Trainer Tony Collett was celebrating on Sunday after his runner at Sittingbourne on Sunday, Lenson Bolt, broke the track record over 480m in the heat 3 of the John Smith’s Kent Derby.
Lenson Bolt only came in as a reserve for Jester’s Nap but certainly took advantage of his opportunity and won his heat by seven lengths from Mistley Colonel in a new track record time of 28.91 seconds.
Speaking of Lenson Bolt’s victory, trainer Tony Collett said;
“I hope this has a better ending than that did though,” said Collett yesterday, “because Lenson Joker went out in the semis! I was very disappointed, to put it mildly, that Lenson Bolt didn’t get in the competition originally and am only thankful that he was called up although obviously I hope Jesters Nap is quickly back on track himself.
“I knew Lenson Bolt was a good dog the day I first trialled him when he did 16.42sec for the sprint at Sittingbourne whilst he looked so awful I was almost embarrassed to be seen with him. After he ran in the Puppy Derby at Wimbledon, the choice was either to keep him with pups at Nottingham or the Kent Derby and I chose Sittingbourne because I thought the 480m was more his trip than 500m.
“I do think he’s a seriously good dog and he’ll get better still when he brushes his starting up.”
The semi finals of the Kent Derby are set to take place on Sunday 23rd August. Lenson Bolt has been drawn in trap 4 in the 2nd semi.