When the history of the great stayers in racing history is written, Droopys Clue will be entitled to his own chapter. Being the first winner of the St.Leger to defend his title – it has happened four times in the Derby – really is historic. Rioja Bungle was a worthy winner of the Birmingham Cup over a distance short of his optimum (and how good does that make the Juvenile Classic form look!). A mention too for the fastest sprint of the year for Magical Bluebear (15.82).
Meanwhile back at Oxford, ‘Big Kev’ was also on the mark with Bungle’s litter brother, Loose Cannon. The brindle litter brother was also contesting his 13th race when he went to traps in an A1 event on Friday. He may lack some of Bungle’s track craft but he has similar pace ‘with a run’ as he showed when the clocking the fastest 450 of the week, 26.74 (-10).
Fire And Ice won the first of the weekend’s major events when taking the Coral Romford Puppy Cup in his last race as a juvenile. He clocked 23.84. But how can we not select the phenomenon who is El Tornillo? A 2/1 chance in a supporting open, Dave Lee’s hound wouldn’t generally be considered in the racing elite. Yet he boasts a hell of a CV: 26.24TR-450m Oxford, 27.88FOY-480m Monmore and now 23.42FOY for 400 metres at Romford.
There were a string of worthy POW candidates from Doncaster’s Saturday night card. First up has to be the new 450m record holder Acomb Felix with his 18th win of the year. Then we have Breton Molly who recorded the quickest 661m run since 2005. But we will stick with the defending POW Greenwell Coe who proved that his semi final win over Romeo Command was no fluke when landing the Yorkshire Derby final in 28.96. The track record is 28.87 set by King Eden seven years ago.
On the subject of record breaking Kings, Central Park’s 491m record is now held by King Memphis following a 28.73 run on Saturday night. That run was 10 spots quicker than the previous best held by Droopys Clue though it is worth noting that the calculated times of the second and third, Cinderella Tell and Uncle Freddie were both inside the old record. It is worth remembering too that when the same distance was incorrectly claimed to be 480m, the record was 28.50. Though it was only Memphis’ second race back after a lay-off.
It was another very decent weekend for Dave Firmager who picked up the British Bred Leger final at Doncaster with Fabulous Dyna, an Irish Laurels semi with Romeo Taylor and yet another minor open win for Fabulous Sonique at Towcester. That is nine wins and two seconds from her last 13 races. Her 28.84 was two spots off her PB for C&D.
Staying with the ‘bitch in form’ theme, Sheffield’s contribution would have to by Skywalker Amanda. Not only was Barrie Draper’s hound the quickest over the standard distance when winning a Sunday afternoon open in 28.79, it was her eighth win in her last 12 races.
Kylenoe Bilbo might have developed a reputation as one of Nottingham’s most consistent graded performers. In his last 20 races, he has eight wins and eight seconds. But anyone really expect the dog who began his Nottingham career in A5 to come out and produce the fastest sprint of the year, 17.52? Which incidentally also matches the FOY recorded by Bombout Bullet when landing the 2023 National Sprint.
The Hove going was also ‘interesting’ last week – as in, Delicious Gossip won an A3 race on Wednesday in 29.20. The track was rated +50. It was +30 for the Thursday open race card and quickest on the night was Belinda Green’s Garys Angels who finally nailed his first open in 29.23 (+30). His previous race win was in 30.27 (-10).
There was a similar story at Kinsley where the track was flying on Friday with winning times of 27.50 (A3) and 27.56 (A2). The former was won by Breakthebiscuit in what is the fastest 462m time so far this year. Taking nothing away from the Ilijan Zivkovic trained winner, it might be worth noting that the second fastest time was recorded in the same race by the short head runner-up Fairyhill Daisy.
As a former Wimbledon racing manager once noted, times are as much affected by going as atmospherics. It is quite noticeable at Harlow where going allowances can be quite different between morning and evening meetings with no change of weather. For example, there was a 30 spot difference between the morning and evening meetings on Friday with the top race of the week going to A2 winner Essjay John who broke the stranglehold of littermates Gothic Gwen and Gothic Icon. The latter was runner-up.
Jimmy Fenwick’s Skeard Josie was giving a ton of age and experience away when tackling the Juvenile Classic back in July where she reached the semis. A couple of months older and up against easier opposition, she produced the outstanding run of the week at Newcastle on Thursday when landing a puppy open in 28.64.
The Yarmouth A1 on Wednesday featured the second and third fastest hounds over course and distance this year, the John Mullins trained kennelmates Bombay The Joker (27.28) and Swift Depot (27.33). (Only Derby winner Druids Say Go with a 27.26 run has gone quicker). They were chalked up as 11/8 and 7/4 chances – 5/1 bar the pair – and form worked out perfectly with Joker winning by four in 27.43.
Ex Harlow champ Good Streak had seven wins from nine races at new home Valley when taking on Mike Burton’s Cassidy on Sunday. Although it was a five runner field, the bookies made it a betting ‘match’: Cassidy returned at 6/5f, Good Streak was 6/4. The odds proved accurate with track record holder Cassidy getting home in 28.34, though Streak was hampered more than the two and a half lengths that he lost by. Same time next week lads?
Similarly weekly duals between Eze and Southfield Duke are becoming something of an attraction at Swindon. A fortnight ago, Duke came out on top in 27.94. Last week, he was down the field as Angie Kibble’s runner got home in 27.96. On Thursday night the layers went 6/5 Eze, 13/8 Duke and they got it right – just. The brindle and white prevailed by the narrowest margin with Droopys Superstar only half a length back in third. A mention too for a smart 41.58 over six bends for Coppice Lottie.
Arthur Cornflake was made a 4/6f when he was beaten a head by Southfield Duke back in August. So he packed his bags and headed off in search of riches at Monmore. So far it has worked out pretty well for Patrick Godfrey’s hound who remains unbeaten in three visits to the Black Country from a variety of starting boxes. His 28.44 in a Saturday night open was also the week’s quickest run.
Two weeks ago we wrote “If Ann Lagan can keep him sound, a sub 27.00 may not be far away.”. We were referring to the talented Laughil Larry whose career might have really kicked on but for various issues. On Friday he did as promised when running away from a Sunderland A1 field in 26.99 (N). That’s seven wins from nine races over course and distance.
Meanwhile at Pelaw Grange, Colin Watson’s Chippy Chase has removed any chip he might have had after finishing runner-up to the last two POW selections. With no Brynoffa Pippy or Tromora Supreme in the line-up, the ex-Tralee runner set a new PB when winning the week’s sole A2 in 25.75.
It is impossible to take the Crayford crown away from Imonlytwink – even though she started at 1/11 in a three-runner puppy open and won by nine lengths plus. That is three wins and a second in four races for the 19 month old. However, she had a couple of serious rivals for selection including kennelmate Harlequin Ernie with a 23.35 run over the 380mH course; the third fastest run of the year. A mention too for Kanturk Mills with the fourth fastest 540 of the year, 33.35.
