It is a dilemma who to choose at Hove between the two KSS runners, Queen Joni winning her fourth Cat One in the Brighton Belle and kennelmate King Memphis who went 28 spots quicker. The decision is Joni – just, maybe, probably.
While great credit to Kilwest Ranger in landing the ARC Laurels for Tony Harmes, the Perry Barr selection has to be Darley DIglake who was quicker on the night having been unluckily eliminated in the early rounds of the prestige event. That is seven wins in his last nine for the British bred hound.
We are also passing over the KAB Maiden Derby winner Jaytee Etienne whose 29.19 run at Towcester on Sunday was entirely overshadowed by Savana Jackpot’s 28.78 in a maiden. Only track record holder Droopys Clue (28.58) has gone quicker in 2024. Some run from a dog whose last win was over 750 yards at Shelbourne Park five months ago. A mention too for Innfield Charm’s second quickest 712 of the year, 42.95.
The Ladbrokes Kent St.Leger is the next Cat One cab off the rank, starting at Crayford next weekend. On Sunday evening, Nathan Hunt’s Droopys Flotilla put herself firmly in the shop window with a 45.12 run for the Leger 714m with Coonough Crow and Capel Rose following her home.
Unanimous Leon bounced back from his semi final elimination in the KAB Maiden Derby with an impressive 28.66 (-20) run at Newcastle on Thursday night. Tom Heilbron’s brindle had landed a Towcester qualifier in 29.44, and significantly, off a rapid 4.01 sectional.
There was also a treble for Geordie Tom at Sheffield on Sunday. Arguably the most notable of the three was puppy Toddys Thunder with the quickest 500m race of the week, 29.01.
Ex Sheffield A1 runner Easy Eamon was fancied by punters to reverse form with last week’s Doncaster POW, Jaguar Jacob. Phil Barlow’s brindle didn’t let them down by landing the week’s premier A1 race in 30.23 (-60). The slow track probably contributed but some decent grading too, the first four over the line separated by three quarters of a length.
No opens at Swindon – but no matter. Snaffi Mojito clocked the fastest 470 of the year with a 27.93 run beating Baggios Intent in a very decent top heat. Kerry racegoers may remember Paul Foster’s bitch puppy winning the €1,000 Christmas Novice Final at Tralee at only 17 months old.
Two decent opens at Nottingham on Monday and little between them. Noelles Milano beat a decent field including Leighas Dream in 30.03 for the 500m course. The 480 was won by Droopys By Amile in 28.79 which is just one spot short of the FOY. Runner-up was Mallogs Calvin who was last week’s selection after winning in an identical time.
There was another Burgess Bucks runner impressing at Suffolk Downs. Having just missed out on a nomination last week, Michelle Brown’s pup Bucking Bucks completed a hat-trick with an easy A1 win in 23.62. Now if he could only stay as well as his mum!
Lemming Pride won a very decent Harlow A1 in 26.43 and must be considered desperately unlucky not to be selected because Droopys Latest was one spot slower when winning different A1 latter in the day. The latter selection gets in based on the fact that she beat four rivals – Pride beat two – and the field including the almost invincible Good Streak.
Kinsley’s most high profile race of the week was Thursday’s A2 featuring several of the track’s top hounds including Ballymac Frisby, defending POW Lynnway Touch and Deelish Lucy. The latter was made the 2/1f and justified it with a 27.97 run for the 462m. There was also a worthy run from June puppy Stonepark Abba in winning an A3 in 27.91 (+10).
Monmore was ‘quick’ on Thursday with runs of 28.44, 28.39 and 28.28 (+20). Then last two were recorded by Taberner trained hounds with the quickest of the lot being Bangon Jeremy. For a dog who spent six months on the sidelines, his improvement shows no sign of tailing off.
With no performance of the ‘impossible to ignore’ variety at Romford last week, defending POW Teaboy Brownie holds onto his slot with his fourth win in his last five for the Nathan Hunt trained runner.
There was a very similar situation at Oxford on Saturday, a number of decent runs but nothing outstanding. So we will stick with puppy Union Rebel who had to graft to complete his hat-trick after early crowding so his winning time was back by four lengths. Best of the rest, stayer Move Over Ogie with the 10th fastest 650 win of the year.
Completing the treble of defended titles is Wrighty. Although his 28.17 was three spots slower than Leeview Glory’s just one race earlier on the card, he was crowded at the start, it was in superior company and also completing a four-timer.
At Valley, Different Speed completed an eight-timer but he loses his slot to Robert Short’s debutant Mystical Mango who went six spots quicker in her own sprint open -15.89 (TR 15.79). As a 28.58 Limerick winner, her sprint career may not last long.
It isn’t very often that Asbo Lenny runs graded at Central Park, it is even rarer when he gets beaten in them so he duly went to traps at 6/4 for a bristling top heat on Saturday night. And he led for probably 490 of the 491 metres but honours went to Tony Collett’s Atomic Crimes with a 29.47 run. Clearly better suited to the circuit than Crayford where she was A4/S2 during her brief career there.
The oldest line of form to receive an acknowledgement is Barnfield Chief’s win in A3 at Sunderland last Monday afternoon. The July pup saw off an A4 field by four lengths in 27.35.
Still in the North East, Roskie Beat was the only runner to break 26.00 for four bends at Pelaw Grange last week. The younger full sister to Mr Chelm (aka Kildare) clocked 25.98.
