Hather George fastest in Steel City prep races
Mixed night: Sheffield double for Charlie Lister, but some surprise defeats too
PICTURE: STEVE NASHHATHER GEORGE was quickest in the Betfred Steel City Cup trial stakes over 500m at Sheffield on Tuesday, although the night did not turn out to be the bonanza for his trainer Charlie Lister as had been predicted.
Running in the last of five warm-ups for the Category One competition starting next Tuesday, Hather George rode first bend crowding to lead at that point and went on to hold Welton Arthur by half a length in 29.03sec.
Kennelmate Bucks Blade had earlier scored in 29.04sec but Lister saw Farloe Wolverine (4-11F), Boher Paddy (8-11F) and Taylors Cruise (5-4F) turned over by Craig Hopkins’s Lethal Roy (29.04sec), Barrie Draper’s Fireheight Spec (29.09sec) and Harry Williams’s Drumsna Hero (29.22sec) respectively in other trial stakes.
There were also shock results in the sprint and six-bend opens with Mark Siddall’s Rockchase Jack (6-1) winning the 280m contest in 16.21sec and Jeff Scott’s Total Respect the 720m event in 43.52sec.
