BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

While there is an obvious temptation to select a Silver Salver heat winner at Central Park, the nomination has to go to the original ‘under the radar’ performer Southfield Code. Unbeaten in four over the 642 metres, only track record holder Affleck Bolt has gone quicker than 39.50 in the last five years. Except – how do you not nominate Queen Jessiej? (By cheating with a second nomination)

Staying with the open racers, Sparta Master has established himself among the Romford darlings following the likes of Shotgun Bullet, Roswell Romanov, Adageo Bob and the rest. Friday’s impressive run would only have endeared him further to the locals.

If you are looking for one for the notebook, you could do worse than Hove debutant Coconut Comrades. Seamus Cahill’s D1 winner clocked the fastest sprint of the year last week, and has 28.38 winning form for 525 at Cork.

Nick Carter’s Fredie The Man set the fastest Crayford 380 of the year three weeks ago in A5. Although the pup wasn’t as quick last week, he won’t be running in A3 again for a while. There have been very few sparkling runs at Harlow in the last week; the best of the bunch was produced by sprinter Cooly Contessa.

Meanwhile Henlow has been flying including a notable sprint for Droopys Kirk. He recorded the fastest 277m run in two years. The last dog to go quicker, Stringer Bell, finished second on to Kirk on Saturday.

At Doncaster there was a close run choice with sprinter Jet Stream Ace, and 483 winner Ballymac Lydia, but the nod goes to the fastest 450 winner since the return, the British bred Bellebob Zuri. Still in Yorkshire, Glenvale Gav covered the Kinsley 462 metres quicker than any other hound in the last two years.

Monmore’s quickest 480 winner of the week Jazzers Man, is also one of the most consistent A1 performers having won half of his 14 top heats to date.

Newcastle staged three competitive A1s last Thursday, so the obvious nomination is the quickest winner of the three, Droopys Pilot. Shortwood is the Perry Barr selection based on a decent winning time in his third win since the return of racing. Another with an excellent recent record is Sheffield A1 regular Droopys Wild, three wins and a second from his last four outings.

At Yarmouth, Sophies Sparkle has the recent fastest time over the standard with six wins and six seconds in her last 15 A1s.

Easiest selection of the week? Nottingham’s veteran Honour Goldikova with a flying 28.65 over the 480 course. The biggest surprise? Possibly Jules Champion who clocked the fastest run over the Pelaw standard since lockdown, when starting at 12-1 in A2. Coolykereen Tara’s Swindon career began in the worst possible way when KO’d in A4. But she has come on in leaps and bounds since with a career best run on Sunday.

The least likely? Possibly a 38.4kg dog running sprints at Sunderland. Hasn’t stopped Jamaica Judge though, unbeaten after two in fast times. Sticking with the two bend runners, Towcester staged a decent D1 on Sunday. It was dominated by Wallis runners with Aero Madrid beating his prolific kennelmate Silva Hill in a sharp 15.94.