Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger semi-finals report

HAVANA LOVER again set the standard in the semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger at Perry Barr on Thursday.

 

Lining up in the second semi-final, the improving August 2020 daughter of Laughil Blake and Love Honey was led from the boxes and for much of the way by Select Stayers winner Savana Ruinart (Diane Henry), but unleashed a strong challenge past halfway to come through and lead off the last bend.

 

In command thereafter, the favourite crossed the line one and half lengths clear of Savana Ruinart, the pair qualifying for Thursday’s £20,000 decider.

 

Rab McNair, husband of trainer Liz, said: “I’m delighted with her and just hope she gets a chance of a run in the final – then she’d have every chance.

 

“You take nothing for granted. We’ve been in this position a good few times this year and thankfully Warzone Tom did the business on the night for us at Monmore (Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic). Of course it’d be great to win the St Leger of the lads (KSS Syndicate), it’s one of the great Classics, but we’re not counting our chickens yet!

 

“I just feel she’s coming to herself now – as we always hoped. She had one or two things that held her up but won the (Sportystuff TV Puppy Cup) puppy final on Derby final night, then we had the heat during the Towcester competition (Stadium Bookmakers Juvenile Classic). She did well to make the final there, too.

 

“But I always felt there was more to come once she got eight, nine, ten races under her belt without any hold-ups. We stepped her up at Monmore and things didn’t go right for her in the semis, but Perry Barr is suiting her style because she’s got speed but stays well – there’s no hiding place there. You’ve got to get home. Fingers crossed now.”

 

Diane Henry, Savana Ruinart’s trainer, will be doubly handed in the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger Final after her Savana Volcano, the oldest runner in the decider, repeated her heat success in the first semi-final at the Birmingham track.

 

Giving her field a start as usual over six bends, the May 2018 daughter of Confident Rankin and Volcano once again showed her marathon prowess to come through to deny Cochise (Richard Rees) in the shadow of the post by a short-head in 43.07sec (normal).

 

There was another close finish in the third semi-final as the Matt Dartnall-trained Droopys Jungle, another runner with eight-bend experience, stayed best to collar longtime leader Chelms Club (Jason Heath) close home to win by half a length in 43.27sec (normal).

 

Trap draw for Thursday’s Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger Final: https://www.perrybarr-greyhounds.co.uk/racing/

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=389262&raceId=874538

  

M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup semi-finals report

INNFIELD TROJAN again posted the fastest time in the semi-finals of the M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup In Memory of M Lambe Senior at Perry Barr on Thursday.

 

Following up an impressive and quickest effort in the heats seven days previously, the Tom Heilbron-trained June 2020 son Pat C Sabbath and Coolemount Bally was once more foot-perfect in the second semi-final of the GBGB Category One event being staged in memory of the father of Perry Barr trainer John Lambe.

 

Pacing up to shade another fast starter in Ivanexile (Matt Dartnall) at the first bend, the pair had the 480m contest between them thereafter with Innfield Trojan crossing the line a length clear of his closest rival in 28.19sec (normal) – both qualifying for next week’s £10,000-to-the-winner decider.

 

A delighted winning trainer Tom Heilbron said: “He’s done myself and the kennel proud again. He’s owned by three of us – my dad (Kevin), John Jefferson and myself – and we couldn’t be more happier with him. I just think he’s becoming a lot more consistent dog and proving to be a real top-notch greyhound.

 

“I’d like to think he’d have a shout out at Newcomer of the Year [at the 2023 GBGB Awards] with this being his third Category One final since starting racing in January and finishing third in the Derby Plate to boot.

 

“As for Thursday’s final, I think he’s got a great draw and I’ve always preferred him from two anyway.

 

“I think if he breaks like he did in the semis on Thursday and makes the turn in front then he wins. He’s as good as anything I’ve put a lead on and I still think he’s got more to come. Looking forward after this competition there’s the potential of Nottingham for the Eclipse or Newcastle for the All England Cup.”

 

On a night when the semi-finals of the M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup shared centre-stage with the semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing St Leger, the open-race action kicked off with the first semi-final of the 480m event which went to the Richard Rees-trained Bambis Magic.

 

Helping kick-start a good night for the Hove handler, who will have four runners in Thursday’s two finals, the August 2020 son of Droopys Sydney and Vigorous Hilary was smartly into stride and was never headed as he crossed the line three and three-quarter lengths clear of kennelmate Drive On Lad for a Rees one-two.

 

The winning time for Bambis Magic was 28.26sec (normal).

 

The Rees kennel then struck again as Winter Derby winner Burnchurch Mick made all in the third semi-final, albeit had to withstand a challenge late on from Goldies Perryman (Paul Foster) to win by a short-head in 28.40sec (normal).

 

Trap draw for the M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup In Memory of M Lambe Senior Final: https://www.perrybarr-greyhounds.co.uk/racing/

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=389262&raceId=874538