2009 Sprint Report
20 year old Leigh Marshall of Hawick defied the bookmakers odds to finish the clear winner of the 2009 and 140th New Year Sprint held on 28th and 29th December 2008 at Musselburgh Racecourse.
After one of the most open finals for years, Leigh walked away with the gold medal and 4000 pound first prize despite never having competed before at the New Year Sprint.
The bookmakers made Marshall the outsider of the cross-tie winners to snatch the biggest prize at 4/1, but Marshall made a nonsense of these odds when he slipped in to overdrive with 20 metres to go to pull away from the rest of the field to win by a clear a metre.
Despite three female heat winners contesting the cross-ties the final was once again an all-male affair. Linda Nicholson of Peebles just missed qualifying for the final by 4 hundredths of a second.
Nick Smith ran away with the SGA British 110 metres Championship which was staged at the New Year Sprint meeting for the first time.
Betting has always been an integral part of the New Year Sprint meeting, providing an opportunity for those with inside knowledge to convert their wisdom into financial gain, or simply giving a chance for the ordinary spectator to indulge in a "flutter". Only 20 years ago the out-field at Meadowbank stadium (the previous home of the New Year Sprint) would be lined with bookmakers. Nowadays only a few diehard bookmakers regularly support the New Year Sprint meeting providing an important and valued service to the betting public. Amongst these are Cumbie Bowers of Fife and Peter Collins of Edinburgh, the latter marking his 57th anniversary as bookmaker at New Year.
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The soft ground and long turf worked against fast times in the New Year Sprint heats, though the runners did have the benefit of a following breeze. The temperature was a few degrees above freezing.
Long odds favourite to win the final before the running of the heats was Josh Crawford of Annan at evens, with Ross Kirk of Pitreavie AC at 3/1.
The heats got underway in scintillating fashion as Daniel Paxton of Hawick (10m) just got the better of frontmarker William Bates of Tullibody (15.5m) to win in 11.75 secs - the fastest heat of the day. Former British Champion and last year's runner up David Rae of Hawick (6.75m) finished two metres back in third place to qualify for the cross-ties as a fastest looser.
In heat 2, Gemma Nicol of Dunfermline & WF AC (14.5m) hung on to the lead to edge out David Knox of Selkirk (19.5m)
and Darrin Scott of Jedburgh (11m). The winning time of 12.21 secs was the slowest of the heat times.
Heat 3 was another close affair with Connor Hedley of Ellington (11m) just holding off John Armstrong of Edinburgh (9m) and backmarker Brett Rund of Edinburgh AC (3.25m) in 11.95 secs. Armstrong and Rund qualiifed for the cross-ties as fastest loosers.
Andrew Bryson of Hawick (19m) was the first veteran heat winner of the day when he won heat 4 in 12 secs dead. Bryson's determined, strong finish proved just too much for backmarker Francis Smith of Woodford Green (4.25m) who also qualified for the cross-ties as a fastest looser.
Linda Nicholson of Peebles (26m) in heat 5 was the second lady heat winner of the day when she was clear winner of heat 5 in 11.95 secs.
Ross Kirk of Pitreavie AC (8.5m) gained one of the easiest victories of the heats when he won heat 7 by several metres in 12.07 secs.
Speedy veteran Paul Donaghy of Durham City (10.25m) beat fellow veteran Tom Nicholson of Glasgow (15.5m) by a metre to win heat 8 in 12.15 secs.
The easiest win of the day went to backmarker Steven Charters of Edinburgh AC (4.5m) who won heat 9 by the length of a (short) street in 12.20 secs.
Heat 10 saw some blistering running from Leigh Marshall of Hawick (8m) and Duncan Cleat of Edinburgh AC (7m) with Marshall winning decisively by 1.5 metres in the fast time of 11.77 secs. Cleat qualiifed for the cross-ties as a fastest looser.
Amy Clancy of Peebles (18.5m) became the third lady heat winner when she took heat 11 by half a metre from fast finishing backmarker Craig Sowerby of Seaton AC (7m) in 12 secs dead.
Backmarker Cameron Smith of Tullibody (7m) was an easy winner in heat 12 beating long odds favourite Josh Crawford of Annan (8.25m) by 3 metres.
An eye catching performance came in heat 13 from another backmarker, Greg Turnbull of Edinburgh (5.5m), who easily disposed of the field to win in the fast time of 11.80 secs.
The final heat, heat 14, saw victory go to yet another backmarker, as John Dunlop of Edinburgh AC (5m) finished 1.5 metres ahead of veteran Gregor Nicholson of Moorfoot AC (18.5m).
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The first cross-tie saw a gallant effort from frontmarker Linda Nicholson who hung on to the lead until 10 metres out when she yielded to fast finishing favourite Daniel Paxton. Cameron Smith came through for second in the last couple of strides to deny Linda a place in the final. The winning time was 11.95 secs.
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Daniel Paxton winning first cross-tie from Cameron Smith (left) and Linda Nicholson (second left).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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In the second cross-tie favourite Leigh Marshall overhauled frontmarker Gemma Nicol with relative ease and booked his passage to the final with comfort in 11.94 secs. Duncan Cleat held off Steven Charters for second place and a berth in the final.
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Leigh Marshall winning second cross-tie from Duncan Cleat (blue vest) and Steven Charters.
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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Near backmarker and favourite Greg Turnbull stormed through the field to record the most emphatic victory of the cross-ties, winning in 12 seconds dead. Backmarker John Dunlop also came through the field to finish in second place but failed to qualify for the final as a fastest looser.
