Henlow Derby semi-finals recap
Henlow hosted two Primus Telecom Henlow Derby semi-finals Thursday night with the top three hounds of each race earning spots in the £20,000 final, which will be run on 21 October.
Primus Telecom Henlow Derby 1st Semi Final
It was Westmead Osprey, the 6-4 race favourite, winning the first semi-final over Destroy The Camp by 5½ lengths with a time of 27.31 seconds. Osprey got off to an excellent start, and looked like he belongs
in a class above the field in this race as he cruised to an easy victory. Camp was with Osprey from the traps, but quickly fell behind after losing ground on the first bend.
Finishing in third place, and earning a spot in the final, was Westmead Melanie, who also had a bit of trouble on the first bend, but had a strong finish to move into the top three. She finished a half
length back of Camp.
Eliminated in the first heat was Bim Bam Boozle, who took fourth place, and Bright Redcliff, who finished in fifth. Redcliff went into the race with 3-1 odds and was expected to at least earn a berth in
the final. He started in the sixth trap, and instinctively moved inside, but the move didn’t pay off as he was bumped on the first bend while in the middle of the pack.
Finishing in last place was 10-1 longshot, Uncertain Step.
Primus Telecom Henlow Derby 2nd Semi Final
Star Gaze took the second semi-final by just a neck over Zupjack with a time of 27.73 seconds. Both Gaze and Zupjack got off to good starts, and it was Zupjack taking the early lead, but Gaze stayed close
and with a late burst of speed managed to force his way into the lead as they neared the finish line.
The third and fourth place finishers, both 2-1 joint favourites, finished close to the top two. Westmead Guru lost a bit of ground on the first bend, but a strong finish propelled him into third place,
a shoulder behind Zupjack, and a head in front of fourth place finisher Total Reality.
With Guru earning a spot in the final with his third place finish, owner Bob Morton will see his hounds take up three of the six spots in the race. Westmead Osprey, Westmead Melanie, and Westmead Guru
will all race for Morton, trying to win that £20,000 prize next Thursday.
The bottom two in the second semi-final went to Sparklee Bernie, in fifth, and Parkgarrif Power in sixth.
Draw for Thursday’s £20,000 final: 1 Zupjack, 2 Star Gaze, 3 Westmead Guru, 4 Westmead Melanie, 5 Westmead Osprey, 6 Destroy The Camp (w).
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