Saturday July 29 is not just a date. It should become the automatic response to the well known greyhound phrase – ‘the game’s gone’.
What a weekend with the fabulous Hove meeting as its centrepiece. There are so many incredible performances to reflect on – the return of the Blond Knight to land the Sussex Cup with Candolin Monsoon. The 29.59 from Havana Bale Out, equalling Droopys Addition’s phenomenal time two years ago. There was the 29.67 run over the hurdles from Droopys Chaser (why has that not been flagged as the track record?). Kilara Ivy beating her big brother Quarteira in the sprint final. The ‘old gul’ Whats Up Eva winding back the clock with a 29.17 run for the 500. . . .
But we all know where this is going.
To utilise the first rule of journalism when identifying the lead story – If you saw your mate straight after the meeting, what would be the first thing you would tell him?
It was, and will always be ‘Space Jet’s night’. Even after all her successes to date, Saturday night was her Oscar winning performance. It wasn’t just leading home the Dartnall Racing Team for a 1-2-3 in one of the most loved events in the Calendar. Or the FOY run for 695m, to go with her 2022 FOY runs for the 740 and 955m. It wasn’t just another thrilling exhibition of speed, determination and trackcraft. It was all of them.
Just special!
As Jet was standing behind the Hove traps, 100 miles away, Links Maverick was extending his amazing racing record by landing the £20K Oxford Bookmakers Pall Mall. In many ways, the front running middle distance hound is the opposite of the marathon star. But Tom Heilbron’s runner also represents the best of his type. In a discipline where pure speed is nothing without consistency and reliability, Maverick extended his racing record to 16 wins in 19 races.
The fourth Cat One final of the weekend took place on Sunday as Seamus Cahill’s Droopys Clue edged Towcester’s Juvenile Classic Final by the minimum margin from the early paced Wrighty. Yet another endorsement for Hove’s Seasons Scaffolding Puppy Cup Final which also featured: Ballymac John, Jacktavern Magic, Maree Maree Champion, Bubbly Scorcher and Bubbly Cooper.
Meanwhile another Portlaw bred hound was the star performer at Central Park on Sunday. The David Mullins trained Droopys Standard backed up a decent 16.55 sighter of the 277m course with a new track record of 16.25. The track record for the identical pre-upgraded circuit was of course held by another Mullins hound, Troy Bella (15.99).
While Team Wallis missed out at Hove and Towcester, the disappointment will have been readily forgotten following the outstanding run of Crafty Shivoo at Monmore. The 28.14 (525y/484m) Shelbourne winner made her UK debut over the Monmore 480 metre course and romped up in 28.05. We can probably assume that her trainer spent Sunday morning checking the Calendar for puppy competitions. Mark – the Puppy Classic is in September. . .the Oaks is in October!
Ex Monmore D2 runner Blackies Best has won eight of her 17 races at Sunderland, despite being KO’d in two of them. On Friday the Wolverhampton 15.51 sprinter produced her quickest run to date in the North East, a 15.74 that gets her among the top ten times of the year.
When Seomra Paws first arrived at Romford, she hardly set the place alight. It took her seven sighters to breaker 25.00 and three attempts to win A9. Move on 13 months and Katie O’Flaherty’s white and black is among the best of the four bend locals. On Friday she completed a four timer with her first ever open race success, a 23.74 run.
What a fabulous night for Yorkshire owner/trainer/breeder Kevin Ferguson on Wednesday when he took Acomb littermates: Alfie, Mabel and Felix, to Doncaster and picked up all three opens over different distances. It is virtually impossible to choose between the trio but we’ll go with Acomb Mabel for a 27.69 (-20) run over the 450. She is a great story because she was almost two before she made her debut but has now won 8 of her 23 races to date. By this weekend the track was absolutely flying, though that takes nothing away from the 16.72 fastest sprint of the year from Perfecto Ollie.
A couple of weeks ago, the locally bred Harley Lous Girl featured in this column when clocking the fastest heat of the Angel Of The North (28.62). She went out in the semis and on Thursday the final went to Magical Camilla in 28.65. But it was Girl who really caught the eye though. In her last race as a pup, though still only the sixth outing of her career, she clocked the third fastest time of the year, 28.32, which is just 12 spots slower than table leader Brookside Richie.
