We try hard not to share Performances of the Week but it seems an impossible task not to do so at Hove on this occasion. Defending Sussex Cup champ Candolin Monsoon continues his expertly handled return from lameness with the quickest first round win in 29.84 (He won last year’s final in 29.62). While Nathan Hunt’s Coronation Cup runner-up Cooladerry Dust confirmed his apparent need for a tougher work out with the most impressive run in the PGR Regency.
Meanwhile, the Cambridgeshire based handler was also having a good night at Perry Barr with Droopys By Amile, Seaview Sydney and Cunnigar Yoursir completing a treble. The latter was the pick of the three with a 28.20 run over the standard distance. That’s his fourth open race win of the year on four different tracks.
When it comes to versatility though, can anyone compete with El Tornillo? Dave Lee’s dark brindle set a new track record for Oxford’s 450m on Saturday night, a flying 26.24. Add that to a CV of Central Park (491) Crayford (540), Doncaster (450m) Monmore (480), Nottingham (480) Swindon (476) and Towcester (500).
But that wasn’t the only clock to be broken this week. At Valley, Santas Ranger took half a length off the old 460 metre record with a 28.05 run on Sunday. Before the going allowance of +10, he had found nine lengths on his previous outing, which he also won.
It isn’t very often that the ladies outpace the males in high class middle distance racing – Queen Joni and Crafty Shivoo regularly excluded. But while most eyes were on her kennelmate Wicky Ned, Jimmy Fenwick’s 640m open race winner Ballymac Camilla went quicker than all the All England heat winners when taking an Angel of the North qualifier in 28.20.
While at Sunderland, the quickest run of the week was the 27.23 from Six Foot Putt. But while her run was on a +30 track, Jill Sutherst’s appropriately named Good Edge saw off an A2 field in 27.29 (+20). It was his quickest time on his 32nd visit to the 450 boxes.
Pelaw Grange continue to fill their opens with another couple on Sunday. But both were outperformed by Frank Kearney’s local A2 grader Patterdale Messi who finally cracked A2 company with a very respectable 25.72.
Teaboy Brownie – the fastest sprinter at Romford this year – has been deposed. Nathan Hunt’s fawn finished five lengths adrift of Maxine Locke’s Tullymurry Dylan who became the fastest hound over the 225m trip with a 13.33 run. The quickest run last year was Ballymac Slapup’s 13.20.
Sometimes a run comes out of nowhere and it wouldn’t be too disparaging of Swift Depot to suggest probably even shocked the kennel on at Yarmouth on Monday. John Mullins’ runner had won just twice in his precious 24 races, when he went to traps for an A1. But after finding two lengths on his fastest split, he proceeded to clock the fastest time of the year for the Derby distance, 27.33.
Sometimes, the easiest way when selecting the week’s top performer is to take the ‘pragmatic’ route. With three Nottingham sprints being won in 17.78, 17.79 and 17.79 on Monday, we’ve chosen the path of least resistance which is Colin Wilton’s Sambar Kian, who produced the night’s best four bend performance, 29.81 in a 500m open. Kian ended Aghaburren Beau’s four-race winning sequence. They meet again in another cracking top heat.
Meanwhile Nottingham’s Barry Denby continues to supplement his income with regular visits to Doncaster. On Saturday night Bellmore Ozzy added another £300 to the £600 from his last two visits in 27.48. But how about this for consistency? Last three winning times, 27.51, 27.48, 27.48. Winning distances: sh, hd, ½. Robert Watson might need to explain why the track was so slow for the first of those runs!
Last week’s Performer of the Week feature had only been published a few hours earlier when Tax You Tonight produced an unbeatable claim for this week’s Harlow selection. Di Jinks’ ex Romford and Central Park top heat runner destroyed an A1 field in a new PB of 26.27.
Over the Suffolk border, the top race of the week was a contest between a string of A1 winners: Lemming Force, Bronson, Savana Robbie. We can now add Jason Ray’s Brennans Bambi to the list on her umpteenth attempt – though she did once win a heat of a Cat three comp.
Until Thursday, half of the six top staying performances at Swindon this year belonged to ‘Ballymac’ prefixed runners headed by Sean Gresham’s Madgie (41.29). That figure in now two thirds with Angie Kibble’s Ballymac Rocky adding to the group with a 41.57 run. That’s four wins in his last five.
For those who think that breeding is a lottery, cast your eye on the Towcester selection this week. 22 month old Syd Zafiro was only 15 spots outside the Derby course record with a 28.73 run in the Genco Group Juvenile Classic heats. His mum is the only greyhound ever to win the Irish Derby & Oaks.
There were a few decent runs by pups at Monmore this week including a 28.50 (N) by A5 winner Bandanna Bono (Sep). Heading the field though is October whelp Bert Ted. Paul Sallis’ youngster was a comfortable A2 winner in 28.36 (+10). His Monmore career began in A5 and he has only gone one way since. Top heat awaits.
Coonough Crow has four ‘fastest of year’ times against her name at the moment which should shine some perspective on Princess Athena’s run in the heats of a Cat 3 stayers event at Central Park. Tony Collett’s bitch came within a single spot of Crow’s time for the 664m. Her 40.39 was recorded on going rated -15. The other qualifier was won in 41.05.
At Sheffield, reigning Performer of the Week Stay Large was looking to extend his winning sequence to five in Sunday’s opens. But a poor break was always going to cost him and it was locally bred and reared Acomb Felix who took full advantage to clock the fastest time of the week, 28.78. That is 27 wins (and 22 2nds) in 74 races.
A few hours later in West Yorkshire, Kinsley staged one of their best graded meetings of the year with a dozen of their top graders spread between two A2s. The first went to Deelish Lucy with a 27.83 win over Kilara Thyestes, followed home by Westside Bocko, Ballymac Frisby, Lynnway Touch, and Rapido Georgie. Less than an hour later it was the turn of Sober Ballad who led home Buzzers Delight, Ballymac Alyssa, Clonleigh Robin, Stonepark Abba and Ay Up Frederick in 27.68. Both on +20.
Punk Rock Athena landed a Crayford 714m open last week but was passed over for the Performance of the Week by Razldazl Barkely in the Champion Hurdle. But with the jumps semi finals proving something of an anticlimax, Stuart Maplesden’s bitch gets some long overdue attention. (It was a good week for the ‘Kent Athenas’)
