It is always good to see major finals blessed with top quality performances and Swift Silly’s win in the All England Cup is right up there. Her 28.48 (-10) was the fastest of her eight wins (two 2nds) in 12 races over course and distance. It compared very favourable with recent winners Mickys Barrett-28.55 (-20), Moanteen Mikey-28.72 (-30), Bower Luke-28.23 (N) and Ice On Fire-28.16 (N). One thing we weren’t able to verify – is she the first ever female of winner of the event?
Bombout Bullet was the first of Boxing Day’s good things and he duly landed the ARC National Sprint Final at Nottingham in the fastest time of the year. That’s almost a guarantee of a podium place in Sprinter of the Year.
Crayford punters reckoned Bubbly Scorcher a class apart in the Boxing Day Marathon, and he duly performed like a 4/9 chance should with a five length win off a flying 540m sectional of 33.39, a time that would have won all but two opens over that trip this year. A mention too though for Coppice Fox’s 34.02 run for the six bend hurdles on Saturday.
If you were to hold a poll at Yarmouth to decide the fastest middle distance dog at the track, Alberts Legacy would probably get the most votes. But it wouldn’t really matter since he proved it on Boxing Day by landing the annual Yarmouth Championship Final. That’s six wins in his last seven outings over course and distance.
Acomb Johnny might have found Queen Joni a bit too warm to cope with in the British Bred Derby Final, but owner/breeder/trainer Kevin Ferguson had his Christmas exes paid on Boxing Day by both Johnny and litter sister Acomb Mabel helping themselves to £300.
Johnny swagged another £200 at Doncaster on Saturday but brother Felix missed out to Colliers Brynner with a 27.64 open race win for the 450 metres. That is six wins and two seconds from eight races for the Milner marvel who has another two months in puppy company. A special mention too for Chelms Sonny, who denied Acomb Alfie in a very respectable 29.49 for the 483m. (Don’t fret about Kev tho’ – Acomb Mabel paid for the New Year refreshments in the open sprint.
Back at the Acombs home track Kinsley, this week’s selection was always likely to come from a series of A3 races. Most impressive of the winners was Burkos Ellie with a 28.46 (-30) run.
We finally have a name other than Glenmalure Flyer to represent Valley. He was “withdrawn by stewards” from Friday’s open race card with kennelmate Craiobhin Skip landing the three-runner race in his absence.
No opens at Swindon this week and some heavy going during the week. But that was under control by Saturday when Gurntara Paddy clocked the fastest time of the week in A2, 28.60 (-10). But John Spracklen’s Moreton Mischief landed the A1 on the same card in only a slightly slower time. That’s four wins in her last five and her best run of form since her hat-trick last December.
Similarly no opens at Suffolk Downs and the fastest time of the week, 23.84 (N) clocked in A3. But in terms of producing the goods in top heat company, it has to be Glengar Daisy with a 24.05 (-10) – her 18th win of the year.
No Sunday meeting for sister track Henlow who raced all-graded on Saturday afternoon. Quickest winner on the day was ex-Tralee hound Flitwick To Rhyl with a 27.62 run in A3.
Perry Barr staged a couple of A1s this week, Salmic Flitz won Saturday’s in 28.52, Swift Prank was marginally quicker on Boxing Day. Nothing between them really.
The Coral Essex Vase closes a week today and Ballymac Johnjo put himself in the shop window with an impressive eight length win over the competition course on Friday clocking a decent 35.17 for the MWD Partnership.
Depending on how you judge it, Romeo Command was either a few hours (January) or three weeks (Jan 20) short of his third birthday when he set a new Towcester 500m track record on Sunday. The Derby runner-up clocked 28.64, two spots quicker than King Memphis’ previous best and 11 spots better than his own PB. That’s 19 wins and 6 seconds in 28 races for the British bred brindle. His dad’s best run over the ‘old’ Towcester course was 28.79.
Linking nicely to Kevin Hutton sending out an open race treble at Oxford on Friday including the fastest time of the nigh for Coppice Zaya. But kennelmate Droopys Debonair was able to play the puppy card for one final time when catching Romeo Cypher in the 450th metre and clocking 26.78.
In his pre-Olympic thoughts, Seamus Cahill talked up the youngster Never Say No as a fine young prospect for 2024. There was nothing of the calibre of King Memphis in the opposition on Saturday and the youngster duly shone with an impressive FOY 29.54 run for the 500m.
Monmore was all about Richie Raberner whose Aero Maestro romped up in 28.44 in A2 while Aero Bono was two spots slower in A5 the following night. The vote has to go to Bono though, given he is only 21 months old.
Harlow’s fastest run of the week came in A2 and went to Phil Ward’s A2 winner, Hidden Cash.
Sunderland’s last Performer of the Week for 2023 was Hawkfield Diego. The 28.90 Newbridge winner has four wins from his eight UK races to date, the last three in A1 company.
In terms of being ungradeable, Inniskeel Josie is the real deal at Pelaw. A winner of eight of her last nine attempts over the 435m trip where she holds the FOY clock at 25.40, she went to boxes as an 11-8 favourite for Sunday’s A1 which also featured the defending POW Alecs Garden. But both missed out to Garry Hamilton’s Chelms Paul in a very sharp, 25.64.
Although Radiant Ruby clocked a very respectable 29.46 in Central Park’s last A1 of the year, she just misses out to her slightly slower kennelmate Asbo Lenny. Paul Donovan’s defending POW ended the year with wins in A1-A1-A1-O/R.
