Performance of the Week returns after a one week break due to the decimation of the racing schedule by the heatwave.

Starting with the oldest line of form and a fine run from Bellmore Cricket in the Jenningsbet Puppy Classic first round at Nottingham on Monday. Barry Denby’s youngster is a half brother to the fastest hound over course and distance this year, Bellmore Rossi. Special mention for Matts Malibu in clocking the fastest sprint of the year.

Sheffield has a new FOY for the 660m course following Mahoonagh Jap’s 38.95 run on Tuesday night. Paul Miller’s runner is finally showing the sort of quality that you might expect for a dog who clocked 28.34 in his second race at Limerick.

Staying with the stayers, Tinks Boy rattled up a five timer at Harlow back in May/June. Back from a lay-off, his 38.58 open win is mainly significant when the -80 going allowance is taken into account.

Some tracks have seven or eight A1s each week. Perry Barr stage one, but it is invariably the real deal with the cream of the local talent on show. This week it was held on Thursday and featured the reigning POW Crystal Reggie. Even though it was slower on the clock than Pennys Turia’s 28.60, the nod has to go to Bower Pat who led home Takemyhand in 28.89 for a Rosney forecast.

Hove staged seven A1s during the same period with winning times between 29.59 and 30.39. Quickest of the bunch was Springside Annie with a new personal best in her 61st race over course and distance. Meanwhile it was Hove regular, Ballyblack Speed (PB 29.19) who stopped the clock soonest at Towcester on Sunday (29.46).

A fortnight ago Slider McCoy was the Suffolk Downs selection while littermate Swift Loves topped the bill at Yarmouth. This week, McCoy’s slot has been taken by a third littermate, Ranches King with a 23.65 run, the second fastest clocking to date over course and distance and just 10 spots outside kennelmate Saffrons Dash’s clock. Things didn’t go quite as well for Swift Loves who finished second to Paul Burr’s Super Nova in the week’s fastest top heat.

Wraysbury Diva was another defending her POW title. Her 28.62 (-10) in the Newcastle A1 was enough to secure it last time out but Harry Burton’s Slavengar Tommy showed he is returning to somewhere near his best form (28.43, 28.46) with a 28.65 (-20) run. While at Sunderland, Chantelle McNicholas’ Thurlesbeg Rafa has continued his outstanding recent run. Despite having to come through his field, his recent record is four wins and three seconds in his last eight outings.

While it didn’t work out for ‘Diva’, Wraysbury Babe had no such issues at Doncaster. Jimmy Gaskin’s tiny black, who dipped to a mere 22.7 kilos at Newcastle, saw off a good quality A1 field in 29.65. Staying in Yorkshire, none went quicker at Kinsley this week than youngster Kilaharry Maisie with a 28.05 run.

Then toughest call of the week was at Romford where defending champ Carter Bar and Droopys Good clocked identical 23.88s for the 400. There was a seventh win in eight for Makeit For Waz with a 35.27 run, but after multiple coin spins, we’ve edging it to Doghouse Dazzler with a career best, 35.18 for the 575.

The Crayford call was tight too, though in a different way. Huntsman was the selection a fortnight ago on the basis of a 23.28 run. On Saturday morning he failed by a head behind 23.30 winner Punk Rock Doll.

As for Monmore, the heavily watered track meant flashy times were off the agenda. So with nothing staking a major claim, we’ll go for a ‘copy and paste’ for hat-trick winning Gougane Jet, albeit in his slowest time to date.

Ex Monmore based brother and sister Jaguar Jacob and Tasi Lava dominated racing at Pelaw yesterday clocking the only two sub 26.00 runs. It was the sister act Tasi Lava who went quickest with a 25.63 run, Jacob was nine spots slower.

On Sunday evening, the Derby winner’s litter sister Fabulous Azurra stepped up on her first round run with a 27.56 (-10) return in the BGBF British Bred Oaks. There was another classy British bred on the mark at Central Park where 19 month old Queen Gaga landed a maiden open in 29.20 (-20) for the 480. So that is three members of the litter to make the track so far, two (Queen Pink) have won opens. King Ezra is still to open his account, though he did run Juvenile Classic winner Antigua Sugar to a length when she clocked 29.73 at Towcester.

There were no O/Rs at Swindon on Sunday due to the Owners Bonus races but Darryl Porter’s recent open winner God Bless produced an open class run to destroy an A1 field by five lengths in 28.12.