ANTIGUA SUGAR continued her excellent run of form by posting easily the fastest time of the night in the heats of the Coral Coronation Cup at Romford on Friday.

On a night when six heats of the 575m competition, upgraded to GBGB Category One status this year, shared the stage with six heats of the Coral Golden Sprint, it was Mark Wallis’s recent winner of the Peter Bussey Memorial Trophy at Crayford who set the standard with a superb performance in heat three – despite missing the break.

Led by fast-starting Bonjour Bullet (Belinda Green) from the boxes, Antigua Sugar (Ballymac Bolger-Dolce Vita, Aug 20) was soon in top gear and hit the front down the far side second time before stretching clear to win by four and a half lengths in 34.79sec (+15) from Coral Essex Vase champion Aayamza Magic (Mark Wallis) and Bonjour Bullet.

Next quickest was Queen Pink as the Essex Vase third, winner of the British Bred Stayers at Monmore, was soon in front in heat six and never headed as the January 2021 daughter of King Sheeran and King Danni crossed the line a length and three-quarters ahead of Nathan Hunt’s local pair of Doghouse Dazzler and Droopys By Amile in 35.07sec (normal).

The event kicked off with victory for Romeo On Tilt (Kilty Lad-Fabulous Pin, April 20) as the Patrick Janssens-trained runner produced a powerful effort to recover from first-bend crowding before hitting the front off the last bend to score by three-quarters of a length from Sweet Talker (Mark Wallis) and Butdarewasfour (Gemma Evans) in 35.41sec (+15).

Antigua Bigun earlier initiated a double for Mark Wallis in heat two as the September 2019  son of Droopys Sydney and Trumpers Floki made all off the back of a quick start and 13.49sec sectional to score by a length and three-quarters in 35.10sec (+15) from Drive On Lad (Richard Rees) and Whitings New Era (Paul Young).

Chelms Greatest made it two-from-two since joining John Mullins in winning heat four as the litter brother of Antigua Sugar caught fast-starting Annadown Daisy (Belinda Green) just after halfway to score by a half-a-length from keeping-on Droopys Goodtime (Richard Rees) and Silverspring Ria, a kennelmate of the winner, in 35.30sec (+15).

The remaining Coral Coronation Cup heat went to Droopys Latest as the Richard Rees-trained November 2020 daughter of Tullymurry Act and Droopys Hunch made all off the back of a 13.57sec sectional in heat five to score from Stella Bella (Nathan Hunt) and Peejays Forever (Jason Gornall) in 35.59sec (normal).

Mark Arkell, Romford’s racing manager, said he was delighted to have the Coral Coronation Cup back as a Category One competition in 2023 – and staged alongside the Coral Golden Sprint for a brilliant big-race double-header at the Essex venue.

He added: “We returned the Coronation Cup to the schedule last year after a two-year break. It was run as a Cat Two but the intention was always to get it back to Cat One status – which now seems absolutely right in what is a coronation year – and gives up a top-class triple crown of 575m races here with the Essex Vase and Champion Stakes.

“Jason Gornall won the Coronation Cup last year with Baby Bullet and well done to him qualifying Peejays Forever through to the semis on Friday, although the one they all have to beat is Mark Wallis’s Antigua Sugar who is running really well and has plenty in hand on the clock – albeit there’s still a long way to go in the event!”

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=394595&raceId=918746

Form and trap draw for Friday’s semi-finals: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Romford/form-guides/Trap-Draw-Proof-3rd-March.pdf