BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

The first nomination of the week was arguably the most impressive with Roxhome Sheik’s 28.28 run for Nottingham’s 480 metres the fastest since Geelo Blissful’s 28.16 back in June 2019.

The following night saw Towcester’s first Tuesday meeting and a track record breaking run from from Smallmead. Meanwhile, back at his home track Yarmouth, there was a quickest run of the week from kennelmate, Massive Ego.

We also have our first outside nomination for a POW – this time from Steve Nashionaltreasure – in Swift Cope at Romford. Not only did Paul Burr’s dog (T3) produce the quickest run of the first round of the Golden Sprint, he did it from last place at the sectional.

At Crayford, Only Maloney took the honours last week with a 23.39 (+10) run. Jason Heath’s pup retains his crown with a 23.29 (+20) run. There was also a ‘cut and paste’ for Pelaw’s top dog Gartcloss Mo.

At Kinsley, a 27.87 run was good enough for Love Your Work last week. She won again this week in 27.84, but was eclipsed by Acomb Hugo (27.76).

Twenty miles away, Sheffield’s best 500m event of the week was staged on Saturday night when Jaguar Blake ran away with an A2 in 29.16. On the same night, Burkos Dream produce the best Hove A1 win of the week in 29.35.

The narrowest margin for selection goes to Monmore’s Daves Gift. Although he was the quickest of the five A1 winners during the week, he only got home by a short head.

Lynn Short has landed previous Perry Barr nominations with Castell Stevie, but now has a decent successor with Southfield Reno whose 28.75 was the quickest 480 on the week.

You don’t often see the word ‘hurdler’ and ‘Janssens’ in the same sentence but the champion trainer appears to have a genuine Springbok fancy on his hands in Seaglass Smokey following an excellent 29.59 run at Central Park on Sunday.

On the same night, Distant Move caused the biggest shock of the week at Swindon when landing a six bend open at 20-1. Six bend graded racing made a welcome return to Henlow on Sunday and the first winner over the 692m course in three months was Graham Payne’s Graigues Cove.

Doncaster’s choice was an easy one. Letter Cain is the only runner to break 28.00 for the 450m course this year. In fact only two hounds went quicker in 2020 (Russanda Bondi was quickest in 27.56). Over the same distance, a 27.41 was good enough to be the Sunderland nomination last week. This week it took a 27.34 run from Pennylane Tiger.

Harlow’s fastest four bend winner was also one of the track’s smallest, Smithy Elizabeth who tips the scales at a little over 25 kilos.

If you were looking for the most profitable dog of recent months, Newcastle’s Fadesandblades would surely be in the shake up. The Gary Carmichael trained blue has won seven of this last 15 races. But look at the prices: 6-1, 7-2, 4-1, 13-2, 4-5, 16-1, 9-4.