Only one place to start – Perry Barr and three outstanding performances. In the Scurry, Gougane Jet won his eighth race on the bounce and was one spot inside Horseshoe Ping’s 15 year old clock. There were two track records too over the 480, the quickest of which was Coolavanny Shado’s 27.77 a full two lengths inside Drumkeen Oyster’s nine year old record, and a length quicker that kennelmate Slick Sakina’s 15 minute old record. But it is the Oaks winner who gets the nod having gone unbeaten through the £20K event.
On Friday night, the brilliant Fromposttopillar completed his flawless run in the RPGTV Puppy Collar at Oxford. While he definitely benefited from two empty boxes in the decider, he looked like a hound who would have dominated even more on a bigger circuit and longer trip. A special mention too for Night Time Danny on becoming the first hound to break 40.00 for Oxford’s 650m.
Also on Friday, ‘The Princess of Romford’ Chopchop Rainbow – daughter of the brilliant Chopchop Hope – who went one spot inside Walk The Talk’s 225m track record and six spot’s quicker than mum’s best!
The weekend’s other big feature was the £20K PGR Kent Derby won by Arkady. The 28.82 was recorded on -20 going. That is eight wins in his last 11 races. Earlier in the day, Signet Denver added the Cat 2 BGBF Stud Book Trophy to his Cat 1 haul than includes a Produce Stakes and a Laurels. It was his seventh consecutive victory.
In last year’s GAIN Three Nutrition Three Steps To Victory semi final, Maximum Security won his 500m qualifier in 28.73 only to be withdrawn lame from the final. On Tuesday, Nigel Saunders’ brindle popped up with a 28.42 to win the fastest semi.
Crayford’s fastest 540 winner this year Tober Sydney was 12 spots off his best time with a 33.65 run on Saturday morning. But given the higher tariff, we have to acknowledge the 45.24 run from Jusassic Rose (the 7th fastest 714m run of the year).
Later than evening, Phil Milner’s puppy Keephil Danny produced a very decent 28.49 to win a puppy open at Monmore. But there wouldn’t be many occasions when a ‘37’ doesn’t get the nod for the 630 trip and this is no exception, thanks to a 37.84 from Antigua Sugar.
On Monday night, there was a temptation to ignore the open racers and select Lynn Cook’s D2 winner Work From Home for a 17.79 run. But you can’t look past the amazing Churchill Holly with a 29.69 open race win in a field that included Puppy Classic winner Distant Podge. That’s three in a row and four out of her last five for the veteran.
The Harlow opens were low profile this week but after Huntsman, we have Taxman who stood out with a 26.36 (-10) win to follow a nine length success in A5.
Newcastle punters will be owed a few pounds by March On Larry who has started favourite in nine of his last 13 races but only won three. The most recent was a reminder of what he is capable of though as he saw off a top heat field that included Anynamewilldo and Droopys Yeehaw in 28.60.
Staying in the North East, the ARC Classic gets underway at Sunderland this week and closes today. One likely entry is Emers Tom who won a trialstake on Thursday in 27.66 (-10). While at Pelaw Grange, ex-Dundalk (21.53-400yds) regular Westport clocked the second fastest 435m run of the year with a 25.57 A1 win.
There would be a very strong case for making Perrys Oxo’s 16.16 sprint as the performance of the week at Yarmouth or even Barnfield Helena who had won six of her last eight (opens and A1s) and clocked 27.62 on Monday. However she found one too good for her on Saturday in Paul Burr’s Supa Nova with a career best, 27.56.
Very little between times once going allowances are taken into account at Suffolk Downs. So the selection is based on times, grade (A2) and consistency, four in a row, for Fi Me Jezabelle.
There was little difficulty identifying Henlow’s best race of the week, a Friday A1 won by the top heat home bred regular Tymekangaroodown whose 27.66 (-10) was three spots off his calculated PB.
Last week’s top Hove performer, Thunder Black, won again this week. In fact of the seven A1 events, six went to Seamus Cahill trained runners. The fastest of the sextet though was Greedy Punter with a 29.47 run.
It was Jimmy Gaskin who dominated the Doncaster A1 as Fill The Till retained his top slot when leading home kennelmate Ballymac Rocker.That’s five wins and a second from his last six for the dog who was running A5 at Newcastle exactly a year ago. At neighbouring Kinsley, A3 winner Kilaharry Maisie went quicker than the two A2s on the same card. Even more impressive, she had been KO’d and beaten a distance last time out and returned with a re-trial. Tough lass.
The announcement that Swindon is to cease evening racing from January will not mean the end of open racing with plans to stage them on a Saturday morning. There were none this Sunday though Druids Why So’s 28.29 win was well worthy of O/R status.
