The only place to start this week is Sheffield. It is almost inconceivable that any dog clocking 28.72 (-10) for Sheffield’s 500m or 27.74 (-10) for the 480m course wouldn’t get the Performance of the Week nomination. But looking past the brilliant performances of both Headford Ranger and Referendum, the nod has to go to Roman Empire for a stunning 38.58 (-20) run over the 660m course. Billys Bullet holds the track record at 38.29 on going rated at (+40). Point made.

There was also a tough choice at Central Park where Forest Alan posted a particularly impressive run over the 500m course, though the nod goes to the durable Ballymac Osby, with a sub 29.00 performance on a slow track. Osby has had a long an eventful career, including being the last surviving racer stolen from the Hutton range back in 2018.

The Monmore call was no easier. Queen Jessiej was the quickest Puppy Derby semi finalist. Newinn Jacko was only three spots slower and giving away two months in age. The Queen got the verdict, primarily because it is so rare to see a bitch outperforming the dogs at that level of competition.

BELLE VUE 27.98 470m BILLS DIRECTION (Belles Direction-Delightful Girl, Jun 18)
CENTRAL PARK 28.94 480m BALLYMAC OSBY (Kinloch Brae-Ballymac Scarlet, Sep 16)
CRAYFORD 33.87 540m DROOPYS NOODLE (Droopys Cain-Droopys Loner, Jan 17)
DONCASTER 28.05 450m BLACK HURRICANE (Laughil Blake-Fandango, Aug 16)
HARLOW 25.99 415m MOANING MATRIX (Farloe Blitz-Hillcroft Lexie, Jan 17)
HENLOW 27.55 460m JET STREAM JIMMY (Droopys Roddick-Jumeirah Dancer, Aug 17)
HOVE 41.27 695m ZASCANDIL (Vulturi-Scissors, Apr 18)
KINSLEY 27.71 462m ACOMB FATIMA (Hiya Butt-Acomb Ruby, Aug 18)
MONMORE 28.22 480m QUEEN JESSIEJ (Leamaneigh Turbo-Skate On, May 18)
NEWCASTLE 28.78 480m COLLIERY BILLY (Confident Rankin-Colliery Deedee, Oct 17)
NOTTINGHAM 29.51 500m DEANRIDGE SIRIUS (Tullymurry Act-Droopys Talia, Nov 17)
PELAW GRANGE 25.68 435m BEAMING CONTROL (Paradise Silva-Beaming Olive, Apr 16)
PERRY BARR 28.70 480m DRAHBEG DART (Farloe Blitz-Swift Krul, Apr 18)
PETERBOROUGH 26.13 435m KILLACOLLA LOLA (Droopys Jet-Killacolla Kate, Nov 16)
POOLE 26.92 450m SPOT ON DOCK (Aero Majestic-Ballyoak Petal, Dec 17)
ROMFORD 35.22 575m SWIFT TARQUIN (Superior Product-Swift Tequilla, Aug 16)
SHAWFIELD 30.56 480m SWIFT VERVE (Over Limit-Swift My Mate, Jul 17)
SHEFFIELD 38.58 660m ROMAN EMPIRE (Droopys Sydney-Droopys Hilda, Jul 17)
SUNDERLAND 27.30 450m EASY STUFF (Ballymac Vic-Final Shannon, Jul 18)
SWINDON 28.48 476m BUILDERS DUKE (Confident Rankin-Mustang Chick, Apr 17)
YARMOUTH 27.76 462m SKEARD PRINCESSS (Kinlock Brae-Mickeys Eye, Sep 16)