Head Iton Jason rises above opposition at Sheffield
Layers were nursing their wounds last night as the gamble on Head Iton Jason was landed as he strode to victory in the £5,000 final of the Molson Coors 3 Steps To Victory over 660m at Sheffield.
The Steve Race-trained hound was backed in from 7-1 to go off a 7-2 third favourite, and broke adequately behind Wilfy Wells and Farloe Rocket in the early exchanges to find a good pitch just off the pace. The front three extended their lead over the field as they completed the first lap, with the fancied Crown Rover struggling well off the pace. But, as the business end of the race approached, Head Iton Jason’s stamina came to the fore.
Approaching the final bend the orange jacket made a decisive move in between the two front-runners, eye-balling them before powering away down the back-straight to score by three-quarters of length in front of Farloe Rocket and Wilfy Wells.
There is sufficient belief now that the hound will now go onto Wimbledon to have a crack at the St Leger which is due to start in mid-October.
Other candidates for the final classic of the season were revealed last night as a contingent of dogs put their cases forwards for success in the St Leger. Ten Dollars More was arguably the most impressive performer of the night, making all from the front in the 720m race and staying on strongly in the finish. That win was the first of a double on the card for trainer Chris Allsopp, who also tasted victory with Borna Jessica earlier in the night.
Bower Hawk will now also head to Wimbledon next month after his easy victory in the Napoleons Casino Leeds Stakes where he came through a ding-dong battle down the home straight with Shades Of Jonah to score by two lengths.
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