SLAPDASH TOMMY made several journeys north worthwhile for Nathan Hunt when landing the Queen Mother Memorial Cup Final at Sheffield on Sunday.

Having sent up runners in trials and then heats of the Category Two event, Hunt then returned to the south Yorkshire venue with the eventual winner’s kennelmate Lulu You Go for a run-off after dead-heating for a qualifying place. Although unsuccessful then, the Romford trainer was back in the £3,000 decider with the April 2020 son of Ballymac Eske and Designer.

Eyeing a hat-trick over C&D after effectively a trial stakes success and then all-the-way victory in the heats, Slapdash Tommy was soon handy and, taking advantage as favourite Jumeriah Jimmy (Barrie Draper) was crowded out off the second bend, it was left to him and Gavin Holman’s Easy Warrior to battle it out for the £3,000 prize.

Ultimately it was Slapdash Tommy, an April 2020 son of Ballymac Eske and Designer, who came home just the stronger, edging his rival by a short-head in 39.20sec (+30) after the pair had duelled from the fifth turn onwards. Victory therefore went to the two-year-old, who is owned by Tom Ronaldson and Maddie Giles.

Winning trainer Hunt said: “Tommy hasn’t been with us for long, but made three from three for us in the final which is great. I’m delighted for him and the owners and we’ll look now at Crayford’s 714m and a crack at the Entain Track Championship.”

Andrew Mascarenhas, director of racing at Owlerton Stadium, said: “Slapdash Tommy was a good winner for Nathan Hunt of a cracking race here on what was a full non-media open-race meeting in front of a bumper crowd, which delighted us.

“The Queen Mother Memorial Cup Final was a superb contest with Slapdash Tommy prevailing by the shortest of margins to complete a heat and final double. He helped make it a cracking Sunday for Nathan who also scored at the meeting with Scala Omera in the sprint. He clocked a highly impressive 15.71sec (+10.

“Other notable winners were Longrange Dick for Doncaster trainer Debbie Calvert who followed up an impressive top-grade win at Donny when clocking a rapid 28.50sec (+20) for the 500m trip.”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=383491&raceId=827336