I can’t remember a more exciting start to the year with two double-header meetings taking place in the first week in March.
I realise that not selecting fastest Ladbrokes Puppy Derby heat winner Bradys Bullet is a big call, and a hefty acknowledgement for Belinda Green’s youngster is thoroughly merited (he will have other days!). As is the 41.29 win over the 684m course for kennelmate Low Pressure, the quickest over c&d in 16 months.
But on balance, it has to be Coolavanny Shado in winning the Ladbrokes Winter Derby. He overcame the worst possible draw in a field of six railers, walked away and then beat his field on merit. At last, this dog of enormous talent might finally be getting his act together. Hopefully so.
On Friday night, Antigua ‘She Runs, She Wins’ Sugar continued her fabulous run of form in the Coral Coronation Cup first round at Romford. Made a 4-11f in a field that included Essex Vase winner Aayamza Magic, the Mark Wallis trained bitch made it 16 wins (9 x 2nds) from 32 races. Her 34.79 was from off-the-pace, with her sectional two lengths slower than when she clocked 34.70. So more to come!
It was a fabulous night for Imperial Kennels with recent arrival Ballyard Shawny clocking the fastest time in the opening round of Golden Sprint.
The British Breeders Stakes gets underway tonight, and Romeo Command laid his marker with a 29.22 run. Since 2020 only four dogs have gone faster: 29.15-Deerjet Sydney 29.19-Doolin Duke/Signet Ace, 29.21-Bubbly Apache.
On Tuesday, Coolavanny Galiv clocked the joint fastest Sheffield sprint so far this year with a 15.85 run. That is 20 spots outside his own track record.
On the subject of sprinters, Harlow’s two sprint opens were won in 15.46 and 15.52 on Wednesday night. Earlier in the day, Lemming Spice landed a D3 by just under eight lengths in 15.14. Only Black Eyed Razl (15.07) has gone quicker this year.
The third new track record of 2023 was smashed at Swindon on Thursday when Ballymac Mags came from behind Baggios Champ (that doesn’t happen very often), to clock 41.18 for the 682 metres. The previous best was 41.51 yet there was only three quarters of a length between the first two.
The fourth clock came the following evening when Fifty Nine set a new six bend record at Oxford. Matt Dartnall’s black recorded 39.78, three quarters of a length inside Savana Ruinart’s previous best.
The highlight of Saturday morning’s Crayford card was the return of Burgess Hannah, fifth in consecutive Golden Jacket Finals. But there was nothing of her calibre when she went to traps at 1-3f and ran as her price suggested with an effortless win in 45.66.
Among the most interesting graded winners this week was veteran Knockglass Ruby. After an interesting and varied career in which she has raced on the flat and over hurdles in Britain and Ireland, Cork and Crayford, Jim Daly’s bitch clocked the faster of Suffolk Downs’ two A1s this week with a 23.69 run for the 388m.
Newcastle’s fastest 480 hound in 2022 made a reappearance in open race company and didn’t disappoint on Thursday. Stuart Ray’s Blackhouse Harry was over seven lengths off his 28.13 form but it was only his second race of 2023 and he looks well set for the forthcoming Northern Flat.
Ex-Newcastle A4 runner Grangeview Lady seems a lot happier with Sunderland’s 450 metres and was the track’s most impressive four bend runner this week with a 27.16 win in A1.
It was another former Newcastle A4 runner who clocked the fastest time at Pelaw Grange this week. Westforth Daisy beat an A3 field in 25.77. But the toughest race on the card, an A1, went to ex-Tralee 28.75 winner Starson Melody who landed her debut in 25.81.
A fairly ordinary week at Hove. The fastest run was Laughil Sean’s 29.70 in a Friday A1. But there are ‘A1s and A1s’ and Stellas Fruity’s 29.75 came in a tougher race which included defending POW champ, Marine. Also, the going allowance gave Richard Rees’ blue brindle a calculated quicker time. That is three in a row, five of her last six, and eight of her last eleven outings.
Perry Barr is seldom a difficult choice, but that was complicated this week by fluctuations in going from -30 to +10 between different meetings. With nothing convincingly going quicker, we’ll keep the title with Swift Prank for a second week. Last week: 28.55 (+20) in A3, this week: 29.18 (-30) in A2.
Much easier at Yarmouth where Swift Loves turned over last week’s POW Wee Fat Mac in a very respectable 27.77. It is only her second run since last August when she established herself as one of the fastest hounds at the track. Paul Whitwood’s bitch is from a fabulous litter that includes open winners Old Fort Beetee, Ranches King, and Slider McCoy.
There was also a relinquishing of POW title belts at Doncaster where Keady Moment found one too good in recently arrived puppy Bluey Boy. That is two wins in as many races, and both A1.
A similar story at Kinsley where Tip Top Rachel was given a start and beating by A2 winner Goldies Jennings. Now in the twilight of his career, the black contested a Romford Puppy Cup Final for Patrick Janssens and a Silver Salver Final for Tony Collett. A mention too for Glenview Pat with a 27.79 run, albeit in a lower grade.
Katie O’Flaherty’s Garfiney Legend is defintely one for the notebook. He followed up his 40.69 (-60) run with a 40.43 (-75) for the 642m at Central Park on Sunday. (The fastest time of the year is a 40.37 (-40) from Feora Poppy.) The half brother of Ballymac Slapup had more than justified 4-6 favouritism when winning the final of the €4,500 Shelbourne Marathon (1,025yds) by seven lengths back in January.
The final selection of the week came at Henlow where arguably the track’s two best performers in 2022 lined up against each other. Les Of Rhyl outgraded himself last autumn with four consecutive A1s and the fastest 460 of the year, 27.22. Savana Raven won 13 A1s in 2022 and ran third in the Maiden Vase Final at Oxford.
But the pair found one too good in Caseys Tommy who was winning for the eighth time in his last dozen races.
