Comparing the merits of different performances is particularly tough at this time of year when the appraisals are not only between ages and distances, but factoring in significant changes in going conditions between one meeting and the next at the same track.
The habit of extending puppy competitions into juvenile events hasn’t helped. Why would any owner want to enter a puppy event taking on ‘young adults’ with greater physical maturity and more racing experience? Not enough pups? Look for fewer runners. Anything else is self defeating.
In general then, we are looking for a mix of age and ability – if in doubt, go for the fastest time of the week.
Moving on. . . at Lifford, it was impossible to separate littermates Hather Badadook and Hather Queenie who both clocked FONs over two different distances on Saturday night.
The performance of the week though? We would have to give it to Paul Scally’s bitch puppy Cabra Twister whose 28.97 at Thurles was exceptional by any standard.
| CLONMEL | 16.23 | BOYHERO | (Skywalker Puma-Boozed Jordan, Apr 16) |
| CURRAHEEN PARK | 28.80 | LARAVOULTA HAWK | (Droopys Scolari-Chinook Hawk, May 16) |
| DRUMBO PARK | 29.00 | DEANMILL ANNIE | (Milldean Panther-Kathleens Holly, Sep 14) |
| DUNDALK | 28.48 | ELSA BLUE | (Vans Escalade-Razldazl Lily, Jan 15) |
| ENNISCORTHY | 29.20 | EAST COAST BLAZE | (Tyrur Big Mike-Quinton Gold, Mar 16) |
| GALWAY | 29.10 | HANOVER HARMONY | (Paradise Madison-Clydagh Premier, Apr 14) |
| KILKENNY | 40.78 | JAYTEE PATRIOT | (Godsend-Mays Maska, Apr 14) |
| LIFFORD | 19.09 | HATHER BABADOOK | (Hather For Da-Hather Two Bake, Jan 16) |
| 30.56 | HATHER QUEENIE | (Hather For Da-Hather Two Bake, Jan 16) | |
| LIMERICK | 28.66 | CHEER FOR ME | (Tullymurry Act-Black Hopit, Nov 14) |
| LONGFORD | 31.21 | NOSEY NEIGHBOUR | (Crash-Doonalley June, Sep 14) |
| MULLINGAR | 29.55 | HORSELEAP NICOLA | (Lenson Bolt-Home Bluebell, May 14) |
| NEWBRIDGE | 17.66 | MOSSIE BOY | (Droopys Scolari-Sunrise Ice, Aug 15) |
| SHELBOURNE PARK | 31.25 | URBAN ROCK | (Some Sleeper-Urban Chat, Dec 14) |
| THURLES PARK | 28.97 | CABRA TWISTER | (Storm Control-Cabra Millie, Jun 16) |
| TRALEE | 28.79 | ASHWOOD BARRY | (Tubbertelly Dubh-Ashwood Hayley, Jan 15) |
| WATERFORD | 28.90 | LEMON ABAGAIL | (Taylors Sky-Lemon Lucy, Feb 16) |
| YOUGHAL | 29.42 | BARNFIELD BOLT | (Tullymurry Act-Bellers Beauty, Apr 16) |
