On a night where Britain’s heavyweight champion pummelled his opponent into submission, Shawfield was the scene of another knockout blow – with two more of the ante-post favourites sent tumbling out of the bettor.com Scottish Derby in the first heats.
Charlie Lister’s Yahoo Jamie and the Paul Hennessy - trained Tote Gold Cup champion De Ex Factor failed to make the first three in their respective heats despite both going off clear favourites.
Yahoo Jamie, whose time of 29.18secs was in fact the eighth quickest time of the night but found three too good in a high-class heat which was won by Greenwell Viper in a barnstorming time of 28.83sec.
Viper’s time was the fastest seen at Shawfield this season. The 12-1 shot was two lengths off early pace setter Yorkshire Star turning into the third bend, but turned on the gas in the final straight to pull clear by two lengths.
De Ex Factor paid the price for missing the break as he could only manage fourth behind an impressive run from Craig Dawson’s Ballymac Rebound in heat three.
Dawson went on to complete a double in heat six, though not with favoured November Weather but with Ardera Monarch. The winner took advantage when Ardmayle Courier ran wide at the third bend and just held off a rally from that rival by a short-head in 29.37sec.
Heat four saw Julie Bateson’s runner Blood Of Kings come through early crowding to clock a time of 29.11sec. Coming from an unfavoured wide draw in trap six, he found an impressive turn of foot down the back straight to steal the win from a fast finishing Hill Tipoki by three lengths.
Heat five, according to the form book, would be the slowest heat of the night and it lived up to that billing with Carly Philpot’s Nambisco taking the honours in a time of 29.44secs. Philpot’s charge ran very wide at the first bend but managed to stay on strongly in the final stages to take the heat by three lengths ahead of the slow starting Droopys Kentucky.
In the first heat of the night Bettor.com’s tricast predictor came up trumps with Killeford Fire outstaying Bickerton Morry and Greenwell River in a time of 29.17secs.
The second round takes place on Tuesday night at Shawfield and stay tuned here at Bettor.com where a race by race preview will be available on Tuesday morning.
Draw for Tuesday's second round.
Heat One: 1 Bickerton Morry, 2 Ardera Monarch, 3 Droopys Kentucky, 4 Newlawn Class (m), 5 Honey Trampas (w), 6 Yorkshire Star (w).
Heat Two: 1 Nambisco, 2 Killieford Fire 3 Wilfy Wells, 4 Ardkill Tunoco, 5 Greenwell Viper, 6 Westmead Scolari.
Heat Three: 1 Westmead Bond, 2 Tyrur Speedy, 3 Was Not Me, 4 Greenwell River, 5 Ardmayle Courier, 6 Sunoak Crystal.
Heat Four: 1 Ardkill Ernie, 2 Beaming Dilemma, 3 Hill Tipoki, 4 Ballymac Rebound, 5 Blood Of Kings, 6 Final Washington.
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