QUEEN JONI lines up in Thursday’s £13,000 final of the 77th British Bred Produce Stakes 2023 at Swindon as the new track record holder after a brilliant runaway victory in last week’s semi-finals.

In winning the third semi-final, the December 2021 daughter of Droopys Sydney and Queen Jessiej not only set new figures for the 476m trip but also ensured her trainer will be three-handed in the GBGB Category One decider later this week, a competition Liz and Rab McNair – and owners and breeders the KSS Syndicate – have won three times.

Victories for King Elvis (2017), King Sheeran (2019) and Queen Jessiej (2020) will mean the McNairs now eye a fourth success in the longstanding British-bred showpiece, with both King Sheeran and Queen Jessiej featuring strongly in the breeding of two of their finalists – the former being sire of King Ezra and the latter the dam of Queen Joni.

The pair finished first and second in the first semi as Queen Joni, still a pup, raced away for a sensational nine and three-quarter lengths win, posting a red-hot 3.90sec sectional, before crossing the line clear of kennelmate King Ezra in 27.53sec (+20). For good measure, another kennelmate, King Combs, was third, albeit misses out on a final place.

The unbeaten King Capaldi kicked off semi-final afternoon at the Blunsdon venue with a battling but narrow win over Acomb Alfie (Kevin Ferguson) in the first semi as the pair went head to head before the McNairs’ December 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Queen Beyonce, a litter brother of King Combs, edged out his rival by a short head in 27.87sec (+20).

Kevin Ferguson’s Acomb Felix (Hiya Butt-Acomb Ruby, March 2021) was himself track record holder for 20 minutes or so as he unleashed a superb burst of early pace to get first run on favourite Romeo Hanzo (Graham Holland) in the second semi-final, keeping the Irish raider at bay to win by three-quarters of a length in 27.74sec (+20).

It means Romeo Hanzo will bid to become the first Irish-trained winner of the British Bred Produce Stakes, albeit he faces opposition from Kevin Ferguson’s littermates Acomb Felix and Acomb Alfie, plus a trio of runners from Liz McNair’s Kent base – King Ezra, King Capaldi and Queen Joni – and Rab McNair is delighted with their progress.

“They’re from three different litters which in itself is quite pleasing, but I think the two pups – Joni and Capaldi – have been brilliant. Capaldi has won all his four races – all at Swindon – and Joni is just getting better and better – when she gets a chance to get away the times are telling you she’s pretty quick, especially for such a young one.

“We’re happy enough with the draw. Ezra maybe doesn’t have the spark early like the pups but paces up – trap one should help him – and we’re hoping Joni and Capaldi are far enough away from each other not to bother one another. Either way, it’s a really good Produce Stakes final and it’s great to have three finalists.

“It shows us we’re doing the right things and the credit must go to Liz who brings the pups up! She looks after them and they’re turning into cracking litters – from great dams. Beyonce and Jessiej were top notch on the track and they’ve passed it down.

“It’s well known we hit a barren spell with the bitches, and didn’t get the litters we hoped to get – a couple of them missed – but these pups are worth the wait and thanks to Brendan (Keogh) and the lads for the patience. They said it was only a matter of time, told us it would happen, and now we’re in a big final with two of them, along with Ezra, too.”

Trap draw for Thursday’s 77th British Bred Produce Stakes 2023 Final: 1 King Ezra, 2 Queen Joni, 3 Acomb Alfie, 4 King Capaldi, 5 Acomb Felix, 6 Romeo Hanzo.