The big final of the week was the ARC Puppy Trophy and although Biscuit Billy was 11 spots slower than Brookside Richie, on balance of age and experience, the youngster gets the vote. Checking his form, at 17 months old and in the first four bend trial of his life, he clocked 27.99 for Sheffield’s 480m. That’s pretty rapid for a pup who ‘eased run in’.

Staying in the North East, there was also fabulous run from British Bred Maiden Derby winner Witton Razl who clocked 28.35 (-20) for the 480 metres at Newcastle. For those who don’t follow times at ‘Brough’, Jaguar Macie beat Mickys Barrett in the Northern Flat Final in 28.27 (-10). And it wasn’t as though the pup did everything perfectly either. Her 4.62 split was six spots slower than her best qualifying trial.

There was also some serious puppy talent in action at Towcester in Juvenile Classic Trialstakes plus a flying 29.46 for the older Makeit For Waz. Overall though, was there a better run than Havana Class’s 15.57 for the sprint? (TR 15.42).

A fortnight ago we noted how well Lemming Extra ran in defeat at Monmore. No excuses though for litter brother Lemming Fizz who was the most impressive of Saturday night’s open race winners.

While at sister track Hove, the year’s fastest 500m winner Cochise (29.09) clocked 30.07 (-20) for the 515m course. (Fastest of the year is Whats Up Eva’s 30.02 – normal going)

Every so often this column turns up a hound that becomes a bit of a favourite. How can you not love Baby Bullet? A 35.02 win at Romford on Friday night was her TENTH in her last 16 races. Oh yeah, that includes SIX second places.

Like Baby Bullet, Lemon Reuben spent part of his apprenticeship in the lower grades at Henlow. On Sunday, the Towcester A1 and open race winner returned to ‘The Camp’ and saw off an inter-track challenge by almost eight lengths in 27.60.

Opens returned to Sheffield on Tuesday and a very decent run by Sean Davy’s Geelo Striker. The locally bred black made his debut in D3 almost a year ago but has only managed 18 races in the interim. Fingers crossed he remains sound and that PB of 28.54 may not last long.

Variations in going have made Nottingham a little tricky to call. Although Seven Outta Ten’s 30.15 in the A1 wasn’t the quickest of the week, his was a near six length win over Shockwave Iollite and his sixth win in his last nine outings.

Yarmouth regulars know that when Jura Go Max times his break, they tend not to catch him. Now Harlow regulars can share the same insight. On Wednesday he produced his first sub 4.80 sectional in a while and set a new FOY, 26.00.

Last week, a 23.21 run was enough to land Lakeview Star the Crayford vote. This week it was a 23.28 open race win from Milton Rio, his third consecutive victory over course and distance. The former Towcester D1 runner hasn’t been out of the forecast places in his last nine visits.

Although the timer plays a big part in each week’s selections, it is often irrelevant. For example the Suffolk Downs selection was ALWAYS going to be the winner of Monday’s A1 which featured five former POW hounds including two track record breakers. And it went to one of the, Olivetree Deano, who has done both and never once failed to ‘turn up’.

In terms of overall quality of field, Montrose’s 27.69 A1 win at Yarmouth was probably the top race of the week. But slightly quicker, albeit in a less competitive field, was September puppy Quagos Peggy, a daughter of the track’s sprint track record holder Kilmore Lemon from his only British bred litter.

Perry Barr’s Saturday A1 contained the fourth, fifth and sixth behind last week’s top performer Lynwood Assin (28.41 -10). It was fifth placed Bower Pat who obliged this week with a 28.76 run

Similarly Doncaster’s Sunday morning card contained an ‘A1’ and an ‘A1 and a bit’. They were won in 29.79 and 30.21, but even though they were a higher grade, they have been passed over by A2 winner Crouchs Princess. It wasn’t just the 29.60 winning time, but the fact that she is just 21 months old.

For Kinsley, there was a super rare A1 event on Sunday afternoon. Quite right too, a bunch of open racers and decent A2 winners in there. Although not quickest on the clock, it was last week’s six bend open winner Glenvale Gav who came out on top.

Central Park was under plenty of scrutiny on Sunday night. But with A2 events being won in 29.70 and 29.95, how could we not select 29.38 open race winner Borna Wine?

Not a single successfully defended title this week, Not confident about Glenmore Chief being the Pelaw selection next week either. How do you grade the dog who has just clocked the fastest time of the year – 25.66 – particularly since he also has the second and third quickest times too: 25.68, 25.70 (shared with Diego Rango).

The week fittingly ended on a Swindon 476m track record for Coppice Brewer. Kevin Hutton has consistently played down expectations on the young brindle who first showed a flash of potential with a 29.30 run at Towcester back in December.

Brewer has subsequently taken the scenic route to building on that reputation, but knocking 10 spots off Cadbury Hero’s three year old clock can only bode well for the future.