CHELMS CUB began what turned out to be a brilliant night for Hove trainer Jason Heath when winning the second semi-final of the Bet365 Challenge Cup over 650m at Oxford on Saturday.

 

The two semi-finals of the GBGB Category One event had been carried over from Friday’s abandoned fixture at the Cowley venue and were staged as the first two races on Saturday’s fixture – and Chelms Cub saved the best for last in terms of his semi-final clocking in the second semi.

 

Always handy behind pace-setter Silverspring Ria (John Mullins), Chelms Cub powered to the front approaching the penultimate bend of the six-bend contest before racing away to score by two and a half lengths from Silverspring Ria, with Liquid Lunch (Tom Levers) qualifying for Friday’s final in third.

 

The winning time for the December 2019 son of Ballymac Bolger and Ballymac Andwhy was 41.63sec (-160) which, in the circumstances given very slow going, pleased winning trainer Heath, who would later win the George Curtis & Ballyregan Bob Memorial Final at Hove with Clongeel Ozzie.

 

Chelms Cub had edged out Clongeel Ozzie for a Heath trained one-two to win the Stadium Bookmakers Hunt Cup at Towcester and the Hove handler remains delighted with the pair of his top-class stayers – and Chelms Cub lines up in the Bet365 Challenge Cup as an unbeaten finalist in Friday’s decider.

 

“I knew he was running well – in fact both Clongeel Ozzie and Chelms Cub are doing us proud – and Chelms Cub has run really strongly in tougher conditions than he’d have been used to. We have him a short break after Towcester and that’s done him and Ozzie good, so you’re always hopefully they’ll continue to improve.”

 

Kevin Hutton struck in the first semi-final with Wota Swell Party who revelled in the test of stamina to come through and catch longtime leader and favourite Antigua Sugar (Mark Wallis) by a length and three-quarters in 41.75sec (-160).

 

The winner, a June 2020 daughter of Jaytee Jet and Swift Bunny, was winning over six bends for the first time, albeit brought A1 and S1 form to the table as a leading local. Third place here went to Gizmo Smasher (Laurence Tuffin).

 

Oxford racing manager Simon Pearson said: “In the circumstances given the slow conditions we had two very good semi-finals and it’s set things up for a cracking final here next week. Incidentally, fair play to our groundstaff who did brilliantly to ensure we were racing at all.

 

“Kevin Hutton’s Wota Swell Party might have been 14-1 but she was a deserved winner and seems to be finding her best form when it matters must, although Antigua Sugar showed great pace to almost make all.

 

“Well done also to connections of Chelms Cub, winner of the second semi-final. He’s a serial big-race finalist and the Hunt Cup champion and would have to be the one to beat in the final.”

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=392223&raceId=898585