BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

We spend much of our time attempting to compare performances based on different tracks, nights and going allowances. When Blueberry Bullet equaled Antigua Lava’s Hove TR, we had a good baseline on the best marathoners in training. Then Space Jet took another 25 spots off it. She will be short odds to complete a Cat One hat-trick after the St.Leger and First Containers Marathons.

One lady who has already landed a third Category One win is Jaguar Macie who added the ARC Northern Flat to her Northern and Ladbrokes Puppy Derby – the first two having been secured before her broken hock! The fact that she clocked a new PB on -10 going is a great testament to the bitch and trainer Graham Rankin.

The other major meeting of the week was at Towcester where Bubbly Apache landed the RPGTV Juvenile. Was it the best performance of the week though? Four of the opens were won in quicker time with the best coming from the veteran Faughan Rebel, a dog whose own racing career looked to be over last summer due to serious injury.

Glatton Gianni, a month younger than Apache, was one of those four quicker winners, but it was his litter brother Shockwave Iolite who was once again among the honours. The brindle maintained his top spot at Nottingham with a 29.84 run. That’s four wins and a third in his last five.

The week’s first selection was Havana Class with the fastest sprint in the ARC Silver Salver semis at Central Park on Monday morning. The best two/four bend dual distance runner in training his 16.26 was recorded on -20 going. His FOY run is 16.10 on -05.

The £10K ARC Grand Prix gets underway at Sunderland on Thursday and we can expect to see the much travelled Bandicoot Sammy in the line-up. A 29.36 English Derby heat winner for Robert Gleeson, Sammy is now with Ron Grey for whom he produced a 40.08 win in a trialstake.

A few hounds set out to hold onto their titles. Last week’s Monmore POW winner Nipsey Hustle was one though, Russian Sammy reversed the form.

Apart from Jaguar Macie and Kim Gooding’s precious gem Iolite, the only other hound to defend his title was Pelaw’s Liffeyside Patsy. Last week he was 15-2 to beat Marinas Artist in Pelaw’s top heat. This week Dave Bowe’s black was returned at 5-2 and found a further length and a half improvement.

At Suffolk Downs, defending champ Mister Eventful was battered by a series of Jezabelles in the week’s top A1. Sharkys Jezabelle beat Fi Me Jezabelle with Suzie Jezabelle in third.

Slow going continues to complicate form assessment at nearest neighbours Harlow. Assuming the -80 for the 592m to be accurate, Dappen Dinnen’s calculated 37.75 is well worthy of the nod.

Romford’s going was also confusing on Friday. The clock said Doghouse Dazzler clocked 35.62 (-20) after a clear run and winning by seven from Chelms Keith. It looked quicker.

No such going issues at Henlow where the POW will normally clock somewhere between 27.50-27.80. Last week that honour went to Dockers Boy in 27.78. This week’s quickest was the 27.75 (-20) produced by Abigails Buddy.

Kinsley and Yarmouth both race over two metres longer and sub28.00 races are rarer. There was only one in Yorkshire this week, and that honour went to Olympic Boy O with a 27.88 run. Unusually, there were none at Yarmouth where Yellow Brick’s 28.12 (-10) run came closest.

Crayford staged opens on Saturday morning though the best performance of the week was arguably Burgess Hannah’s nine length win in E1 where she clocked 45.39.

Doncaster staged a couple of A1 races though Saturday’s looked slightly superior. It was a Calvert/Parker kennel sweepstake, with three from each kennel, where the 9-1 chance Go Go Wink got home in 29.95 (-30). With no Sheffield opens this week, the South Yorks venue also had to rely on A1 for its top race. It suitably went to the only sub 29.00 winner, Sandwood Buster in his typical last-to-first style.

Boleys Jet produced an outstanding performance at Perry Barr this week by winning the A1 in 28.46. But instead we are nominating Droopys Earner. Although his 28.55 (+10) was a little slower, he was completing a five-timer: A6, A5, A4, A3 (x2) and he doesn’t celebrate his second birthday for another four months.

The week ended on a high note as the three most recent Swindon track record holders met in the same race. Bragging rights went to Headford Harry who was five spots inside his previous best but five spots short of the current clock with a 15.45 run.

Given the trio’s multi Cat One winning kennelmate Signet Ace clocked 15.52 in a comeback trial prior to racing, it was a very satisfying evening for Team Hutton.