Links Maverick, Fromposttopillar and Monmore all delivered on Saturday. The Gold Cup/Stayers Classic meeting was billed as the Night of the Year in the Black Country, and delivered in spades.
Although there is a third of the racing year still to be staged, Links Maverick must surely be favourite for the Greyhound of the Year title. He picked up his third Cat One event with another outstanding demonstration of consistency. His 4.26 split was half a length off his best, but a ‘cut and paste’ “VQAw,Rls-Mid,DrewClr” race comment from the semis gives an indication of his dominance. Maverick’s 27.70 winning time is the best since the great Droopys Buick’s 27.63 on his way to the 2017 Gold Cup title. That is 19 wins in 22 races.
It was a bad night for the Fromposttopillar crabbers as he picked up the fourth Cat One final of his career in just 23 races (14 wins). His 12.18 split was 27 spots inside the 210m track record and his 37.37 winning time was the quickest since Roman Empire’s 37.22 back in 2020. In all honesty though, he doesn’t see out the trip and looks an absolute ‘Shelbourne 600’ type. Am I the only one who can see similarities with the brilliant Ballinabola Ed? As for the runner-up Droopys Clue, just fabulous. Bring on the Leger!!
Speaking of which . . . last year’s Leger winner Havana Lover was back in action over four bends this week and, running from trap six produced the outstanding run of the week at Central Park when seeing off kennelmate Havana Bale Out (T3) in 29.58 for the 491m.
The McNair runner seemingly lost her Oxford 650m track record the previous night. Or did she? First Fifty Nine was accredited on the official results with a new 650 record of 39.66, then Lively Lauren broke that ‘track record’ with a 39.50 run. The only point is – Havana Lover clocked 39.41 when winning the Hunt Cup. Does that not count simply because it was ‘hand timed’?
Last week’s Central Park and Harlow POW, Bluejig Baron won again over Sittingbourne 491m course on Sunday though he was three lengths slower than Lover. His litter brother Bluejig Hank who was last week’s Sunderland selection also drew a blank. His reign was ended by Jill Sutherst’s New Moors Hollie with her fifth win in seven races. The winning time was befitting an A1 which included both Hank and the prolific Witton Survivor.
But all was not lost for the litter. Yet another brother, Bluejig Tank, joined the party with easily the fastest run over the Yarmouth standard in the last seven days, 27.59 off a 5.31 split. He did subsequently have his wings clipped on Saturday when fourth to Quagos Peggy but in a much slower time. (That said, trainer Erica Samuels could probably have beaten his 5.90 split!).
It was a great achievement for Ricky Holloway to see Coppice Fox add to his Grand National successes with Mos Bullet, Razldazl Raidio, Roxholme Biscuit and Meenagh Maverick. It has to be said though, hurdle racing really is at rock bottom. The Crayford final on Saturday lunchtime was like watching a Springbok Trialstake with half the field beaten a distance. The jumps have always been a saviour for DQs like Fox but very sad that the overall standard has come to this. An acknowledgement too for Billis Blazer’s second quickest run of the year over 380, 23.03, and a ninth consecutive success for Laughil Jess (12/13)
Glenvale Bill held onto his Nottingham title after finding a couple of lengths in last week’s Puppy Classic semis. Based on recent finals, a repeat would be good enough to land the spoils: 2022-Distant Podge (30.09), 2021-Bubbly Apache (29.53), 20-20-(Not Staged) 2019-Ice On Fire (29.39), 2018-(30.29), 2017-Wildfire Lord (29.66).
Last week’s Sheffield selection Maximum Security followed up by landing the six bend final of a dual distance comp but his 39.24 doesn’t really cut it. However the 28.57 run from Kevin Seville’s Kinsley D1 regular Saleen Icon (T2) is well worthy of acknowledgement. More to come surely?
On Thursday Suffolk Downs’ reigning POW Bettys Jack took on a previous champ in Naney Jezabelle with the latter coming out on top in a very decent 23.68. However, two races later, Glengar Daisy produced the joint fifth fastest time of the year with a 23.62 run. Since February, Michelle Brown’s former Romford grader has won 67% of her 21 races.
