at the first bend as the field converged on her, shot clear as they crowded.
Group Skater made a moderate start, but slowed down cleverly as they bunched, and then hugged the rails into the second.

The Irish ace then made the leader look pedestrian as he turned on the turbo down to the third bend, and effectively put the race to bed as he stormed past Midway Skipper at that point.

Odds-on Dazzle Special was bumped on the run-up by White Blaze, and duly arrived at the first turn just in time to be sandwiched between that rival and Midway Skipper. Theresa Hunwicks’ bitch was badly crowded, and as she checked off ran straight across outsider Eye Onthe Spirit,who was sent tumbling.

To her credit, Dazzle Special again showed trememdous powers of recovery – as was the case behind Group Skater in the first round – but there was no catching the leader, who crossed the line over four lengths to the good in a slick 44.79sec.

Read more in Sunday's Racing Post