Crafty Shivoo took full advantage of the withdrawal of Fabulous Azurra to win Trial 6 of the Empress Stakes today at Towcester in a time of 29.15.
Mark Wallis’ black pup will most likely head into the first round proper as the outright favourite on the back of her performance today. She paced up well to lead from the lids and ran away from Rapido Lady and Kilara Coco down the back straight to record the second fastest time of the trial stakes.
Of the other qualifiers for the competition, Patrick Janssen’s Charming Girl ran the fastest time. She blasted out of Trap 6 in the fifth trial stakes race and showed plenty of early to lead on the run-up. She is a bitch that likes to run middle to rails and she made the most of the space afforded to her on the inside with a vacant trap in five. Once at the front, she was not for stopping and ran out a convincing winner ahead of Cashen Eliza for Mark Wallis and Moments of Magic for Kevin Hutton, who caught the eye running on in third.
Kevin Hutton is well represented in the Empress with four runners through to the first round proper. Droopys Creative, Mystical Megan, Coppice Zaya and Moments of Magic will be in the hat. Of Hutton’s four pronged attack, Mystical Megan was his only Trial Stakes winner today, winning the third trial, reeling in Oh Cosmopolitan and holding off favourite Pepinthestep. A notable absentee for Hutton is Singalong Stacey who came into season ahead of the Trial Stakes and has been withdrawn from the competition.
RPGTV host Dani Jackson was most impressed by Fabulous Sonique, who won the second of the Trial Stakes races today. Mark Wallis’ bitch, by Magical Bale out of Fabulous Pearl, trapped smartly to lead all the way ahead of Nathan Hunt’s Ladbrokes Gold Cup finalist Whitings New Era, who was slow into her stride. In a strong ‘Trial Stakes’ Newinn Touch found a little trouble at the second but still managed to qualify in third.
Richie Taberner was delighted with Nomadic Magic who won Trial 1 by 1 1/4 lengths after showing plenty of early. Mark Wallis’ Minnie Bullet ran on well in second and more might be still to come from her as the competition gets underway next week.
Possibly the most impressive run of the afternoon came from Beatties Sparkle who regained the lead on the back straight after being run into second around the first and second bends. She switched to the inside and ran on strongly to win by 4 1/4 lengths from Kevin Hutton’s Coppice Zaya who only had her first look here last weekend in a three dog trial.