There is only one place to start, the track record breaking run of Droopys Clue in the PGR St.Leger Final at Perry Barr. He didn’t just break the clock he took 26 spots off a record previously held by the great Space Jet. Full story
What a fabulous week for Seamus Cahill who also landed his first Yarmouth Derby Final on Wednesday with Watch The Limo who was successfully returning from a wrist injury. Hopefully the injured Flickofacoin makes a return to racing. One point on the race though – not sure how many genuine railers were in the final! Lots of middles. But in terms of the top performance, that has to go to the genuinely wide Signet Goofy who finished one place behind Limo in the semis but clocked the fastest time on final night for his ninth win in his last dozen races.
On the subject of winning sequences, Bennys Champ seems to have taken over from kennelmate Lenson Doolin as the ones to beat over the Crayford 380m hurdles course. On Saturday morning Ricky Holloway’s runner extended his sequence to six. Bar one half length defeat, it would be 11.
Puppy Queen Joni made it six wins in nine races with a hugely impressive win in the 77th British Bred Produce Stakes at Swindon on Thursday night. The brindle was emulating her dam who was also an odds-on favourite when landing the 2020 final in 27.95 (+10).
While Acomb Irene’s brother Alfie and Felix took a shine to Swindon with both making Thursday’s Produce Stakes final, it really didn’t suit sister Acomb Irene who failed in all three races there. Now Sheffield is an entirely different proposition! On Tuesday she bombed around in the most impressive run of the week clocking 28.54. That’s nine wins in her last 12 opens at Owlerton. Don’t forget, the Bresbet Steel City Cup closes on Friday
On the subject of future events, the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby is just three weeks away and Bluejig Baron put himself in serious contention with a track record breaking run on Sunday afternoon. Dave Lee’s blue brindle covered the 491m in 29.13 and there is at least half a length to come off that after a fairly ‘okay’ break. He has previously gone half a length quicker and has won his last five over course and distance.
Returning to the subject of puppies and Coolavanny Mercy retains her POW title at Romford after landing the fastest semi final of the Puppy Cup in 23.77. Good to see that the three youngest in the final field are British bred.
On the same night, Pall Mall finalist Coppice Tenzin produced the best run of the week at Oxford. The 26.82 run was his seventh win in 12 opens to date.
There would be a huge temptation to overlook Crafty Shivoo’s win in the Bet365 Empress Stakes Final and make kennelmate Newinn Sid the selection. He was ten lengths quicker (29.31) on the day. But these aren’t time trials and the guts and determination shown by the Irish Oaks winner were quite extraordinary. That is seven wins and a second since crossing the water.
The heats of a dual distance stake provided the most interest at Nottingham on Monday and quickest of the trio of 480m winners was Blackboy Lizzy with a 28.53 run. That’s five wins and three seconds in her last nine races heading into tonight’s final over the extra 20 metres.
There wasn’t much to choose between the Suffolk Downs winners in terms of times. Quickest over the standard was Murlens Astra (23.82), and over the ‘548’ was Nassau (34.19). But in terms of times and consistency in top company, we’ve got for Bodell Frankie after landing her third consecutive A1. It was a ninth win in her last 12 outings for a veteran whose career began in A11 at Henlow.
Becky The Boo made her Monmore debut in A6 on January 4. By February 24, she had won A6, A4, A3, A2 and A1. Now one of the most consistent performers at the track in top heat over two and four bends, she produced last’s week’s best run over the latter.
The Rees kennel could have another decent youngster on their hands in Doodlebug Lad. Unraced in Ireland, his UK career took two races to ignite, the second being a 29.53 (-10) open race win in a maiden over the Hove 500m course. Plenty to come with another four months of puppy options.
The Newcastle selection was always likely to come from the Thursday afternoon A1 that featured Marlfield Diaz (11-8), Magical Rubble (5-2) and March On Larry (100-30). It did, though it was none of that trio. The winner was Riverside Lisa – who had finished fourth behind Diaz last time out – with a fifth-first 28.87 (-20) run.
The Pelaw grader was obviously in benevolent mood when accepting Tell Boy for Sunday’s A1. A finalist in the Sunderland Classic and British Bred Maiden Derby, Gary Hamilton’s runner went to traps at 6-5 in a field that included a string of previous POW but class showed and he romped up by five in 25.57.
Debbie Calvert’s runners have been dominating the Doncaster A1 in the last week. She won all three with Agile Milly clocking easily the quickest time of the week, 29.62. That’s four wins in her last five outings for the British bred black.
Victory Chimes, Sober Panther and Little Mcnab have been engaged in weekly battle over two and four bends at Harlow in recent weeks and all having some success. Chimes has as good a record as any and made it four from his last six when clocking the fastest 415 of the week on Sunday.
With the Maiden Gold Cup Final not taking place on Sunday, and a meeting lost due to flooding, pickings are a bit thin on the ground at Henlow this week. The selection though is Pam Dolby’s Happy Ever After with a 33.78 open win over the 550.
Rapido Spooks has been an interesting addition to the Sunderland race strength. Back in April, the December pup appeared in Greyhoundtrader’s Yarmouth sale but didn’t perform on the day and was led away unsold. There was a similar story at Doncaster two months later. She didn’t really shine and was put back on the van. It was a bit different at Monmore where she won her trial in 29.19 and was sold for £1,500. Six races into her Sunderland career she has three wins and a second and clocked the fastest time of the week in A2, 27.15.
Spooks’ litter brother Rapido Drops did perform at that Yarmouth sale and was sold for £1,600. He is now one of Kinsley’s top dogs with recent A3/A2 wins in 27.79 and 27.64. He started favourite to land Sunday’s top event of the week, a very warm A2, but was picked up and beaten a neck by Trevor Coote’s slightly older Ardralla Cooper who clocked 27.67.
