BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

The obvious place to start is the first round of the Essex Vase at Romford and the fastest first round winner Smallmead. Staying with the open races, puppy Nellys Money was the quickest of the Newcastle 480 winners last Thursday.

While Waltham Blue Boy’s 17.59 was achieved in D2 at Nottingham, it was only five spots slower than the fastest sprint of 2019.

Swift Fabio has been mentioned in various Monmore despatches over time. This week it is his litter sister Cynthias Gift who starred at Hove with a 29.33 (-10) run.

With nothing breaking 30.00 for four bends at Towcester on Sunday, the 16.04 sprint run by Hang Em High is more worthy of note.

Rising Coco was last week’s Crayford selection for a stunning S1 win. She keeps the title following a much tighter win in E1. Jet Stream Socks is another of the regular names; this week it is following a 27.33 win at Henlow. The same goes for Corona Lady with five wins from 14 races and a 27.54 clocking over Kinsley’s 462m course. Over the similar distance at Yarmouth, only one runner broke 28.00, Chess.

It is another week to ‘forget the clock’ at Doncaster, but in terms of consistency, the 25.5 kilo Paradise Kia remains one of the gamest at the track with five wins from her last nine races, the last coming on -80 going. Similar issues at Monmore where no hound has broken 29.00 in the last week. Closest to it was Daves Gift’s 29.04.

If you were looking for a track seemingly untouched by the weather – or at least expertly transformed by the track staff, few would equal Sunderland. Many Returns went quickest their this week with a 27.27 run. A note too for 15.89 sprinter Clonard Storm.

At Perry Barr, Doolin King won the best A1 of the week in 28.85 on going rated .10 slow. Interestingly, his last A1 win was won in 28.54 (N) off an identical split. Sheffield’s highest grade of the week over four bends was A2, but there was a six bend S1 which went to Emoskis Girl. At Swindon, British Bred St.Leger winner Zaha switched back to four bends and clocked an excellent 28.29 (-10).

Diesel Vicky has the quickest 415 at Harlow in the first 10 days of 2021. Central Park’s Lenson John was among the best veterans of the week with a 29.53 (-40) run.