STAR PELAW racing manager Dave Gray is looking forward to Saturday’s semi-finals of the SIS Star Sports Stewards Cup after six heats of the 590m event broke new ground for the Chester-le-Street venue at the weekend.

Gray said: “It’s the first Category One competition to be staged at Star Pelaw which makes us all here very proud – and our thanks go, of course, to SIS and Star Sports. We had some great racing, good performances, and the event is set up nicely heading into the semi-finals.

“Glenn Foot, whose kennels are on-site here, took the training honours with three of his four entries claiming first-round victories, while Tom Heilbron’s defending champion Ballymac Sargie managed to secure his place in the semi-finals after overcoming a tricky looking heat, staying on late into third place.

“That was behind Phil Milner’s The Other Chief who was probably the most impressive performance on the night coming from off the pace to secure the win.

“The times of the heat winners were all pretty closely matched with class acts, Antigua Kestrel for Glenn and St Leger semi-finalist Droopys Bookem for Tom, clocking identical and fastest times in their heats.

“Three semi-finals will take place on Saturday and all look pretty wide open.

“Droopys Bookem has been drawn in his favoured inside berth but will need to be on his toes early to hold Rapido Benny and Antigua Kestrel to the first bend, so there’s plenty to play for I’d say.

“And, generally, October will be a busy month for us with heats of the SIS British Bred Puppy Trophy, starting on Saturday, and the Grand National and Alan Dobbin Maiden Derby to follow.”

Joint-quickest in the Stewards Cup heats were the Glenn Foot-trained Antigua Kestrel and Tom Heilbron’s Droopys Bookem who both came home strongly to claim victory in heats three and five respectively, posting 35.94sec (-20).

The other heats were won by Newcastle handler Stephen Caile’s Hardwick Teddy (36.31sec -20), the Glenn Foot-trained pair of Witton Gucci (35.96sec -20) and Droopys Orator (36.47sec -20), and Phil Milner’s The Other Chief (36.05sec -20).