There was an excellent run from Antigua Sugar to take yesterday’s Juvenile Classic Final at Towcester. She was five lengths off Ivanexile at halfway and there will be few more anticipated staying debuts when the two year old takes her place at Monmore.
But we are giving the Performance of the Week nod to Savana Beau. It was six weeks since Beau followed home Romeo Magico in the Derby Final. So to win, and clock the fastest time of the day on his return, was some feat by Diane Henry’s black.
Open racing returned to Henlow on Sunday and it was the sister of the dog who turned Beau over in the Derby Final, Fabulous Azurra, who dominated the heats of the British Bred Oaks. Three lengths second was March puppy Acomb Irene whose older full sister, Acomb Jenny, won the first heat.
On the subject of littermates, Antigua Sugar’s sister False Alarm landed a 500m open at Central Park on Sunday. (Possibly the best and most underused race distance in Britain). But that run was bettered by the win machine that is Borna Haka with a very decent 30.04. The change of scenery at Harlow has done him the world of good.
Saturday night’s action focused on Monmore where last minute preparations are being made for the Gold Cup and Summer Classic. There was a fabulous 28.07 (480) run from Havana Class and a 37.89 (630) run from Coppice Brewer, but on balance, it has to go to the 15.14 winner Gougane Jet over the sprint. In the last two years, only the great Bockos Jonjo (15.13) has gone quicker.
A week ago, Chelms Cub had represented his track in the PGR Regency Final at Hove. It was back into S1 this week and an exhibition performance winning by almost 10 lengths.
Makeit for Waz made it six wins in her last seven at Romford on Friday, but we reckon her 35.25 (575) is narrowly trumped by veteran Carter Bar with a 23.87 run for the standard, just six spots short of the year’s fastest. That’s ten wins and seven seconds in 23 races over course and distance for the Knight runner.
Nolas Moment’s best Romford moment was a 24.78 win in A7. He looks a different proposition at Donny where he demolished an A2 field in the fastest time of the week, 29.52.
With the Jenningsbet Puppy Classic on the horizon at Nottingham, there was a decent 30.09 run from local pup Wolf Moon, who will still probably be one of the youngest in the event.
At Harlow, Danny Brabon’s recent intake Faithful Vinnie stretched his Harlow record to 3:3 with the fastest of Wednesday’s 415 metre opens. And check out that 4.69 sectional. Absolutely rapid!
Suffolk Downs’ top A1 of the week featured the prolific Olivetree Deano and Henlow favourite Glenvale Tony whose career record shows a 27.20 (-10) run for the 460m. But it was Mark Wallis’ brindle Slider Mccoy who came out in front with a 24.04 run on -10.
If the breeding sounds familiar it is because litter sister Swift Loves was the POW at Yarmouth last week and has successfully defended her title with a new personal best of 27.75 for 462m.
Kinsley had a few issues with their 462m traps this week but all was resolved by Sunday where last week’s sprint open winner Brynoffa Bob made light of the extra 194 metres to clock 27.79.
Meanwhile in South Yorkshire, Sheffield have now staged three meetings on their expensive new racing circuit. None of which seems to have upset Blue Kia who extended her winning sequence to three with the fastest 500 of the week, 28.92, just three spots quicker than her previous outing on the old circuit.
Pelaw Grange also returned to the fold after a blank week and an easy six length win for Inniskeel Josie – her sixth win in eight races since arriving from Drumbo.
Darren Whitton’s Huntsman is in the form of his life and also held onto his belt with another sharp win over Crayford’s 380 metres.
Ben Reynolds had a double up last week with Crystal Alice at Newcastle and Matts Malibu at home track Perry Barr. A week on and another kennelmate, the All England Cup semi finalist Crystal Reggie, beat the cream of the current Barr crop with a 28.59 run in A1.
Curiously, the five fastest times over the standard distance at Newcastle this year have all been set by bitches and the fastest of the week’s three A1s went to Paul Rutherford’s bitch puppy Wraysbury Diva. The girls were on top at Sunderland too where ex-Tralee bitch Restless Spirit produced the quickest time of the week.
The Weekly Elite Dan Award went to . . . . Elite Dan once again. Although nine spots slower than his track record run, the racing office calculated it to be one spot faster with their going allowance. That is four in a row and eight of his last ten for Craig Marston’s ‘Ballymac’ born runner.
