Atom value in TV Trophy Final at Towcester
David Metcalf | August 3, 2016
Ribble Atom to take centre stage in TV Trophy Final
The TV Trophy Final (21:08) is the feature race on an excellent evening of Open action at Towcester tonight screened Live on Sky Sports 4, and T4 Ribble Atom looks great value to land the spoils.
Mark Wallis’s bitch ran well in the race 12 months ago when a four length third to Ballymac Bonnie and comes into this year’s renewal in far better form.
She has won two of her last three starts over course and distance, showing good early pace in the last of those 11 days ago before powering clear to beat Spa Road Piper by 4 1/4 lengths in a winning time of 56.18.
That makes her closely matched with defending champ Bonnie who clocked 56.15 on the night when scoring by 5 1/2 lengths and, with the trailblazing Spa Road Piper in Trap 3 likely to be heading to the rails, Ribble Atom should get a nice clear run to the bend.
It would enable her to get first crack on Piper and, with Ballymac Bonnie’s exaggerated dropping out tactics leaving her a hostage to fortune, Ribble Atom could be away and gone by the time she hits top gear.
Here are our expert’s thoughts and selections on the seven supporting Open races on Sky:
19:11 TV Trophy Sprint
T5 Ballybee Brewery has a superb record at the track and rates a solid bet to further enhance it.
Liz McNair’s dog is one of the best sprinters in the country and is unbeaten in four starts over course and distance. Three of those wins have come when sporting the orange jacket and he looks well housed to ping out and exploit possible crowding on the inside to make all.
19:26 TV Trophy Puppy
T6 Kildallon Bolt looks to have plenty going for him in a race where many of his rivals lack course knowledge. Heather Dimmock’s son of Barefoot Bolt won the June Puppy Stakes Final at the track when showing good early pace to make all and beat Rubys Rascal and Master Kelly.
That form reads very well in the context of this contest and, with a low starter on his inside, Kildallon Bolt looks nicely housed in the stripes to turn the first bend in front and quickly establish a race winning lead.
19.43 TV Trophy Super Stayers
Droopys Cottage has some top class form to her name and looks to have been found an excellent opportunity to get back on the scoresheet.
Dean Childs’ bitch ran very well when third to Ballymac Bonnie in the TV Trophy heats over 930m, showing plenty of early dash to lead until the seventh.
The drop back to 686m will hold no fears, and she should now be spot on to do herself justice following three runs after a break from what looks a decent draw in Trap 2.
19.59 Blackstone Marco Retirement Stakes
T2 Blackstone Marco can bring the house down by getting the better of Barricane Tiger to win on his final start of what has been a remarkable career.
Heather Dimmock’s superstar veteran is one of the most popular dogs in training and has won eight of his 11 starts at the venue.
He is also three from four when sporting the blue jacket and is an ultra-tough sort with a real desire for success who can put his track knowledge to good use to bow out in style.
20:16 TV Trophy Hurdles
Kakantu has the strongest form in the book and is going to be extremely tough to beat.
Barry O’Sullivan’s charge has won three of his last four starts and ran a blinder when runner-up last time out at Hove behind Ballymac Manix who is one of the best hurdlers in the country.
With three wide seeds on his outside, Kakantu looks to have a peach of a draw in Trap 3 to burst clear and quickly put the race to bed.
20:33 TV Trophy Stayers
T1 Meadow relished the return to six bends when running out an impressive winner of the Produce Final Night Stayers at Swindon and looks decent value to follow-up.
John Mullins’ daughter of Kinloch Brae blasted from the traps to grab the rails and make all to score by 3 1/2 lengths and she gain looks ideally housed in the red jacket to get on the bunny early doors. If doing so she is going to be extremely difficult to peg back.
20:51 TV Trophy Bitches
T5 Huarache Finn has a progressive profile and looks the answer to a wide-open contest.
Kevin Hutton’s charge has run well in two starts over course and distance, finishing runner-up to Greenhill Gem and a fine 4 3/4 length third to the prolific win machine Domino Storm who is the best bitch in the country.
Huarache Finn has also run well in two recent trials at the venue and, if beating Trap 6 Crossfield Molly to the bend, could prove hard to hold.
Towcester selections for Sky televised races
19:11 T5 Ballybee Brewery
19:26 T6 Kildallon Bolt
19.43 T2 Droopys Cottage
19.59 T2 Blackstone Marco
20:16 T3 Kakantu (NAP)
20:33 T1 Meadow (NB)
20:51 T5 Huarache Finn
21:08 T4 Ribble Atom
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