The opening rounds of the Regency and Sussex Cup didn’t disappoint with new FOY clocks for both the 515m and 695m. With absolute resepect due to locally bred Ballyblack Speed (29.95), we’re going to edge it to the fastest Regency heat winner Chelms Cub for a 41.43 run. Only Blue Tick George (41.36) and Kishlawn Shakira (41.38, 41.42) went quicker last year. You can’t say connections aren’t overdue it – that’s two wins in 19 outings!
Meanwhile at sister track Monmore on the same night, the 28.00 and 38.00 barriers came under fire. Quickest over six bends was Magic Firebird with a 38.01 but Aero Dylan produced the fastest standard run of the year with that 28.00 clocking. Interestingly, Arrun Dunn’s black is a litter brother to the fastest hound over the sprint course, the brilliant Crossfield Dusty.
You might think that a maiden at Nottingham on a Monday night wouldn’t take a lot of winning. But then along comes Luminous Invader with a 29.29 on his card in A1 at Towcester. He’ll go quicker than 30.02.
Two weeks ago we predicted that Geelo Striker was capable of beating his personal best of 28.54 (+30) for Sheffield’s 500m. Tuesday’s 28.74 wasn’t that run, though it was recorded on normal going. Please stay sound Striker!
Newcastle staged the Angel Of the North heats on Tuesday and with Jaguar Macie in season, the spotlight fell on the young pretender Witton Razl. She is running out of time in juvenile company but a career record of five opens wins and a second in six races doesn’t make for a bad CV.
Harlow times aren’t always the easiest to follow. Not a problem this week when three heats of a 415m open competition were won in 26.52 (twice) and 26.49. Quickest of the trio was Sharon Saberton’s April Fourth.
Most of the Perry Barr elite were out in Thursday night’s opens with the outstanding performance going to John Lambe’s near 39 kilo black Mystical Mario for a 28.38 run in a maiden. He is lightly raced, but his puppy form includes a 28.55 run at Limerick. Much more to come from this one.
No dazzling runs at Suffolk Downs this week with ex-Towcester A2 runner Newtown Freckles clocking the FOW with a new personal best of 23.88.
Central Park were deprived of their Sunday night opens but local sprinter Diegos Ty has probably outshone the best of the four bend runners with a 16.40 (-20) effort for the 265m. That’s four from his last five for Tony Collett’s runner.
The bar was pretty low at Crayford this week, with or without the opens. So the selection is A6 winner Cherissethediva with a 23.33 run. Swindon was an even tougher call due to the loss of Sunday night. After a great deal of head scratching, we’ve gone for veteran A6 grader Sawpit Sabbath who was only three spots off the fastest time of the week in his 102nd race.
No such issues at Towcester where despite the cancellation of Sunday’s open race card, the 29.44 run of A2 debutant Magical Stella suggests she wouldn’t have been out of place among the Juvenile Classic hopefuls.
Doncaster’s quickest run of the week was produced by a dog who has been contesting the top grades for almost two solid years. Ballymac Johnsie is no world beater but with a strike rate of 21 wins from 65 races he has always paid his way.
The hot weather restricted the Henlow selection to just the Saturday meeting; but most of the top performers tend to come on that day anyway. So it was a return to the winner’s circle for a dog whose litter have previously featured regularly on the site, but still have puppy status, the British bred Tymekangaroodown.
The opposite is true at Kinsley where Sunday would normally produce the POW. So instead we’ll switch to the sprint and a 16.16 run for Ratchies Finn.
Pelaw only ever have one meeting each week to choose from but you only need one when the dog with the two fastest time of the year makes an appearance. Bellmore Chief rocked up with a 25.64 – which is a two spot advance on his previous best.
After a proliferation of ‘copy and paste’ selections last week, apart from Witton Razl, only Makeit For Waz successfully defended her title. That is five in a row now for Frank Gray’s cracking black who is also a litter sister to recent Irish Champion Stakes winner, Vincenzo.
Among the failures was Sunderland’s Dubllinhill Turbo who faced the ignominy of having to retrial after finishing sixth to Graham Strike’s exciting new arrival, Ratchies Gift.
We conclude at Yarmouth where last Monday night All About Gold staked his claim for the nomination with a FOY 27.49 for the 462 metres. That was until Wednesday when Mark Brighton’s Gracias Lorenzo went two spots quicker.
