BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

The outstanding run – among 18 outstanding runs – must surely go to Blue Tick George following his win in the George Ing Leger at Yarmouth. While some flatter to deceive, the Jim Daly trained blue has eight wins and two seconds in his last ten outings (480-695m), with the two defeats both coming in photo finishes. Special mention too for puppy Blastoff Mason whose 27.57 is the fastest over the 462m course since last September.

George Ing Leger winner BLUE TICK GEORGE gets a hug from David Mitchell, alongside are kennelhand Kieran King and Jason Merriott (right), a fellow member of David’s Blue Tick syndicate.Photo: © Steve Nash

Jimmy Gaskin is involved in a scrap for the Doncaster selection almost every Sunday. But one of his former winners put a score on the board as far back as Monday with a flying run for Santro Duke at Nottingham. Sunday didn’t go so well though – Sue Watson ruled again with Kilara Bugle.

Last week Fight The Storm shared the Romford nomination with a 35.14 run. This week he has it to himself following a 35.11 win in a sweepstake final.

Sister track Crayford rejoined the open race scene on Saturday with races over various distances. Little to choose between Fatboyz Trixie (714) and Dower Dubh (540), but will edge it to Amuse The Droop whose 23.28 was three spots quicker than regular track champ Antonella who also won on the night.

We would have been expecting to be flagging the best last pre-Derby performance from Towcester’s Tuesday card. Instead, it is up to the graders and ex-Monmore A1 winner Forest Yuri who saw off A3 company on debut in 29.61. At sister track Henlow there were worthy shouts over four bends (Drumcrow Bruce 27.49) and five bends (Layton Shrek 33.26), but we’ll hand it to the sprinters with Olivetree Deano setting the fastest 277m time of the year to date, though only just holding off the wonderfully named Angry Granny by a short head. There was another son of Mileheight Alba doing his dad proud at Kinsley where Cloneen Alba produced the fastest four-bender of the week.

When the progeny of the fine brood Pippy are heading the list will be Good News followed by Salacres Pippy. Trade Pippy might be some way down the list, though her achievements can now include a POW at Harlow.

Perry Barr form worked out well with the fastest times recorded in the two highest grade races – both A2. Quickest of the pair with his characteristic last-to-first run was John Lambe’s Ucannotbeserious.

Saturday night produces the majority of the Monmore fast times but it was two nights earlier when a ‘chunkier’ Cabra Kai set a new PB, some 34 spots and 1.3kg heavier than in his last A1 win.

Until Saturday night, Lanzo’s 29.28 in the A1 looked good enough to earn Hove star billing. But that was snatched away by a single spot when Freeky Pumbaa – whose previous appearance in this feature was for his sprinting – landed his second A1 from as many outings.

Newcastle staged five A1s in the last week and on times, Freedom Whammy just edges it with a 28.51 run. But we’re going to push the claim of Potent Touch who was only three spots slower but has another three months of puppy status. Angela Harrison also sent out Sunderland’s top performer when Coolavanny Bani clocked 39.28 in a 640 open (off a 15.64 split), seven spots slower than her Grand Prix win. Staying in the North East, last week’s Pelaw selection Gartcloss Pamer was involved in a void race this week giving a penalty kick to Curly Swift in A2 later on the same card.

It is six months but only three races since Chris Akers set out with promising youngster Get It Now. We finally got a glimpse of what was under the bonnet with a 28.73 run in Sheffield’s A2 company – and he did it with a fifth-to-first performance. Check out the breeding BTW.

If one hound summed up what this column was all about it is Ballymac Intent. For three weeks in a row, she has taken on all-comers in the track’s Sunday night opens and she completed the hat-trick and a second defence of her title in 28.02.

Also on Sunday, King Sam produced the performance of his career when clocking the fastest Central Park sprint in two years with a 16.07 run.