Gucci clear Stewards' favourite after entering seventh heaven

WITTON GUCCI has reclaimed favouritism for the £10,000 SIS Star Sports Stewards Cup after setting the semi-final standard at Star Pelaw with an emphatic victory in the opener.

Glenn Foot's bitch extended her winning run to seven, six at Star Pelaw, as she broke well, got inside 2025 champion Ballymac Sargie at the first bend then proceeded to draw right away on the final circuit.

At the line, she was five and a half lengths to the good of that rival in posting 35.71sec (-10) for the 590m course.

Next fastest was Droopys Bookem, the joint-first round quickest, as he gave Ballymac Sargie's trainer Tom Heilbron another finalist when outstaying Rapido Benny in the second semi to win in 35.93sec despite a slow start.

It was all change late on in the third semi-final with Richie Taberner's Aero Pepinillo powering through to beat favourite The Other Chief, who suffered a troubled run, in 36.40sec which reflected the scrappy nature of the contest.

Star Sports (Stewards Cup finsl, Star Pelaw Saturday): T1 The Other Chief 3/1, T2 Aero Pepinillo 20/1, T3 Witton Gucci evens, T4 Droopys Bookem 9/4, T5 Rapido Benny 8/1, T6 Ballymac Sargie (m) 25/1 (e-w 1/4 1,2).

Saturday's SIS Star Sports Stewards Cup final