At Swindon it is case of changing Kings and adjusting the winner’s time by five spots. Debutant King Capaldi was arguably more impressive than litter brother King Memphis given the latter’s two additional races. Kind of makes you wonder though. If either was clocking 28.40 at 20 month old, you’d be conservatively confident of a 27.90 run by the time they reached adulthood. So what happens when you do 27.95 on debut?
Maybe Maxi On Fire can act as a guide. This time last year the British bred pup was qualifying into A5 company at Newcastle and won on debut in 29.32 for Jimmy Fenwick. Now two kilos heavier and an A1 regular, he clocked the fastest time over the standard this week and set a new personal best of 28.76,
It has been a while since the Blond Knight had a middle distance team good enough to take on a crusade. But while Candolim Monsoon is pillaging at Nottingham, Hollow Man (described by the RM as ‘could be anything’ at the start of his career) has been enhancing his own CV back at Hove. On Thursday he completed a four-timer with a 30.13 (-20) win over the 515m course. A mention too for the night’s A1 winner Seasons Chelm with a 29.37 run over the shorter course.
With a winning line of form over Savana Heross over the 710m course, Peregrine Ryan was naturally reckoned to be running over a sub optimal distance when going to traps in a Thursday night A2. But John Lambe’s 6-1 shot had other ideas on his way to the fastest graded win at the track this year, 28.24. You’d have to feel sorry for backers of 11-10f Noels Choice though. The runner-up clocked 28.36 (+10) in a graded race but didn’t collect. A mention too for Robert Hall’s December pup Ballyclearly Ten with a 28.66 (-10) A1 win on Saturday.
John Mullins’ Pennys Oxo failed to defend his Romford POW title when turned over by Knockboy Kay in a slightly slower sprint. But on times alone, it ended up as a coin toss between kennelmates Merlins Mate (23.79-400m) and Aayamza Sydney (34.98-575m). We’ve gone for Sydney on the basis that he proved that a four-runner field can still provide a great buzz when the favourite gets home in a three-way photo.
Antigua Bigun last made the POW chart for Romford back in November. On what was quite a low key week at Towcester, the Blue Riband runner-up was able to get his name back among the honours with a determined 29.66 (-10) run. Things will be a bit livelier next weekend though with the Official Trialstakes for the Bet365 Empress Stakes.
The Northamptonshire venue was the subject of some social media debate when it recently staged a two runner graded event. This week it was Harlow’s turn with Dower Flyer (1-18) winning an A6 in 26.64. The A6 runner didn’t win by far and would have been a good addition to the four-runner A5 which was won by Little McNab in just four spots quicker and the fastest 415 of the week.
Some flying times at Doncaster this week including a new FOY for the 483m trip recorded by My Blue Boy with a 29.50 run. Debbie Calvert’s blue and white actually has a personal best of 29.47 recorded 14 months ago. A mention too for Obladi Oblada, a dog who has spent 16 races in B5/B6 and then popped up with a 29.54 in A1. Don’t forget Doncaster’s Wednesday opens
Staying in Yorkshire, with Caydens Destiny not defending her title, the second and third in Kinsley’s top heat, Ballymac Frisby and Gortroe Rainbow were both looking to take advantage in Sunday’s A2. But they hadn’t reckoned with Kevin Seville’s Whistledown with a new PB of 27.57 for the 462 metres.
On the subject of lost titles, things go so well for Hurleys Spring at Pelaw. A 10-1 shot last week in a race that featured Mustang Tyson and Jaguar Pestana, they both finished in front of him this week. On a slow track, it was Ian Hooper’s 4-1 shot Tyson who prevailed by a comfortable four lengths.
The final selection of the week came from the Henlow Sunday night card which featured the semi finals of the Betgoodwin Henlow Maiden Derby where John Mullins’ ex Romford grader Bombay The Joker produced another flawless performance to find half a length with the quickest run over course and distance in two years.