On Monday, Patrick Janssens unveiled Droopys Doughnut, the half length runner-up in Kilkenny’s €15K Champion Unraced Stake. The hard held 29.70 Nottingham run was decent enough but we can surely expect more to come from the 28.45 Wexford winner. Maybe tonight?
There are bargains and bargains at greyhound sales. Clearly there wasn’t a lot expected of Spur Rebel when he was sold at Cork’s June sale for a mere €350. On Tuesday night, Louise Taylorson’s black pup clocked 28.97 in A2, which was faster than the two 500m opens. He is now unbeaten in four at Owlerton: A4, A4, A3, A2.
Last week Glideaway Bono was the Suffolk Downs selection based on his 23.64 heat win of a Maiden Cat 3 comp. The final was on Thursday but from traprise he was always pursuing Keith Robins’ youngster Naney Jezabelle who runs the industry’s smallest circuit as surefootedly as any hound you’ve ever seen. (With the possible exception of Luna Jezabelle) Decent time too.
Defending champ Goldies Perryman (T4) was out to defend his title in a cracking 476m Swindon open on Thursday. The danger appeared to be 2-5f Rioja Joey (T1) but that plan was ambushed at the first bend as Matt Dartnall’s Droopys Ambush slipped clear on the outside and went on to win in 28.17 – some run for his first look at the circuit.
26.27, 26.24, 26.18, 26.12. Harlow was flying on Friday and none was flying quicker than Sally Clark’s Shinbone Jack with the quickest of those four runs which is also a new FOY for the standard distance. Some run considering he would be better suited to an extra half lap on top. A special mention too for golden oldie Signet Mafia with a fourth win in his last five to take a D1.
Readers will have seen a lot of whingeing about difficult choices in the selections. (What again? – yawn) Okay, so who gets the Crayford selection this week? Surely it has to be Laughil Jess, six wins in a row and nine from her last ten outings? Unless of course it is Lenson Doolin with 14 wins in his last 15 and a 23.45 over the Crayford hurdles on Saturday. We’ll stick with the defending champ but must also mention the 45.55 success Chosen Maggie beating Luna Jezabelle over eight bends. Most weeks that would be a gimme for selection.
The extra difficulty in winning higher grade is often offset against slightly quicker winning times. So there would have been a temptation to make Bandit Billy this week’s Perry Barr selection despite the fact that his 28.66 was three quarters of a length slower than Moyar Brow’s A2 win. But Dave Welding’s winner can also play the puppy card for his ninth success of the year.
That option wasn’t open to Jaguar Pestana at Pelaw Grange who won the A2 in 25.87 compared to Laylas Girl’s 25.86 in A4. However Jaguar does get to play the additional joker of being the defending POW. Not a bad club to be in: Space Jet, Links Maverick, Laughil Jess. . . .
Craig Morris was slightly irked when Edwards 28.96 run at Towcester last week was overlooked in this feature (a pure oversight – sorry). But he may be slightly happier that Knockduff Eske’s 27.40 win at Yarmouth is duly acknowledged as the fastest run over course and distance this year. Mentions too though for Quagos Jack who was just three spots off Farneys Trend’s clock with the record holder following him home.
The results sheet show that Gortroe Rainbow was Kinsley’s quickest winner of the week in 27.69 on superfast (+40) going. Evies Saga was 10 spots slower, but on less favourable going, when clocking the fastest time of the day on Sunday. The £1,850 purchase at the Greyhoundtrader’s Yarmouth Sale is also the youngest of this week’s selections.
It was a case of ‘last dog standing’ at Henlow on Sunday. For the last eight weeks, three dogs have dominated the top heat. Jogon Blue has three wins, Flitwick Club and Salacres Blake had two wins apiece. There was no sign of Club this week leaving Blue and Blake to be joined by Flitwick Foxie. In the three runner contest, it was the Peter Harnden trained black and white who finally managed to avoid trouble and win by 10.
