The consistency of greyhounds is something to behold and Hollow Man produced a prime example in the semi finals of the £20K PGR Champion Stakes at Romford on Friday. Derek Knight’s metronomic black made it eight in a row on a wet track that was clearly a little slower than a week earlier. His 222m sectional was back five spots, his winning time was back 20 spots. The judge did the only logical thing by making the going -20. Simples!
At Perry Barr, the PGR Greyhound Oaks moved onto the second round stage with Irish raider Droopys Mandolin clocking the quickest run of the night. With two slow breakers on her outside, she looks likely to get a decent run to the bend in the semis.
Sticking with the PGR theme, connections of Droopys Clue will fancy getting their hands on another £20K of sponsorship money after a track record breaking run in the opening round of the Kent Derby. That’s 13 wins in 21 races. Two more wins and he would probably be Greyhound of the Year favourite – if he isn’t already!
Unlike kennelmate Newinn Syd who was on the money at Central Park, Newinn Ranger has been something of a slow burner. He burst onto the scene with a 29.28 at Towcester on debut back in May but only had one other success to his name since. On Sunday though he returned to the Northamptonshire venue and clocked the quickest run of the day, 29.20. Hopefully he has turned the corner.
What an absolute sickener for connections of Rioja Joey on Tuesday. The fastest Bresbet Steel City Cup semi final winner was in the form of his life but came off lame with a toe injury. Only Droppys Fidget (28.35) has gone quicker this year. Thankfully he couldn’t be in a better kennel for his convalescence.
Last week’s POW Joes Sagar was in action at Hove on Thursday in a maiden open sweepstake. The punters favourited his kennel mate Getup Me Boy (5-6) and proved spot on with a 29.52 run on debut. One for the notebook!
Little to choose between the Nottingham open winners this week but Whisky Champ was as good as any with a 28.62 run on (+20) – a going allowance known to the locals as actually being ‘not that fast at all’. That’s three in a row for Craig Marston’s brindle.
Crayford was all about Darren Whitton this week who sent out the fastest winners over four and six bends: Phoenix Elvis (23.13) and Moaning Rossi. We’ve gone with the latter based on his 33.44 being just a length outside Antigua Sugar’s quickest run of the year for the 540 metres.
It seems very harsh to be overlooking Agile Annie who won her first open and competed a four-timer at Doncaster in 29.46 (-20). She is an absolute cracker. The problem is, how do you overlook Trewnmount Fury’s 41.43 run over six bends. While taking on board, the lack of stayers opens at the track means that the FOY run of 41.43 is quite a low bar to clear. But Jimmy Gaskin’s black won by a full second, on a -15 track and the last hound to better that time was Roxholme Poppy (41.38/41.21) five years ago.
Swindon has been running consistently well in recent week as Eze (27.78) and Southfield Hawk (41.58) demonstrated on Thursday. But the nod goes to Dashing Dude whose 15.24 equated to a triple dead-heat for the fastest sprint of the year (shared with Headford Harry and Youarethereason).
The highest grade at Newcastle this week was A2 (where is all the talent hiding). There were a few of them and the quickest of the lot was Bramble Nickeen with a 28.71 run.
Whereas Sunderland regulars had a ‘proper’ A1 to get stuck into on Friday night with Kitty The Step going for a third consecutive POW. It wasn’t to be as Witton Supremo – beaten favourite in her previous five outings – found her long lost trapping boots and gave them all a running lesson in 27.01.
While at Pelaw Grange, any question whether puppy Annaghdown Cuddles could mix it with the best at the track was answered emphatically on Sunday with a 25.74 run in A2. That is three in a row for a bitch who has 19.16 winning form for the Galway sprint (FOY 19.01).
Both Suffolk Downs and Oxford lost their most prestigious meetings last week. Half a card of opens was lost at West Row leaving A3 winner Cougar Mccoy as the week’s fastest winner.
The Oxford situation was more complex with three runners tying on the fastest time of the week, 27.28. Except it wasn’t because Dreamin Ghengis clocked his time in A5 (albeit he is a December pup). His kennelmate Blackhawk Moon clocked his run on Monday in A2 and met the third winner, No Worries in an A1 on Saturday and was beaten three lengths. All three are Hutton hounds.
Puckane Sydney has been in the shadow of brother Aayamza Sydney thus far with the latter landing the Derby Purse in 40.83 for 659. It will be interesting to see what the lesser known brother does over six bends having clocked 27.66 when coming from off the pace in a Yarmouth A1 this week. Looking at his breeding, he shouldn’t have any stamina issues.
Bennys Chancer spent a fair bit of time in the Yarmouth A1 (best 27.75) with the odd open race success along the way. On Sunday night Mark Newberry’s white and black produced the third fastest time of the year at Henlow with a 27.31 run.
It would be fair to say that Monmore was running quick slick on Wednesday with times of 28.45, 28.47, 28.51 and 28.52. Quickest of the lot was Paul Sallis’ A1 winner Slippy Thriller. That’s three of his last four at Wolverhampton with the last dog to beat him being Links Maverick.
There can’t be many more consistent Harlow runners than Essjay John who was this week’s quickest 415m runner when clocking 26.41. That was his 20th race at the track, of which he has 15 wins and 5 seconds.
It is a case of ‘pick your Ballymac’ at Kinsley where the Kerry breds continue to do well. Following on from Ballymac Dom is another puppy Ballymac Alyssa who beat a decent A2 field in 27.83.
