BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

There have been some exceptional performance this week, but surely none better than Roxholme Kristof’s stunning win in the St.Leger first round?

If you were looking for a contender though, Bockos Belly would surely be it. Regular readers would have detected Patrick Janssens assertion last week on this website that the youngster was genuinely special and Sunday night’s run of 29.17 at Central Park was proof indeed. How good a run was it from the 19 month old pup on UK debut? First a start the going was rated at -70, which made it a sub track record run. Tenpin clocked 29.21 in the Kent Derby – also below the clock on going rated .80 slow.

The Derby might be over but Queen Dolly produced a Derby class run in the British Breeders Stakes with a 29.27 run – only Deerjet Sydney and Doolin Duke have been quicker. Incidentally, the bitch who beat Dolly in the British Bred Oaks Final at Doncaster, Fearsome Encore, has continued her good run at Sheffield as demonstrated by a flying 28.81 (-30) run in A1.

Droopys Trapper might now be in his veteran years, but a 28.29 (-10) was his fastest ever run over the Newcastle 480m course.

The Romford selections are usually judged over four and six bends and there were fine runs by Tiffield Blueboy and Droopys Addition respectively, but the nod is going to Graham Payne’s veteran sprinter Savana Jessica with a 13.33 run. To put the run into perspective, only Kenton Ten (13.27) has gone quicker in 2019/20.

Back in September, Pennys Fearnog finished down the field in a couple of open races at Yarmouth. But that confidence in his ability didn’t look misplaced with a near 10 length graded win at Crayford in the fastest time of the week.

Barnside Rio won the best top heat at Doncaster in the last week, albeit only by the length of his black neck. On the subject of tight deciders, Pelaw Grange staged four A1s on Sunday and all four winners finished within 10 spots of each other. Quickest though was Shells Bells.

Last week the Sunderland nomination went to Witton Logician with a 27.21 run; this week it took a 27.20 run from Beaming Mix Up. The only sub28.00 run at Yarmouth this week went to a debutant. There will be more to come from the well bred Lochryan.

With no exceptional performances to call on at Harlow, we decided to go for volume. Doc Holliday and Kinnego Bay both joined Slippy Babe on the ’12 win’ mark for 2020 with the latter getting the nod, based on winning his last two outings.

For the Kinsley selection, we look to sprinter Balidaniel Tadhg with a 16.07 run. It is perhaps a sign of the times, that the July ’17 whelp switched from Ireland as a three year old but has 525 form at Newbridge and will presumably soon be tackling four bends again.

If we were running a table for most appearances in this feature Doorus Jet would be in the leading pack at Hove. His latest mention follows a recent 29.54 (-30) win – his fourth consecutive win in A1.

Jaxx Purple picked up the vote for a graded win at Henlow a couple of weeks ago. Improving all the time, she now has her first open win, a 38.20 (-40) run for 630 at Monmore.

The week’s Henlow nomination is Elms Bee with a 27.62 run in A3 but was beaten on Sunday night in her Oaks preparation at Swindon. The star of that night’s card was Newinn Liz with a 27.98 run.

In terms of versatility, Towcester’s fastest 500m winner of the week Makeit Tiger has a winning line of form over 769 metres at Harlow. Further proof that the new circuit definitely suits strong runners.