Mottos strikes at Notts: Ceroc shines at Romford

Charlie Lister: Won Nottingham final with Mottos Blue

  PICTURE: STEVE NASH  

THE Stadium Bookmakers 480m Trophy Final was top billing at Nottingham on Monday night and the £400 prize went the way of Mottos Blue (Evs F).

Charlie Lister's dog didn't break too well but rushed up to challenge fast-starting Swift Frogma on the first two bends before asserting in the back straight and going on to beat the resolute runner-up by 1 3/4L in 28.65sec.

The Colwick Park card also included three heats of a Sprint competition (305m) for which Around Corners was the fastest and by far the most impressive qualifier going forward to next Monday's decider.
Gerry Ballentine's prolific bitch was dominant in taking the opening heat beating Easy Speed by 3 1/2L in a useful time of 17.79sec.
It's not often a dog leads into the home straight in a Sprint and finishes third but that's what happened to Blue Glenard who was overpowered by Craig Dawson's Dunion Wells (5-4F) and David Pruhs' Monleek Jet with the holly winning heat two by a head in 18.04sec.
The third qualifier went to Jim Hayton's Boyneside Banty (7-2) who just managed to make the corner in front and then go on to record ... in beating Mill Hercules by two lengths in 17.99sec.

Monday's wouldn't be the same without a 'Coral On TV' competition at Romford and this week's instalment was for Maiden Stayers over the 575-mete course.
The opening heat saw Paul Young's Centurion Dolly (7-2) ping the lids and hold 11-8 favourite Stellars Blue at arms length for a one-length success in 36.01sec.
John Mullins' Ceroc Shaneboy, the 10-11 jolly, missed his break in heat two but got a dream run around the first two bends and then kicked away for an easy 3 1/4L success in 35.78sec.
The third eliminator saw Ricky Holloway's Airforce Vegas (4-1) shrug off a persistent challenge from Droopys Chase to assert at the fifth bend. Casani Beauty stayed on well to snatch second spot behind the 36.12sec winner.
Draw for Friday's £750 final (live on RPGTV): 1 Casani Beauty, 2 Ceroc Shaneboy, 3 Airforce Vegas (m), 4 Centurion Dolly (m), 5 Ayamzabeauty (w), 6 Stellars Blue (w).