FABULOUS AZURRA followed up kennelmate Lautaro’s feat in the qualifying trial stakes the previous week by posting the fastest heat time as the first round proper of the Stadium Bookmakers Blue Riband took centre-stage at Towcester last weekend.

 

The Patrick Janssens-trained British-bred star, who rounded off 2022 with a brilliant  victory at Shelbourne Park’s Winter Festival, was at her imperious best as a first-bend lead set up an all-the-way victory in heat four of the GBGB Category One competition for the August 2019 daughter of Magical Bale and Fabulous Artist.

 

Leading home Antigua Bigun (Mark Wallis) by a length and a half, with Lautaro also qualifying in third for the Janssens camp, Fabulous Azurra clocked a fast 29.13sec (normal) for the 500m trip, comfortably the quickest time in the heats.

 

The victory delighted her trainer, who is running out of superlatives for the three-year-old litter sister of English Derby champion Romeo Magico, after her exploits on both sides of the Irish Sea last year – and the way her top-class form has continued into the new year.

 

“What more can you say about her? She’s just amazing,” he said. “She’s certainly one of the best bitches I’ve trained and her will-to-win is just incredible. To win two British Bred Derbys and a British Bred Oaks is one thing, but then to also go across to Shelbourne and beat the best Irish bitches was something else, too.

 

“We love Lucy at the kennels and so far, so good in the Blue Riband. She’d have needed last week’s run and Sunday was more like it. That’s what she can do – she’s got bundles of class. It’s an incredible litter that Dave (Firmager, owner and breeder) has bred and she’s got every chance in the semis – even though she’s up against another two of ours!” 

 

Mr Chelm, runner-up to Romeo Magico in the Derby when known as Kildare, continued his love affair with Towcester in heat one as the now John Mullins-trained runner followed up last week’s qualifying round victory in good style.

 

Quickly away on his way to a rapid 4.04sec sectional, the July 2020 son of Droopys Sydney and Palermo was never headed thereafter as he crossed the line two and a quarter lengths clear of Deelish Frankie (Patrick Janssens) and Frostys Ten (Seamus Gaughan) in 29.53sec.

 

Kent Derby champion Arkady roared to victory in heat two. The David Mullins-trained September 2020 son of Droopys Jet and Good Legacy was soon in command and never in trouble as he crossed the line three and a half lengths clear of Coppice Fox (Kevin Hutton) and Romeo Top Cat (Patrick Janssens) in 29.43sec.

 

British Breeders Stakes winner Signet Otis improved his solid Towcester record still further when landing another British-bred success in heat three as the January 2020 daughter of Magical Bale and Forest Natalee rode a bump at the bend before stretching on to lead home Mark Wallis’s pair of Hopes Paddington and Billis Tudor by three and a quarter lengths in 29.46sec.

 

Trap draw for Sunday’s semi-finals:-

 

First semi: 1 Fabulous Azurra, 2 Romeo Top Cat, 3 Deelish Frankie, 4 Mr Chelm, 5 Coppice Fox (w), 6 Frostys Ten (w).

 

Second semi: 1 Hopes Paddington, 2 Lautaro, 3 Signet Otis, 4 Arkady (m), 5 Antigua Bigun (w), 6 Billis Tudor (w).

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=392976&raceId=904846