There were so many exceptional performances at Towcester on Saturday including a new sprint clock for Aero Sanundai whose 15.35 was seven spots inside Flashing Willow’s previous best. But it doesn’t get any better, after a long campaign, than equalling the course record when winning the Derby Final. Fabulous from De Lahdedah.
Big congratulations to Tom Heilbron on winning the big puppy competition at Sunderland on Friday with Untold Ruble. But he isn’t the selection. While he is was still a pup, he isn’t this morning, so ‘puppy’ claim has minimal justification. He was also some considerable margin (31 spots) off the fastest time of the night, which also happened to be the quickest run of the year from Acomb Irene, 26.54. That’s is career win 26 from 69 races (38%)
Between a combination of slow going and some fairly moderate opens, it was hard to distinguish between some of the 500 and 515m times at Hove on Thursday. But the return of Candolim Monsoon was a triumph for Team Knight. Last year’s Sussex Cup winner had not raced since being KO’d in last year’s Champion Stakes Final but following a string of solos, returned in triumph with a seven length 30.20 (-40) open race win. The quickest win over the shorter distance was 30.03!
Anti Social Behaviour Order Lenny, AKA Asbo Lenny, continued his exemplary behaviour at Central Park on Saturday when short heading Monsoon’s kennelmate Newinn Benni in 29.24. Depending on which stat sounds the most impressive, that’s four in a row, seven from eight or eight wins and three seconds from his last 11 outings for Paul Donovan’s Kent Derby third.
Sharing the gold typeface is Good Spark who continued his dominance at Perry Barr in Saturday’s centrepiece graded event. John Lambe’s blue and white (9/2) was opposed by kennelmate Away And Gone (2/1f). But it was the defending champ who was ‘away and gone’ before winning by six in 28.42 (-10).
Perry Barr’s unofficial track champion Darley Diglake was in action at Oxford on Saturday but came up against the in-form Longfellow who returned a 26.79 run for the standard. But it was another Dartnall inmate, Longfellow’s litter sister, Lokis Deception who is the selection based on a six length win in the day’s 650m open. The Hunt Cup finalist’s 39.44 is 25 spots outside the track record.
A fairly quiet night at Romford on Friday with the pick of the opens being a 35.01 run from Maxine Locke’s Bonville Jet. The veteran, with three wins in his last four, is in the form of his life. Though if there was such a thing as ‘a stewards enquiry for sectionals’ Jet’s popular trainer would be facing a five stretch. 13.33? Check for a catapult!
On the subject of early pace, Dashing Dude is a dog who loves sequences. He had a five-timer back in the Spring, and a four-timer last autumn. (He was only a short head away from an eight-timer). Frank Bryce’s coloured sprinter was back to his best when completing another four-timer on Thursday at Swindon. In fact on calculated time, he equalled his 262m track record.
In all honesty, it was probably the hardest Nottingham selection we’ve had to make since this feature began. No Monday opens and a fastest graded win of the week of 30.27. That went to the 25 kilo A2 winner Dromana Meg. The opens are back tonight though.
Harlow’s was no easier. Nothing broke 26.50 on the week and the top sprint was recorded by D1 winner Millbank Catchus on Monday with a 15.09 run. Unfortunately, the week ended badly when she ‘checked second’ in another D1 on Friday and was beaten a distance.
At one stage it looked as though the similarly prefixed Millbank Boiler was lined up to be the Monmore selection after he clocked the fourth quickest 480 of the year on Saturday night (27.97). But just 35 minutes later, Dave Lee’s Swiss-Army-Knife of a greyhound, El Tornillo stepped up with THE fastest time of the year, 27.88. That was the 25th race of his UK career, of which he has won 14 (56%)
No opens for Doncaster but the open racers were still in attendance this week. Step forward the strapping (33.1kg) British bred Agile Annie who completed a five-timer with a demolition job in 29.25, just six spots short of her fastest time of the year.
While the glamorous stuff was taking place at sister track Towcester, it was ordinary graded fare at Suffolk Downs where Michelle Brown was once again among the top heat winners. Quickest on the week was her home bred A2 winner, Callumslittlegem in 23.82.
Having spent six months on the sidelines, Moanteen Webby’s return to full fitness has been slugged out in handicap company at Newcastle. On Wednesday, Angela Harrison’s brindle finally had the chance off levels in an A2 contest and produced the best run of the week, 28.54.
Yarmouth’s outstanding performer of the week was slightly overshadowed when he was sold at a Greyhoundtrader.com on-line auction. Known as Amazing Quest at the time, he made £4,400 when the headlines were being made by the £45,100 Scaglietti. But on Monday, the renamed Chelms Bob clocked the fourth fastest ‘462’ of the year, 27.53.
Whisky Copper with seven wins including the fastest 460 and Different Speed with 12 Valley wins this year were both in action at Valley on Sunday and both won. But neither are selected since Copper’s 28.15 was eclipsed by Tracker Man with a new FOY for the standard, 28.13.
Stay Large’s English Derby exploits only lasted for a couple of rounds though the event may have come too soon for a dog who had only raced three times in six months. But Sean Davy’s runner is progressing weekly and completed a hat-trick when clocking the best run of the week at Sheffield on Sunday, 28.66.
Staying in Yorkshire, any sub-28 winner at Kinsley is likely come into consideration for POW. This week’s winning times include a: 27.90, 27.89, 27.86 and a 27.87, the quickest of which was recorded by Sunset Rocket. That’s three in a row for the Lyons’ runner following a dozen consecutive defeats.
For ‘sub-28’ at Kinsley read ‘sub-26’ at Pelaw where most weeks only one runner breaks the barrier. This Sunday there were four. Although Laughil Flash’s 25.87 was two spots slower than Dower Bono’s effort, Flash produced his in open class company while Bono won an A4.
When you go to the Crayford 714m boxes with a latest line of form showing a 44.57 win, don’t expect big odds. Ricky Holloway’s Dazl Rolex was a 4/11 chance when completing a four-timer in a slightly less giddy, 44.35.
