BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

The are supposedly only three certainties in life – death, taxes and Mark Wallis in Cat One finals. The serial champion trainer was on the mark again at Yarmouth on Saturday with Blueberry Bullet taking the George Ing St Leger. Technically Blue Tick Jenny was one spot quicker in a supporting open, though she didn’t have to overcome Coolavanny Aunty and Bellmore Sally!

Last week Rail McCoy, a Ballymac Best offspring who began life in A3 at Henlow, landed the Golden Sprint at Romford. That slot has been taken over by paternal half sister Antigua Princess, who began her racing career in A5 at Swindon (won an Oaks!) and was quickest over six bends at London Road last week.

The Wallis kennel looked likely to dominate at Hove too, particularly with Antigua Cuddles winning the quickest heat of the Brighton Belle. But with the TV trophy due to close today, we’ve got to look marathons and two kennel stars, Aayamza Royale and Antigua Lava were both turned over by local heroine Slippy Eva. It should be noted though that the time is 11 lengths short of Lava’s TR.

However, Imperial Kennels didn’t stop there with yet another Antigua paying his kennel bill in style. Antigua Bigun produced the best run of his career to date – and completing a five-timer at Towcester – by beating Candy Man by a length in 29.29 on Sunday.

However the Weatherall kennel had also been in pretty good for. At Monmore the previous evening, Carol landed a decent double with sprinter Dark Warrior and Candy Man’s litter brother Nipsey Hustle who moved onto second in the ‘fastest 630 of the year’ table with a 37.95 run. (Only Coolavanny Aunty – 37.82 – has gone quicker).

It would be an easy shout to flag up Signet Otis for his British Breeders win at Nottingham on Monday. But Kim Gooding might be feeling a little hard done by with Shockwave Onyx almost clearing the field. But she would have had some consolation when litter brother Shockwave Iolite went faster than the final in a supporting open.

Last week Doncaster puppy Lightfoot Jarvis clocked a hugely impressive 29.59. This week it was Debbie Calvert’s Longrange Dick who produced one of the best performances of his career clocking an identical time on going rated -40. Six days later he popped up with a 28.50 run at Sheffield (500m). However, even he was marginally outshone by Scala Omeara with the fastest Owlerton sprint in over five years. Staying in Yorkshire, the only hound to break 28.00 for Kinsley’s 462m this week – was Craig Brown’s Da Dancing King.

It was last Monday morning when the big guns were out at Central Park and it is almost impossible to split sprinter King Sam and hurdler Lenson Doolin. But we’ll edge it to the novice hurdler with his fifth win from seven jumps races.

On Tuesday the remarkable Jaguar Macie extended her Newcastle record to nine from twelve with the fastest semi final win in the Northern Flat. Her 28.32 is edging closer to her personal bests of 28.28/28.29.

The Harlow selection is heavily influenced by going allowances. Lylas Boy turned over track the prolific Front Society in a 415m open, but on balance, Crystal Emblem’s near 10 length win over Ballyea Sally just edges it. The going allowance was guesstimated at -130.

Thankfully Suffolk Downs seems to have overcome most of its going issues and Henlow D1/A2 runner Mister Eventful seems ideally suited to the intermediate distance and set a new fastest time for the 388m course with a 23.70 run. While recent A3 winner Dockers Boy (24.08 calc) returned to Henlow for an inter-track and clocked the best time of the week, 27.78.

For the last three week’s we’ve described the Crayford nomination as an award for whoever beat the Bussey Memorial winner Woodcocks Akia. No more, the queen is back with a 34.18 open race win. Such is his dominance, ‘whoever beats Marinas Artist’ will always be the Performer of the Week at Pelaw Grange. This week saw one of those rare occasions with Liffeyside Patsy looking an exciting find for Dave Bowe.

Perry Barr’s only A1 of the week went to Takemyhand with her third consecutive four bend win. But a special nod for Gerry Ballentine’s Drahbeg Dandy who gave Pat Rosney’s bitch a severe test to the run-in in what was his first race since a potential career ending injury last August.

Sunderland staged a couple of ‘ordinary’ A1s with virtually nothing to choose between Wanted Jasmine and Milldean Topaz, once going allowance was taken into consideration. We’ll edge it to Jasmine who has been up against ‘proper A1s’ Mucho Macho Jack and Matts Mink in her previous couple of races.

The week looked set to conclude with some sibling rivalry as Swindon track record breakers Headford Harry (15.50) took on the brother who had reduced the clock to 15.48, Headford Flash. But while the pair were squabbling, another kennelmate (and son of Laughil Blake), Signet Mafia raised the bar further with a 15.40 run.

Scenes at Yarmouth as Blueberry Bullet wins the George Ing St Leger Final – “Bruiser Boyz” Billy Boyle (centre) and Les Hodson hold the trophy, flanked by Mark Wallis’s kennelhand Sid Huett and sponsor Jack Cranfield. Yarmouth 26th March 2022
Photo: © Steve Nash