Williamson hoping semi action takes centre stage at Monmore

MONMORE racing manager Tony Williamson is hoping the racing will provide the main talking points at the Entain track this Saturday following an incident-packed first-round session of the track’s big-race summer Category One double-header last weekend.

Heats of the Ladbrokes-backed Gold Cup and Summer Stayers Classic served up some superb performances and a few points of debate, with some external critics questioning both the slow going and the decision not to disqualify flying bitch Slingshot Poppy, who was marked awkward in her 480m heat of the Gold Cup.

Williamson said: “I thought the racing was good with some amazing performances, not least from Vhagar, who is back defending her Summer Stayers crown and is better than ever.

“Given the track was running slow, her 37.76sec (-40) time was incredible. With regards to the going, I can assure everyone that the trackstaff have done nothing different in terms of track preparation. The track was harrowed and bladed on Friday and watering has been to the usual levels.

“The straights are holding the water better than the bends, and perhaps that’s due to the extreme hot weather we’ve seen. It seems the track is holding the water at the base.

“We race twice on a Saturday and normally we start off a bit slow, settle into normal and then the going speeds up come the evening card.

“The weather forecast this Saturday is 23C and cloudy, so that would be perfect racing conditions and I’d expect the track to run well.”

With regards to the incident which saw Brian Fairbairn’s ante-post favourite Slingshot Poppy turn her head towards Nathan Hunt’s Goldcash Warrior as he came past to win, Williamson said: “I’ve faced making countless decisions like that over the years and they’re always going to please some and upset others.

“We invited Brian up to the stewards’ box to watch the race back with us and to hear his explanation. There was a coming together, but I didn’t think it was a fight, and Goldcash Warrior wasn’t impeded enough to prevent him winning the race.

“Under the circumstances the stewards felt that marking her awkward was the fair and correct decision.”

Slingshot Poppy has drawn trap four in Saturday’s third semi-final when she will meet one heat winner in Kelly Wilton’s Grouchos Gregor.

Entain firms Coral and Ladbrokes were quick to price up all six eliminators, and make Fairbairn’s bitch their 4-7 favourite to return to winning ways.

Jimmy Fenwick’s Woltemade, who is looking to add to last month’s Northern Flat victory at his Newcastle base, renews rivalry with both Maxine Locke’s Headford Cian and Mark Wallis’s Strike It Skye in the first semi-final after that pair finished second and third behind him in qualifying.

Fenwick’s dog shares favouritism with Wallis’s bitch at 7-4 for a contest which also includes Hunt’s Goldcash Warrior John Campbell’s  heat winner Venetian Nero.

Wicky Ned, who set the standard for Fenwick on Saturday, has drawn trap one in the second qualifier and heads the Entain show at 6-4.

Vhagar, not surprisingly, has been installed a warm order for her Summer Stayers eliminator at 4-11, in which will meet Fenwick’s progressive Zenith Pasha for the first time.

Kevin Hutton’s Tooreen Rose heads a competitive market for the second semi at 9-4, while Patrick Janssens’ impressive first-round scorer Romeo Empire is 4-6 for the third.

Reflecting on the draw, Williamson added: “There’s some really good clashes and with only two to go through the competition will be fierce.

“I can’t see past Vhagar in the Summer Stayers, but I do love to see the local runners do well in the Gold Cup. Goldcash Warrior is a contender for sure, and Nathan also has Scooby Diamond in good form. Dave Page’s Wise Tournament is a really consistent, fast bitch and has a better break in her than she showed on Saturday.

“Another dog I’m expecting to improve is Magical Keith for Gary Griffiths. He did some brilliant sprint trials in qualifying but hasn’t really smashed out yet over four bends.”

Draw & betting
(Ladbrokes/Coral) Summer Stayers Classic - 1st semi-final: 1 Droopys Bookem 8, 2 Zenith Pasha 7-2, 3 Droopys Scratch 12, 4 Vhagar (m) 4-11, 5 Intriguing Iris (w) 33, 6 Onceina Lifetime (w) 20.
2nd semi-final: 1 Rapido Benny 8, 2 Bombshell Bullet 3, 3 Tooreen Rose 9-4, 4 Malcolm Bosh (m) 7-2, 5 Droopys Deploy (w) 3, 6 Timmys Hunter (w) 12.
3rd semi-final: 1 Betgoodwin Tutts 14, 2 Romeo Empire 4-6, 3 Aero Pepinillo 16, 4 Newinn Jolie (m) 8, 5 Fortanach Col (m) 11-4, 6 Savanaregimental (w) 8.
Gold Cup - 1st semi-final: 1 Goldcash Warrior 9-2, 2 Strike It Skye 7-4, 3 Venetian Nero 12, 4 Anglesey Milo 16, 5 Headford Cian (m) 9-2, 6 Woltemade (m) 7-4.
2nd semi-final: 1 Wicky Ned 6-4, 2 Zenith Jimbombom 12, 3 Headford Dane 11-4, 4 Newinn Tonic (m) 12, 5 Scooby Diamond (m) 3, 6 Wise Tournament (w) 11-2.
3rd semi-final: 1 Avarua Zlatan 9, 2 Grouchos Gregor 9-2, 3 Ballymac Blanco 5, 4 Slingshot Poppy (m) 4-7, 5 Magical Keith (m) 12, 6 Crossfield Enzo (w) 16.

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