As fabulous a run as Front Alice produced – and as popular the winning trainer undoubtedly was to land the Golden Sprint – we’ve swerved her to nominate Chiltern Sunny as the Romford selection. On a great night for Harlow hounds, Sunny was nine spots quicker on the night, but that is only half the story. Paul Clarke’s bitch was contesting her tenth race since getting off the transporter for a record of seven wins and three seconds.
Back at Harlow, where Alice has a PB of 26.14, the A1 winners last week were Springside Cloda (26.86), Alberta Jamie (26.70) Good Streak (26.99) and Ragtime Bailey (26.66). The quickest run though was delivered by puppy Tinks Daithi in 26.62 (-20).
Omuircheartaigh was an 11/8jf when fifth behind Clona Curly in the Northern Puppy Derby Final, but a 9/2 chance when they met at Monmore on Saturday. In terms of distance, there was just half a length between them as the Heilbron runner clocked the fastest heat in the PGR Puppy Derby first round.
With so few opens at their home track, a number of the Geordie trainers have been heading to Yorkshire on Sunday and Geordie Tom picked up another double there with Freedom Ellie and Romeo To Victory – his seventh over the 280m course. However, the selection is Raymond Hale’s Swift Silly, making her first appearance since the All England Cup and seeing off Angela Harrison’s Coolavanny Mercy by six lengths in 28.59 for the 500m course.
All England Cup semi finalist Unreal Bruiser followed up a 29.23 Towcester victory with a 29.00 run for Sheffield’s equivalent distance last week. Yesterday, he was back in Northamptonshire and found half a length on his previous run, which was also the quickest of the week.
Ballymac Taylor has only raced five times above 800 metres and is still to be beaten. She found 54 spots from her last race at Oxford to set a new track record for the 847 metres. 53 of them came from an improved sectional, 26.91/27.44. A mention too for Lively Lauren who can now boast a win over the great Droopys Clue on her CV. A decent run too, 39.43 for the 650m.
At Central Park the breeding stayed the same, it was the gender than changed. Queen Shakira would be the star of virtually any other litter – it’s just not that simple when your brothers are King Memphis and King Capaldi. But the 31 kilo dark brindle made a statement for girl power with the fastest heat win in the Kent Plate.
Locally bred pup Never Say No – fourth in the Olympic – has returned as good as ever following lameness. He followed up last week’s 29.45 (calc) run for the Hove 500m course with an impressive 30.06 (-10) over the additional 15 metres. More to come surely?
That is five in a row now for Coppice Gracie who goes unbeaten into the BGBF British Breeders Stakes Final at Nottingham tonight. She has 22 races on her card for 13 wins and like most British breds, will have received most of her education in races, not schooling trials.
Ballyard Shawny – a 27.24 winner for Henlow’s 460m last year contested a terrific all-open-race-winning A1 at Yarmouth on Wednesday and got home by a short head from Wrighty. They were pursued by Roxys Bullet, Smores, Alberts Legacy and Inflation. Best graded race of the year to date anywhere!
Perry Barr also staged a couple of decent A1s on Saturday. The quicker of the pair was won by the top heat regular Good Spark in 28.60 (-20). His 12th win in 54 outings.
It is a myth that sprint form is unreliable given the unforgiving nature of trapping. But it isn’t one that Swindon punters are likely to subscribe to. Dashing Dude went to the Swindon 262m boxes for the 11th time on Thursday and made it win no.10. Think we can forgive him for that one “short head” blip. That’s eight in a row over course and distance.
Similarly, it is often reckoned that small circuits like Suffolk Downs are more likely to produce inconsistent form. ‘Boony’s’ 388m record holder Bettys Jack hasn’t been fazed. That’s 13 races, 10 wins and 3 seconds. Unlucky to miss out this week were sprinter Clives Joy and six-bender, Moaning Rossi.
Any graded race that features Witton Supremo and Witton Perfecto is likely to be the feature top heat at Sunderland. Both were in action on Friday night but found one too good in another prolific A1 winner, Hawkfield Diego. That’s four of his last six. The quickest winner of the week was Chasing Colbert, though his 27.08 was recorded on +20 going and in A2 company.
The Newcastle selection was simple enough, the only hound to have broken 29.00 in the last week. That honour was earned by Westforth Sadie with a 28.98 (-10) run in A2.
Last autumn, Trewmount Fury was practically unbeatable over the Doncaster six bend course where she produced the fastest run of the year, 41.14. It has been a stop/start campaign for her this year but a 41.47 win on Saturday night – off an ordinary sectional – suggests she is starting to find the old form.
On Sunday, veteran Summer Swirl arrived at Valley as the sprint record holder with a 15.90 run on her card. She lost it briefly with Different Speed clicking off three spots, but took it back just under an hour later with a 15.83 run.
Scratching around at Crayford a bit this week with Devon Dolly getting the nod on the strength of a 23.22 open race win – a time that will just get her onto the ‘top ten fastest 380s this year’ chart.
Last week’s top Pelaw performer Killieford Sarah started as the 5/4f to step up on last week’s 25.91 run in A2. She ran well enough but had no answer to the 25.59 run from Mucky Buick, the quickest time over the 435m trip so far this year.
There were no sub28.00 runs at Kinsley this week – but almost. Mark Lyons’ Malachis Rose had won her last two A3 races in 28.02 and 28.01. You can guess the rest!
