BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

It has been an extremely tough couple of weeks for John Mullins but he would have had some light relief with a sparkling performance from Smallmead in the Sussex Cup Trialstakes at Hove on Saturday. The 29kg black produced the performance of her career with a 29.54 run over the 515m course, the best run since King Turbo’s 29.52 back in May 2018.

A 27.60 ‘first look’ at Yarmouth last December, would have been enough to persuade John that Smallmead was something special. The best time in the last week went to A2 winner Buddha Sam with a 27.87 clock. While at Henlow, A3 is open class. Hence no surprise to see Savana Marno clock a FOW 27.42 for 460m.

Forest Kimblerly was an A3 winner at Henlow, and a 27.84 winner at Kinsley, though that still isn’t as quick as one of the best locals of the current era, her son Ay Up Buster who added another A1 success to his D1 victory.

Locnamon Mike earned the nomination a fortnight ago with a 29.72 (500) run. A 29.67 FOY run gets him the nod this week. Just as Mike was an obvious choice, the opposite was true at Swindon where Ballyoak Bart edged it by one spot with the fastest 470 of the week.

Sprinters are usually overshadowed by the standard distance runners at Monmore but ex-Perry Barr D3 runner Glenane Mazda deserves mention as he kept his Monmore record to 3:3 with a 75-1 treble.

Meanwhile back at the Barr, Pat Rosney’s puppy Moyar Hero clocked the fastest time of the week when taking his recent record to four from five.

Locally bred Sharpys Pluto picks himself at Sheffield after impressively winning the 500m A1 sweep in 28.78. If the management fancy putting on an S1 equivalent. . ? Over at Doncaster, the best middle distance performance of the week goes to 29.73 winner Ballagio Bon Bon, who has actually been beaten since.

Harlow’s Robbies Reward went quickest over 415m following a losing sequence of 16.

Itsur Mate might not be a class below litter brothers Droopys Biker and recently deceased Droopys Verve, but Paul Young’s veteran has been a superb servant and weighed in with one of the best performances of his career on Friday when beating Sparta Master in 34.83 for Romford’s 575 metres.

In terms of consistency, few can match Sunderland top heat runner Fairholme Posh. The winner of the fastest standard distance race since lockdown, she has three wins from five outings and has not been beaten further than a neck in the other two.

Two tracks currently tick over on just one meeting per week. Murphy produced the best A1 run at Pelaw Grange, while Mark Wallis’ puppy Sober Express looks set for an open race career after a 29.62 win at Towcester.

If you were looking for an example of nature taking its time you could look no further than Angela Harrison’s Waltham Magic. At 17 months old, she was a promising A2/A3 runner at Monmore. Her pre-lockdown form at Newcastle was ‘much of a muchness’. But recent progress has been rapid culminating is a stunning 28.35 run in A1 last week. Looking at her breeding, do you think she might stay?

Staying with the subject of breeding, littermates Ballymac Petsy and Pestana won at Shelbourne on Saturday in 28.20 and 28.07 resepectively. The previous day, another comrade, Ballymac Suling, was producing the best 380m run of the week at Crayford.

Or what about Queen Jessiej clocking 28.85 for 480 at Central Park (on the night the talented Troy Firebird was next quickest in 29.15), up against fastest Silver Salver semi winner King Drake? Hate doubling up, but in this case, anything less would be a farce.