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Greg Turnbull winning third cross-tie from John Dunlop (blue bib) and Connor Hedley (black bib).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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Favourite Ross Kirk pipped the in-form frontmarker William Bates, who had demolished the field in the 90 metres final the previous day, to win the fourth and last cross-tie in 11.92 secs. An impressively fluent display from backmarker Peter Denholm took him to third place and final qualification.
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Ross Kirk winning fourth cross-tie from William Bates (blue bib) and Peter Denholm (black bib).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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As start time for the final approached the bookmakers had installed Daniel Paxton as evens favourite with Ross Kirk slightly out at 6/4, Greg Turnbull at 7/4 and Leigh Marshall at 4/1.
The runners got down to their blocks with Marshall and Kirk on virtually identical marks, Turnbull 3 metres behind and Paxton 2 metres ahead. The starting pistol fired and the favourites rose as one. The first half of the race saw frontmarker Bates holding on to his advantage. At the 70 metre point the four favourites appeared neck and neck with Smith, in an outside lane, keeping in contention. At the 90 metre point Marshall broke from the pack and delivered a finish of the highest quality to win with a metre to spare in 11.84 secs. Four runners were involved in a blanket finish for second place with the verdict going to Greg Turnbull in 11.95 secs. Daniel Paxton was given third ahead of Ross Kirk, though both were awarded a time of 11.96 secs. Cameron Smith was just outside in 11.99 secs for fifth place. Bates was a metre behind in sixth followed closely by Denholm and Cleat.
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Leigh Marshall diving for the line to win the final from Greg Turnbull (blue bib), Daniel Paxton (partially obscured by Marshall), Ross Kirk (pink bib) and Cameron Smith (left).
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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A field of 5 runners - 4 from local club Edinburgh AC - comprised the race to establish the fastest British runner over 110 metres. Nick Smith of Aberdour took advantage of the absence of 80 metres Champion Craig Fleming of Harrow AC to romp away with victory and the £1000 first prize by over 4 metres. Brett Rund proved the fastest of the Edinburgh AC runners edging out John Dunlop by half a metre. Two metres back, Michael Barvik held off Barry Middleton for fourth place.
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Nick Smith winning the British 110 metres Championship.
Photo: Grossick Racing Photography.
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The evergreen David Grieve of Hawick (11.5m) gained a deserved, albeit surprising victory in the Vets final as he got the better of Gregor Nicholson of Moorfoot (17.5m) who had earlier posted the fastest vets heat time. Paul Donaghy of Durham City (9.5m) was just beaten into third place with Tom Nicholson of Glasgow (14m) edged out into fourth place. Tom Bradley of Edinburgh (19.5m) was fifth with 70 year old James Beattie of Kelty (23m) sixth.
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David Grieve winning the 90 metres Veterans Handicap.
Photo from DVD by Keith Simpson, Selkirk.
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The outcome of the 90 metres final was effectively sealed with the running of the last heat, heat 12, when William Bates of Tullibody (15m) scorched to the fastest heat of the day. Indeed, Bates was such a favourite for the final that the bookmakers only took bets for second place. Bates did not disappoint, winning by almost 2 metres from the veterans final winner David Grieve. A metre further back, Josh Crawford of Annan (7.75m) took third place followed by David Rae (6.25m), Steven Fox (9.5m) and Gregor Nicholson. Only half a metre separated the last four runners.
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William Bates winning the 90 metres Open Handicap.
Photo from DVD by Keith Simpson, Selkirk.
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Craig Robertson of Pitreavie AC (40m) repeated his success last year to win the 1600 metres Open, pulling away in the back straight to win by a clear 10 metres from backmarker Douglas Selman of Corstorphine AC (30m) in 4 mins 37.7 secs. Ryan O'Hare of Edinburgh AC (115m) was another 15 metres back with Darrell Hastie of Kelso (50m) and Ross Mathieson of Lasswade AC (80m) following in his wake. Jordan Taylor of Hawick (115m) was sixth.
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Craig Robertson winning the 1600 metres Open Handicap.
Photo from DVD by Keith Simpson, Selkirk.
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The 90 metres Youths final was a close fought race with John Glen of Galashiels (4m) just getting the verdict over Ross Maxwell of E. Kilbride AC (8m) by one hundredth of a second in 10.82 secs. Emily Douglas of Jedburgh (7m) narrowly beat Ryan Houten of Moorfoot Juniors (18m) for third place. A metre back Jordan Charters of Dolphinton (12.5m) edged out Ryan Goodfellow of Earlston (8m). One and a half metres further back saw backmarker Paul Ferguson of Jedburgh (0.5m) ahead of Sophie Elder of Jedburgh (8m). The final was marred by a false start that saw Ryan run almost 60 metres before realising that there was no race. Had it not been for the additional handicap of running this exta distance, Ryan would surely have challenged for a medal position.
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John Glen (red bib) winning the 90 metres Youths Handicap.
Photo from DVD by Keith Simpson, Selkirk.
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Dan Purves of Earlston (60m) snatched the lead with just 10 metres to go to beat Kathryn Pennel of Pitreavie AC (105m) by one and a half metres with Micaela Brown of Pitreavie AC (145m) just one metre further back in third place. Craig Stephen of Dunfermline & WF AC (125m) was fourth followed by Joe Armstrong of Durham (155m) and Andrew MacNally of Central AC (125m).
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Dan Purves winning the 800 metres Youths Handicap from Kathryn Pennel.
Photo from DVD by Keith Simpson, Selkirk.
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