BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Although King Louis picked up last week’s British Breeders final at Nottingham, the Colwick Park nomination goes to Kevin Boon’s June puppy Bettys Book who went a spot quicker in a supporting open. Rab McNair’s runner doesn’t miss out though after taking a very decent minor open at Central Park on Sunday night.

With two of the Northern Puppy Derby semi winners clocking identical times, we’ll swerve it and go for the fastest winner on the night, the older Pacemaker Ted. Easiest pick of the week, Belinda Green’s ‘new Giselbertus’, the crack sprinter Frainey Forever whose winning sequence is now up to seven. No more 6-1 and 9-1 though, it’s 8-13 these days.

Antonella would have a claim to retain the Crayford title after another decent A1 win though the 33.84 run over six bends for Lady Order is at least as worthy. Staying with six bends, British bred Deeteedee Merlin did well to overcome -40 going to land the S1 at Monmore.

There were a string of A1s at Hove, though the quickest by far went to Alma Keppie’s Chipping Away. Sheffield staged just one and it narrowly went to Coolavanny Luck in easily the best 500 of the week. Sunderland’s fastest A1 went to the improving Mr Know All.

There were no top heats at Perry Barr with the tiny (24.6kg) Baggios Sky winning the quickest A2. Ex Perry A4 runner Swift Lacerate seems to prefer the East coast climate as he amply showed when being the only runner to break 28.00 at Yarmouth last week. Cloneen Alba was the only Kinsley runner to break 28.00 over the similar trip. On her breeding, you might expect Bringitonbuddy to be running over longer distances, but the 30 kilo blue bitch was quickest over Doncaster’s 483m with a 29.81 run.

A 25.96 run has been enough to land the Pelaw top dog award two weeks running. This week is the turn of the much talented Jaguar Boss, formerly of of the Shawfield, Newcastle and Belle Vue parishes. While at Harlow, Paper Straw became the first dog in 2021 to break 26.00 for the standard.

With the extra Tuesday fixture bedded in, the Towcester graded form is getting more solid by the week. Quickest over the Derby course this week was A2 winner Jacks Solution whose previous form includes beating Ballymac Cooper by three lengths in 29.45 for the Irish Derby course.

Finally two ‘cut and pastes’ from last week. Henlow’s outstanding 550 runner Tinks Legend chipped 20 spots off a time good enough to get him onto the chart a week ago. He was just one spot slower than the fastest time over course and distance in 2020. Smurfs Machine was a length slower this week for Swindon’s 476m but still the track’s outstanding performer.