There is a story behind every big winner and two behind a Cat 1 doubleheader. In the case of Churchfield Syd, it’s third time lucky after seemingly having the Puppy Derby in his grasp before pulling a muscle in the semi, to the failed test after crossing the line first in the Winter Derby, who could begrudge him a Gold Cup? Droopys Clue just missed out in one of the best races in 2023, the Summer Stayers final when beaten a neck by Fromposttopillar. A fitting reversal (revenge) then when ‘heading’ another McNair runner in the 2024 final.
Easiest selection of the week must be March On Freddie with a 500m track record last Monday at Nottingham. He now has the four fastest times of the year. Just to put that run into further context, here are a few previous fast winners: 29.05-Skywalker Logan, 29.12-Romeo Command, 29.14 Magical Bale/Droopys Verve, 29.15-Deerjet Sydney, 29.16-Sawpit Sensation, 29.19-Clonbrien Prince/Signet Ace, 29.20 Swift Hoffman.
With the East Anglian Derby approaching, the local handlers will be hoping their A1 regulars are approaching peak fitness. So Sandra Clayton will be delighted by the 27.39 (+20) A1 win from Bonjourno Boy last Monday. It was the fourth fastest run of the year and just three-quarters of a length off Swift Depot’s best.
Similarly, the young hopefuls are being put through their paces at Romford with the Puppy Cup in mind. Untold Rufiyaa was the only one of Tom Heilbron’s winning trio who would be eligible for the Cat One event, and that 23.68 run would already qualify him as a leading fancy. (Nicely bred too, his dam is a sister of Queen Jessiej). In fact, Rufiyaa wasn’t the quickest of the Heilbron winners. Nor was Crayford record holder Madabout Peck (23.87). That honour went to Without Cause (23.54), who had only won once in 15 previous outings.
Staying with the Kent Kings and Queen, King Stevens produced the top middle distance at Central Park this week with a 29.33 A1 win. Litter brother King Marvin produced the week’s quickest sprint (16.56). Their dam is Queen Anna, who is a half-sister to Jessiej and Lilly.
Sadly, things didn’t go quite so well for another ‘cousin’, Watchhall Sid (out of Watchhall Winnie) who had his card marked in an A1 contest at Sunderland. Early last year Carl Jackson’s hound won the Cat One British bred puppy stake at Oxford. So, the Sunderland selection this week will be Baberjet Doc following a 27.18 success.
For those who follow their bloodlines, the breeding of Perry Barr’s outstanding performer of the week, Chakra, will be of interest. Tony Harmes’ black is unbeaten in two races since arriving from Newbridge and reeled in Tip Top Maverick in Saturday’s fastest A1. She is a litter sister to Tralee 550 track record breaker Dashing Toro, and double Cat One winner, Wicky Ned.
It was ‘all go’ at Swindon on Thursday. The lead story is that Ballymac Loca broke the 682m track record with a 41.13 run, five spots inside Ballymac Mag’s previous best. However, the renamed Hopiehopiehopie (formerly Ballymac Katie) was just a spot slower when winning later on the same card. Then there was a 27.93 – joint fastest of the year run from Loggies Knight and a 27.97 from pup Southfield Duke. The son of former local favourite Southfield Bee had seven races in Ireland and finished second in all of them.
Candolim Monsoon is less than a week from veteran status but remains one of Hove’s top middle-distance performers. Off the track for seven months after being injured, the 2023 Sussex Cup winner has been superbly prepared by the Blond Knight to win four of his seven outings. The most recent was an emphatic 30.01 open win over the 515m course on Thursday on a track conservatively rated at -10.
On a similar subject, the Denby Kennel deserves huge praise for nursing Bellmore Cricket back to full form following a lengthy lay-off and he won for the sixth time in seven Doncaster races on Saturday clocking 27.39 (450m). But we are swerving him in favour of a bitch who featured as Performer of the Week at Pelaw Grange last week. In fact, the line is, ‘what a run from November pup Tromora Meg who was only two lengths slower than track specialist Bellmore Cricket on her first look at the Doncaster circuit.!’
Cloverfield Lass was beaten in her last two races by Meg, but being the opportunist that she is, the Peter Richardson-trained black took full advantage to secure the Pelaw Grange selection this week and recorded her best-ever time in the process, 25.70. In fact, she was a full 20 spots quicker than A1 winner Thorndyke Ace.
A six-timer over five different distances for Ricky Holloway on Sunday night at Crayford. There was no ‘head and shoulders’ outstanding performance with Slick Sabo (33.54 for 540m) and Razldazl Amanda (45.14 for 714m) the two strongest contenders. The nod goes to slick Sabo making his six-bend debut and clocking faster than the capable Princess Athena in a different Guys And Dolls heat.
Richard Baker steered Easy Molly to win first time back after four months off when winning an Oxford A2 in 27.15 (+10) a fortnight ago. The former Towcester 29.27 winner was back in action in the track’s toughest A1 event this weekend and won by five in 27.14 (-20).
Racing managers tend to give themselves ‘high fives’ when they manage to sneak a Category One winner into a graded race. Paul Twinn will be doubly chuffed that not only did he get Jonny Whiskers into a Newcastle A1, he wasn’t embarrassed by the result. Savva Roberts’ runner went to traps at 6/4f but could finish no better than third behind the defending POW Wraysbury Katie who was second, and 7/1 winner Moanteen Webby.
And on the subject of ‘Moanteens’ the similarly prefixed Moanteen Federer produced the outstanding performance of the week at Kinsley. The Rachel Wheeler-bred, Mark May-trained black was just two spots off Ay Up Frederick’s quickest sprint of the year when landing a tough D1 race in 15.93.
Monitoring racing weights is far from an exact science as proven by Harlow’s outstanding performer of the last week, Brynoffa Bambi. Since joining the track she has tipped the scales at a variety of weights between 23.8kg and 26.7kg, which is a big swing for a little ‘un. But she is currently in the form of her life with three wins in her last four outings including an easy 26.40 A3 success last time out. Her weights have stabilised nicely between 25.0kg and 25.4kg.
Former Harlow champ Good Streak has dominated the Valley selection in recent weeks with six straight wins. But after being “Bmp1,2ndFr2,Crd3,RnO” was turned over on Sunday by Santas Ranger in 28.45 for a four-length swing of form. However, Crokers Hugo made his UK debut in a 260m open and won by six in 15.96 on Sunday. The track record is 15.68 so there must be a chance that he can consolidate on that run with more experience of the tricky circuit.
Streak’s litter brother Stay Large had been equally dominant at Sheffield until KO’d last week. But Sean Davy’s black equalled his PB for the 500m trip with a 28.66 open win on Sunday. That is six wins and two seconds in his last nine outings.
Avongate Venus has actually won eight of her last nine outings and is on a current six-race winning streak. The Phil Milner-trained black was by far the most impressive Sunday afternoon winner at Towcester when clocking 28.92 (N). Ideal preparation for the bet365 Empress Stakes which gets underway next Sunday.
