HAVANA LOVER, trained by Liz McNair for the KSS Syndicate, completed a remarkable weekend for connections when setting a new track record at Towcester in the first semi-final of the Stadium Bookmakers Hunt Cup on Sunday.

 

The reigning St Leger champion bounced back from defeat in the heats of the GBGB Category One event over 712m by making all the running off the back of a 15.77sec sectional before racing clear to win by five and a half lengths from Amaze Me Seb (Richard Rees) and Baggios Champ (Frank Bryce), stopping the clock in 42.76sec (+30).

 

The winning time was four spots inside Bockos Brandy’s previous best for the six-bend trip at the Northamptonshire track and added another track record to a superb weekend for runners trained by Liz and Rab McNair after Fromposttopillar broke the track record at Oxford and Warzone Tom did the same at Romford, both on Friday.

 

Havana Lover, an August 2020 daughter of Laughil Blake and Love Honey, now lines up in Sunday’s final looking to add to her St Leger success and a previous big-race victory at Towcester in the SportyStuff TV Puppy Cup on Derby final night.

 

McNair’s runner will take on two Jason Heath-trained representatives in the Hunt Cup decider after the Hove handler grabbed a one-two in the second semi-final of the six-bend competition as Clongeel Ozzie led home kennelmate Chelms Cub.  

 

Quickly away, Clongeel Ozzie was soon in charge and was never troubled as, racing to 15.79sec sectional, the April 2020 son of Droopys Sydney and Rossroe Lady drew clear to win by six and a half lengths from Chelms Cub and Roxholme Duchess (Kevin Hutton) in 43.06sec (+30), much to the delight of the winning trainer.

 

Heath said: “It’s the first time in my career I’ve had two finalists in a Category One so we’re obviously delighted, especially with these two dogs who are quite similar really in that they showed all the ability in the world when they were younger but were clueless with dogs around them. It’s meant we had to be very patient with them.

 

“We had to wait until they were old enough to go over six bends, but both have proved it was the right thing to do. The extra room they get in their races over six bends is a must for them because they would struggle to go with four-bend pacey types.

 

“The draw on Sunday has worked out pretty much how I expected. Obviously both of our dogs have to lead to win, but they’re in there absolutely on merit and hopefully things work out for them in what is a great final. Good luck to the other finalists.”

 

Incidentally, Chelms Cub will be lining up in his fourth Category One final after finishing fourth to Havana Lover in the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger and the same position in both the Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic at Monmore and Premier Greyhound Racing Regency Final at Hove.

 

Trap draw and form for Sunday’s semi-finals: https://towcester-racecourse.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/DRAWS.pdf

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=390025&raceId=880872