BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

The highlight of the week was the Gold Cup card with a win for Gonzo, though the performance of the week must surely be the hugely underrated Kingsbrook Glynn. His record since lockdown: 9 races, 6 wins, 1 x 2^nd, 2 x 3^rd .

At Romford, Smallmead clocked a very smart 35.08 for six bends on Friday, but the nomination goes to her kennelmate, that great old servant Swift Tarquin, four years and one month old with a 35.27 run in the 96^th race of his career. (Is it a sign to come that there were four 16 whelps among the open winners on Friday?)

Sticking with the O/R theme, Central Park’s most impressive winner Aim For Glory can be expected to form part of the Cahill Derby team during the next month. You would have to think that Angela Harrison must be considering a Derby tilt for Droopys Pilot. He will be a veteran by the latter stages of the Derby but recorded his fastest calculated time of his Newcastle career last week. Staying in the North East, Skeough Girl’s 25.58 was the best run at Pelaw Grange, while at Sunderland the best A2 went to Many Returns.

Some decent races for British breds including the sprint final won by King Drake at Towcester and the Oaks at Doncaster which went to Fearsome Encore.

It isn’t often that hurdlers get a mention in this feature but Crayford’s Billericay Blue has been the height of consistency with a recent hat-trick and seven wins in his last ten.

At Harlow, Headford Sabbath was just two spots off the FOY for 415 after three wins in his last four. Kinsley’s Lightfoot Kealy gets in on similar credentials – FOW for 462 with three wins and two seconds in his last six. It must be something in the Yorkshire air. At Sheffield, Woodcocks Romeo clocked the fastest 500 of the week with his sixth win in his last seven races (A6-A2). If you’d had a tenner on every time he ran, you would now be £316.66 in profit!

Picking out an exceptional performance at Henlow was never harder, given the track has been running particularly slow. The best 460 of the last week goes to 27.67 winner Longcroft Alice in A6.

At Perry Barr Sporting Daniel put himself among the top three sprint runs of the year with a 16.07 run. The Yarmouth sprint is only two metres further (apparently) but times are considerably slower. Best over c & d in the last week was dual distance hat-trick hero Spitfire Flash.

A final interesting stat to finish. At which track and standard distance have bitches recorded seven of the fastest ten fastest times of the year? The answer is Swindon. Ashway Ruby’s 28.35 (435) on Sunday didn’t make the top ten though her best run of 28.20 is right up there.