DEELISH FRANKIE was narrowly quickest in the semi-finals of the Stadium Bookmakers Blue Riband at Towcester on Sunday to maintain the fine run of trainer Patrick Janssens in this year’s event.

 

After kennelmates Lautaro and Fabulous Azurra set the fastest times in the qualifying round and first round respectively, it was the turn of Deelish Frankie to top the clocks as the July 2020 son of Ballymac Bolger and Ballymac Belle made the most of a fast start in the first semi-final before racing away.

 

Taking advantage of the withdrawal of Fabulous Azurra (in-season) which cleared the way inside, Deelish Frankie posted a 4.12sec split on his way to a five-length success over Mr Chelm (John Mullins) and Frostys Ten (Seamus Gaughan) in 29.14sec (normal) for the 500m trip of the GBGB Category One annual.

 

Just one spot slower in the second semi-final was Hopes Paddington as the Mark Wallis-trained runner produced a customary strong-running performance to land the spoils and score his place in Sunday’s £10,000 final.

 

The April 2020 son of Good News and Charity Anna was joined early in this contest by fast-starting Signet Otis (Kevin Hutton) but used the inside line to edge that rival at the bend and held the advantage throughout before scoring by two and a half lengths in 29.15sec (normal), with the winner’s Antigua Bigun qualifying in third.

 

Winning trainer Mark Wallis said: “It was a pretty good weekend all told. We got two through to the (Coral) Essex Vase final and then two into the (Stadium Bookmakers) Blue Riband final – and that’s what we’re trying to target in 2023. Giving ourselves chances in these major events is what we’re aiming for.

 

“Nothing’s easy as we know, but getting Cat One dogs into the kennel and giving them every chance in competitions is what we’re trying to do more this year – concentrating more on open-racing, but more than that – concentrating on the big events.

 

“I wrote a piece for my website saying how I’m looking to reduce the kennel strength we have considerably and that means winning a 14th Trainer of the Year title might be more difficult, even allowing for the fact our main rivals have super strong kennels themselves – they pushed us hard last year.

 

“Either way, it’s fingers crossed for the weekend, starting with Friday at Romford and then Towcester on Sunday. Our runners are in good order – and hopefully they get the luck you sometimes need in these finals. We won the Blue Riband last year with Ivy Hill Skyhigh and have won the Essex Vase a few times – it’d be nice to win both again!”

 

Form and trap draw for Sunday’s final: https://towcester-racecourse.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/br1-1.pdf

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=393200&raceId=906823