BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Only one place to start, Sporting Chile’s achievement of becoming the first greyhound to break 29.00 for the new Derby course.
It surely brings comparisons to the old Towcester 500m course where the 28.72 recorded by Tyrur Shay was never bettered. Clares Rocket came closest with a 28.77 run.
Other comparisons? The Hove 500m best is Antigua Romeo’s 28.86. Nottingham’s Derby course record is held by Skywalker Logan at 29.05. As for the old White City (grass) 500m? 28.96.

Slightly less high profile was the 23.67 fastest time to date recorded over the Suffolk Downs 388m course by former Henlow D1 sprinter, Olivetree Deano. Meanwhile, back at Henlow trainer Jason Bloomfield sent out the £374 A1 tricast as Savana Lilypop beat Savana Rhino and Keechforthestars.

Most weeks, the Romford selection is spent comparing ‘low 24s’ to ‘low 35s’. This week Kincora Beauty simplified the situation by clocking the joint fastest sprint of the year.

On the subject of Romford, the former local hero Brookside Richie won his first race for new trainer Jimmy Fenwick, ironically at Crayford. His 23.03 for the 380m was bettered only once last year by Punk Rock Doll (23.00). Not back for a dog who sees out the 500m Derby course.

At Nottingham, litter brothers Shockwave Onyx and Shockwave Iolite have been flying in the Cat One events. This week though it was sister Shockwave Ruby who produced the best performance of the week in a decent A1.

The Sheffield selection of Sandwood Buster (29.01-500m) over Tullymurry Olive (27.70-480m) wasn’t universally supported last week. In hindsight, a fair gripe. The gap this week should be wider between Belle Vue Bullet (28.99-500m) and Ballymac Casey (27.77-480m) should definitely favour the former, though that doesn’t acknowledge Casey’s puppy status.

September pup Conna Cuckoo didn’t need any concession for her age. Kevin Cobbold’s A1 winner clocked the fastest standard of the week at Yarmouth when beating Gracias Lorenzo. Make a note of this strapping 32 kilo hat-trick winner.

Some super consistency for Matts Malibu at ‘Donny’ with two consecutive 17.00 sprints. But how can we ignore the fastest 483m run of the year to date of the locally bred veteran Barnside Millie?

There is something of a novelty value about the Harlow selection where the year’s fastest marathoner Eagle Ridge (Evens) got to take on Springwell Telly (8-11f) in the weekly 790m open. The winner was the Sep ’17 veteran Roseville Eva who started at 28-1.

There was another Golden Oldie win at Hove. Although Chipping Away’s A2 win wasn’t the highest quality race of the week, Alma Keppie’s appropriately named black still clocked the fastest 500 of the last seven days – albeit weather affected the going.

That was the case at Monmore where Unsinkable Foxey’s 38.31 can only really be judged against a going allowance of -40.

Among the serial A1 winners in recent weeks, few have been more prolific than Newcastle’s Killieford Defoe whose most recent A1 was a FOW 28.47. Only a ‘KO’ has cost him in his last five. The punters still don’t seem convinced. Oh well, lovely jubbley: Ev.f, 7-2, 9-2, 5-1.

The choice was less obvious at sister track Sunderland where 27.27 (+30) in A2 was enough to edge it for Yvonne Bell’s Onedin Chief.

Perry Barr staged one of their best A1s in a while where Boley Champ (28.36) went to traps as favourite but the winner was Julie Bateson’s 2021 Laurels semi finalist Tasty Treat.

Meanwhile ex-Perry Barr A3 regular Hollyhill Magic (Personal best – 28.90)found himself in the same grade at Pelaw Grange but clocked the week’s fastest 435 run.

Four of the six runners currently representing the cream of the Kinsley race strength returned to battle it out in Sunday’s A2 top heat. Glenvale Gav was fancied to retain his crown but was turned over by another previous POW winner Balltadhg Peg in 28.15. However, a fifth member of the sextet, Daves Missile took advantage of a downgrade to A3 and romped up by eight in 27.76.

Open racing returned to Central Park on Sunday and provided Borna Haka the opportunity to clock the fastest 480 of the year to date on a much improved Central Park running surface. (His previous win was in 29.30 {-50}).

On the same night, Angie Kibble’s Ballymac Ino complete a 1,361 fiver-timer at Swindon – a very rare third consecutive Performance of the Week.