There were a string of great performances at Nottingham on Monday but nobody is expecting anything other than David Mullins’ March On Freddie to be the selection after going unbeaten through the Jenningsbet Puppy Classic culminating in a 10 length 29.28 win. Unanimouspanther was three spots slower beating a high class field in the Select. There was also a fastest 730 of the year for Vale Bluebell (44.62).
The first rounds of the Birmingham Cup and St.Leger take place on Saturday and a few preparatory muscles were flexed on Saturday. Most impressive of the lot was Jason Heath’s Haka Carlo stepping up on his previous quickest 710m run of the year, with a 42.69 run. (Droopys Clue won last year’s final in a new track record of 42.33.)
With her track specialist kennelmate Crafty Shivoo back with Pat Norris in Ireland and breeding on the agenda, it was left to kennelmate New Destiny to fly the flag for the MWD Partnership in the heats of the Empress Stakes at Towcester. Although at least 70 metres short of her optimum, the Mark Wallis trained black produced the day’s quickest run, 28.75.
Perry Barr based Different Speed won his 20th Valley sprint open this year on Sunday when clocking 15.93 for the 260m (TR 15.68). But we have selected local A2 puppy Crokers Fluffy who became just the third dog to break 28.00 for the standard distance with a 27.99 run (TR 27.96).
Not all comebacks end well, though thankfully Laughil Jess’ didn’t let her supporters down when landing a Cat 3 final at Crayford on Sunday. But the selection, purely justified by time, has to be Kanturk Mills who was three spots quicker when landing a different open on the same card.
It is almost a year since John Mullins’ Bombay The Joker first took off in the heats of the Maiden Derby at Henlow. He was unbeaten in 27.42, 27.23 and 27.18 for the track’s 460m – a time that was never bettered before the track’s closure. He was withdrawn lame, when looking an odds-on chance to win the final. It has been a long road back but the 27.28 FOY for Yarmouth’s 462m on Wednesday would make him a serious player for the forthcoming Click East Anglian Derby.
Kinsley, the only other track that race over 462m have a track record that is 22 spots quicker than Yarmouth’s (26.95/27.17). Quickest over that trip this week was Da Man Joey. Coming off the back of a handicap win – though he was giving track champion Ballymac Alyssa five metres – he returned to A3 and clocked 27.67.
British bred Acomb Alfie began his career in D2 at Kinsley but was the most impressive winner in South Yorkshire on Sunday when taking a Sheffield 500m A1 in 28.79. His PB is 28.65. Quickest of the litter is ‘Irene’ (28.45), followed by ‘Felix’ (28.66), Johnny (28.86) and Jasper (28.95). ‘Mabel’ was more of a sprinter and didn’t win over the distance. Between them they have contested more than 400 races to date.
Kinsley based Stonepark Wes – he has trialled but never raced there – went to the Doncaster traps for the fifth time on Saturday night and extended his record to three wins and two seconds. His 29.48 winning time was his best to date. A mention too for the week’s quickest 450 runner, Colliers Brynner (27.56).
The Hove selection is ‘more about the opposition’ than ‘the time’. Never Say No’s 30.21 winning time for the Hove 515m trip was decent enough on a slow track. But he was followed home by a decent group of hounds including defending POW Candolim Monsoon, King Combs and Uncle Freddie.
It wouldn’t be very often that a 28.25 A1 win would fail to be selected at Monmore so the appropriately named Cor Blimey looks a worthy choice for the departing Ian Langford. But whenever he does a 4.28 sectional, he will always take some catching. For those unfamiliar with Monmore split times, Churchfield. Syd’s unbeatable run in the recent Gold Cup came off 4.26, 4.27 and 4.22 sectionals. A mention too for Cree Jo Jo’s 15.26 sprint open win (FOY 15.07).
On the subject of early pace though, few showed more than Bramble Oreo whose 16.77 for the Newcastle sprint was the quickest over the 290m trip in the last couple of years. A mention too for the cracking Pelaw pup Tromora Meg who stretched her winning sequence to four with a 28.84 first look at the Byker track.
Coppice Ella is well acquainted with ‘Brough’ having reached the finals of the Northern Puppy Derby and Angel Of The North finals. But she was back closer to home when clocking the fastest first round heat win in the Produce Stakes at Swindon. The distance might be on the short side for her but she continues to mature having started her racing career in A3 at Oxford.
It was a good week for Tony Brealey and Kevin Hutton with their home bred Coppice Lottie producing the outstanding run of the week at Oxford. Third to Ella in the British Bred Oaks over 450m, she was back over her favoured six bends on Saturday and won by 11 hound lengths in 39.44, just 15 spots outside the clock.
With the Puppy Cup just a fortnight away, there was an expectation of a few fast youngsters at Romford on Friday night. Not so. Over six bends, the star turn was Getup Me Boy (34.92). Over four bends, the quickest of the puppy winners was Swift United (24.20) though considerably quicker was Davo You Go who took a 2-1 lead over his personal battle with Longbow Draw when clocking 23.65.
On the same night, 20 miles away, Harlow staged their sole A1 of the week and saw a worthy winner in Over Easy. That is six consecutive wins and 11 wins from 21 races at The Pinnacles for Maurice Rice’s black female.
Pelaw staged two A2s on Sunday and the tougher one featured five females and a solitary mate. Frank Kearney’s winner Brynoffa Pippy lead home a field that included the defending POW Cloverfield Lass. The winner’s time was the quickest of the week, 25.82.
Cinderella Tell made a winning debut in D1 at Central Park back in January and looked pretty established as one of the track’s best sprinters with 15 races, graded and opens. Paul Donovan’s blue finally made his four bend debut on Saturday and proved there is more than just ‘a burst of early’ to his game. Installed as the 8/15f, he led at the first and never looked like being caught clocking the quickest ‘491’ of the week, 29.57 (-20).
The nicely bred Blue Ribbon completed the Sunderland graded ladder climb earlier in the week. Qualified into A5, she was dropped to A6 for her first win back in April. She looked highly tried in A2/A3 and was beaten in her next ten, but has won three of her last four and picked off her first A1 in the fastest time of the week, 27.08.
