Sunday afternoon was the story of two litter sisters. At Towcester Queen Joni went within seven spots of the track record and became the fastest bitch ever over the Derby course with a 28.67 run. It was her 9th consecutive victory and her 20th win in 26 races – including three Category One finals. Yet she is still 33/1 to become the first female English Derby winner since Sarahs Bunny. Don’t say you weren’t given an early warning of how good she is!
Meanwhile at Sheffield, Queen Georgia became the second fastest hound ever over the 480 metre course with a 27.27 run, just two spots outside Nolas Beauty’s track record.
Meanwhile at Crayford, Coonough Crow made it through to her fifth Category One final – and the third over the Crayford eight bends, with a 44.88 winning semi final of the Ladbrokes Kent St.Leger. Her PB is 44.83 – off a one spot slower sectional (23.03/23.02).
He might have been two years and three months old before winning his first race, but Romeo Crossfire’s first round win in the BGBF British Bred Maiden Derby at Newcastle was well worth the wait. But he has a bit of catching up to do in the sibling rivalry stakes with brothers Cypher and Crusade having already won Cat 1 events.
Romeo Crusade (7/2) was in the field for the best race staged at Romford this week, a decent quality 400m open featuring Druids Say Go (8/15f) on Friday night. The winner though was Say Go’s kennelmate Not So Slow who held on by a neck in 23.92 (-10).
Meanwhile Romeo Cypher lost his Oxford 450m track record to Union Rebel on Saturday night. Kevin Hutton’s pup was completing a four timer in 26.44 having clocked 27.64 on his first look at the track back in November.
Joes Sagar’s hurdle career isn’t much to shout about. He virtually fell over in one solo and fell in the other. But he has come back a fresh hound with four wins in his subsequent six opens, the most recent of which was a 30.13 success over the Hove 515m course.
Back on April 4, Swindon punters lumped on eze (6/5f) to win a very decent A1, only to see him beaten by kennelmate Gurtnara Paddy (6/1) in 28.01. On Thursday the pair met again, Eze was made the 4/6f, Paddy was returned at 9/4 and repeated the result, this time in 28.00. That’s four in a row over course and distance for West Country racing’s most underrated hound.
Most weeks the Sunderland selection goes to the top four bend runner, but Oakview Diva did enough to be recognised for her sprint win in 15.77. Only three hounds have gone quicker this year.
Enough is enough! Asbo Lenny came over ‘all Tony Soprano’ having had the sand kicked in his face twice by Atomic Grimes in the last fortnight. Paul Donovan’s Kent Derby third produced a statement 29.06 run on Saturday, the fastest graded time of the year.
On Friday, Harlow staged their best graded race of the year to date featuring the cream of the track’s middle distance runners. The field included the defending POW star for the last fortnight Droopys Latest (2/1) and recent 26.29 winner Gurtnacrehy Crew (4/1). But Good Streak (15/8) reminded everyone that he is the Harlow top dog with a 26.21 run. He has now won half of his 20 races at the track.
A pretty run-of-thep-mill week for Suffolk Downs with the FOW shared at 23.81 by Wachovia Blaze and Savana Cosmic. The selection is the latter based on her time being clocked in higher grade on slower going.
The Taberner kennel continues in great form with fine runs in the last week from sprinter Crossfield Larry (15.24) and Slapdash Joe (37.97) in a graded 630 at Monmore. But both are just edged out by Kim Billingham’s Swift Maria with a 28.04 run for the standard. It was her first open win having set out in A8 last July. Another typical Ian Greaves bred, ‘slow burner’.
From the West Midlands to Brum and another bitch puppy to make an impression is Gerry Ballentine’s, Bower Linda. Saturday’s A1 was only her fourth Perry Barr outing but she saw off a field including big hitters Swift Prank and Good Spark in the fastest time of the week, 28.33.
Meanwhile, one of PB’s top sprinters, Kate Harrison’s Different Speed, has been living up to his name on regular visits to Wales. He extended his winning sequence to nine (8 Valley, 1PB) with another easy win on Sunday. Exactly one year ago to the day, blue and white dog finished fourth in an A4 at Monmore.
Fair Joe won his first D2 at Perry Barr last August. But he produced the week’s outstanding run at Nottingham in the last seven days with a 17.59 open sprint win on Monday. Only Coppice Rocket (17.54) has gone faster in the first third of the year.
Nowhere has been running better than Doncaster in the last week as witnessed by a 16.79 sprint for Rapido Mary, a 27.55 for Untold Rouble and a 29.32 for Easy Eamon. But the selection has to be the locally bred 19 month old Redbrick Tulip with a 29.40 win in A1, just the fourth race of her career.
Staying in Yorkshire, two sub28.00 runs this week at Kinsley, both ‘Ballymacs’ trained by Bev Heaton. ‘Dalton’ produced his 27.95 on (+30) going. Ballymac Wynett was one spot slower but on (+20) and in higher grade. Stand by your bitch!
Easier equation at Pelaw, 27.95 and 27.93 on the same card. Besides, how do you not select a runner called Ever So Best!
Most of the middle distance elite were absent at Yarmouth last week with the quickest time going to the downgraded A4 winner Harry Up Ella (27.86). But the S1 grade is looking the strongest for a while. This week’s top 659 featured defending POW Droopys Oaklynn (2/1f), Droopys Colin (9/4) and the home bred Smores (100/30). And it was the blue with a 27.43 for the standard who came out on top when just holding on from ‘Colin’ in 41.15 (N).
