LOGGIES LITO justified his pre-event position at the top of the betting market when saving the best for last in the RPGTV National Sprint Final at Nottingham on Monday.

Completing a good year on the open-race circuit for trainer Simon Harms after Droopys Bird’s GBGB Category One success in the Jay & Kay Coach Tours Kent St Leger at Crayford and TV Trophy third at the weekend at Hove, victory in the Category Two event for Loggies Lito capped a return to winning ways in the £3,000 decider.

Despite defeat in heat and semi-final, Loggies Lito was sent off favourite in Monday’s final. Well away and soon in a prominent position, the two-year-old drove the bend in front and opened up as market rival Geelo Gold Dust drifted off, with the rest of the field crowded.

It was left to Signature Callum (Michelle Brown) to stay on best for the runner-up spot, with the BGBF Midland Sprint Trophy second finishing just over three lengths behind Loggies Lito – the winner clocking 17.88sec (normal) for the 305m trip.

A delighted winning trainer Harms said: “We worked on him throughout the event, it’s never straightforward with him – but it came good on final night! He’d qualified in both the heats and semi-final when not quite at his best, but that was more like it in the final. He was favourite, so the pressure was on – so it’s nice to deliver.”

Harms, also thrilled with Droopys Bird’s effort in the Coral-backed marathon showpiece at Hove, paid tribute to his son and assistant Logan who sourced the July 2018 son of Droopys Jet and Ballymac Galtee after wins at Drumbo Park.

“Logan followed the whole of the litter, they’re a pretty good bunch, and we decided to go for Lito,” added Harms. “We’ve got a smaller team here now but it’s definitely quality over quantity. Droopys Bird will be aimed for the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket at Crayford and we’ll find some one-offs, hopefully, for Loggies Lito in the new year.”

A winner now of six of his 10 races in the UK, Loggies Lito was beaten in his first start for Harms at Towcester before landing a sprint competition at Central Park before running up to Shrewd Call in the Greene King IPA Sprint Grand Final at Yarmouth which supported the RPGTV East Anglian Derby.

“He was only beaten half-a-length behind Shrewd Call at Yarmouth and might well have won if not swinging off at the second bend, but it proved to everyone he was right up there with the best sprinters – we already knew he was!” continued Harms.

He added: “Nottingham has just wrapped up a really good year for us. The National Sprint winner has a pretty good record in the Sprinter of the Year category so hopefully we’ve put ourselves in the minds of those who decide these sorts of things.”

Results: www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=368951&raceId=699117