BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

You will struggle to find a more competitive first round of a staying event than the George Ing Leger at Yarmouth. The first round winning times: 40.92, 40.86, 40.82, 41.14, 41.19 & 40.91. Burgess Elite was the quickest of the bunch, Bellmore Sally was just the slowest on her first look of the track.

Antigua Storm’s last win came at Yarmouth last September with a brilliant last-to-first victory in the Bresbet East Anglian Derby. He had only been to traps five times in the past six months when producing a fabulous 28.06 (-10) run at Monmore on Saturday.

On Friday Crossfield Dusty made it 16 wins in 22 races when taking the fastest semi final of the Golden Sprint at Romford. A special mention too for close runner-up Rail McCoy who Mark Wallis has brought back to peak fitness with brilliant timing after several months on the lame list.

Shockwave Onyx was the fastest of the three litter brothers winning heats of the British Breeders Stakes at Nottingham on Monday. It was a year and two days since the 38 kilo black’s first official trial at Henlow (28.66) and only his 14^th race.

Newcastle’s outstanding performance came from Dual Cat One winner Jaguar Macie in just her fourth race back from a broken hock. (Last week’s POW Potent Touch finished fourth).

The roads back to Scotland would have been busy on Tuesday night with Gary Ferguson’s Frankie Jet having produced the night’s outstanding performance at Sheffield. After a winless spell it proved to be lucky number 13.

This time last year Droopys Yes finished second to Droopys Sydney in an Irish Derby heat that included Romeo Magico, Skywalker Barry and Beach Avenue. Now called Chelms Yes, he was Towester’s most impressive winner on Sunday clocking 29.36 for the English Derby trip.

Harlow has long had a tradition for producing track specialists. Who remembers Treasured Manx or Lemon Duchess? Currently Front Move remains irrepressible over six bends but until Front Society falters, how can she lose ‘the belt?’. That’s six in a row!

Thursday night featured a fabulous run from Peter Holland’s Ramors Jet. A regular in this feature following his exploits in Nottingham A1s and opens, Jet switched back to six bends and produced the fastest 660m run at Perry Barr in almost five years.

Back in December, Antigua Lava beat landed the Ballyregan Bob Memorial over the Hove 740 metres with Aayamza Royale third and Slippy Eva a short head fourth. The trio met again on Thursday night, over the 695m course. Eva went clear with Lava looking set to reel her in. But the latter had to change stride at the fifth bend and the local runner held on by a rapidly reducing half length. They meet again in Thursday’s decider.

The Crayford selection seems to have developed into a ‘whoever beats Woodcocks Akia’ award. Last week it was Brutus Bullet. This week it was Bens Lad with the second fastest 540 of the year.

Prior to its opening, a number of hounds broke 24.00 in qualifying for Suffolk Downs. But bottomless going has made those sort of runs impossible in the last fortnight. Until Friday when the Jim Daly trained Boulick Lotto (who ran on -160 going last week) became the first dog to achieve it in race conditions with a 23.96 run. Later in the same meeting, last week’s quickest winner Playbook (24.05 calc), went around in 23.91.

Last October was ‘Zero O Eight v Kilara Bugle Month’ at Donny when the pair featured in four consecutive A1 forecasts. Sean Parker’s Zero O Eight hasn’t hit those heights for a while but he led home a kennel tricast from kennelmates Russanda Bondi and Lightfoot Tereza in this week’s sole A1.

Although Pepper Pot ran 27.31 (+30) in A4, with Matts Mink off the Sunderland top grade scene last week, there were various claims at A1 top slot. Was Just Thinkin was in the frame with a 27.38 (+20) run, but Mucho Macho Jack was more impressive in ‘arguably’ a tougher race.

While at neighbouring Pelaw, defending champ Arlos Sweep was taking on sisters Bluejig Badger and Bluejig Royal in this week’s top heat. It was Badger who came out on top with a 26.08 run. Another reigning champ to bite the dust was Kinsley’s Madabout Power, an inglorious last behind the prolific Cloneen Alba.

Only one meeting to choose from at Henlow this week, though it did feature two A1s. The quickest by far went to Luna Jezabelle, though the true quality of the run can only be appreciated when viewing the going allowance for the 460 metres of -60.

The Sunday Central Park meeting looked a toss-up between two British bred dogs, King Sam in the sprint open and Foolish Ways four the 480. We’ve edged it to Matt Dartnall’s dog, but based on a previous A1 won earlier in the week. Since the beginning of December that’s six wins (and two second places) in 10 top heat races.

The hardest decision of the week was at Swindon where there was decent performances over three different distances on Sunday night. In fairness, it has to go Freffans Clinton following his 682m win. Sean Gresham’s black has won six of his last seven 682m races and has the fastest time this year over six bends. However during that spell, he also ran Rodrick Rules to a length and a half in a 470 open and Houston Main to three quarters of a length in a sprint open!