BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

The week’s best performance is its oldest, tracing back to last Monday and a sensational unbeaten run through the ARC Puppy Classic for Bubbly Apache. His run was the fastest of the competition, quicker than the Select and the eighth quickest time over course and distance this year. For reference, the last Puppy Classic was won by Ice On Fire in 29.39, though the only other winner to have gone quicker than Paul Young’s runner in the last ten finals was Ballymac Eske (29.33).

The action switched to Sheffield on Tuesday where local runner Lemming Caesar shone in the Gain Greyhound Nutrition Three Steps To Victory semi finals. Beaten in a couple of A4s at Harlow as recently as June, Michael O’Donnell’s dog has been a revelation on the Owlerton circuit and will be fancied to land his first Cat One final over the 660m course.

Veteran Indian Trump, who beat Caesar in the first of those graded races, was running the following night at Harlow and produced a flying 26.18 (-30) in a 415m open. Ten lengths away in second place was the reigning Performer of the Week, and kennelmate, Humble Jet with Roger York continuing to dominate the top grade.

Last week’s POW at Yarmouth went to the locally trained bitch Dominance who took her place in the first round of the Bresbet 75^th East Anglian Derby. She ran a cracker to be only beaten just over a length by the fastest winner of the round, King Bruno.

While Newcastle’s serial Performer of the Week Potent Touch was preparing for Judgement Night, Swithins Grandad, beaten in his last two races by the Harrison runner, took full advantage to win a 480 open in 28.49. Decent run from too from Longrange Dick – just 18 spots outside the six bend clock. Pelaw’s track champ Marinas Artist was engaged in those Newcastle opens, which left an opportunity for the dog who trailed the field in last week’s A1, Your Round Benny, to clean up. He did – in the second fastest time of the year, 25.71.

The action switched to Swindon on Thursday where Pocket Lola (28.34) was one spot quicker than brother Surprising in the 75^th Breeders Forum Produce Stakes. It was her 10^th win in her last 13 races. However, the nomination goes to Ballymac Conti with a 28.14 run on Sunday night. It was her six with – with four seconds – in her last 12 races.

On the same night, another serial nomination, Steve Fletcher’s veteran Layton Shrek made it five wins in his last nine outings at Henlow, of which three were in A1 and two were in S1. While at Central Park, Lizs Legacy bounced back after four consecutive second places to clock a very respectable 29.07 (-20).

Some quicker times at Romford this week with contenders over both distances. Will edge it to emerging London Road specialist Ballymac Slapup for his 23.77 clock over four bends, which took his local record to 4:5.

Quickest on the Perry Barr card this week with a 28.48 run was Autumn Warrior who has won all grades from A6 to take his second A3 contest. Mentioned in despatches, another A3 winner, Silverspoon Min, with a faster calculated time.

Six A1 races at Hove this week with winning times from 29.67 (-30) to 30.38 (-30). Quickest of the lot, Mineola Lion.

There was no Freeky Pumbaa at Hove this week– where he has been prolific A1 winner with wins in 29.23, 29.26, 29.27 and 29.30. Instead Belinda Green’s black was producing the fastest 500 on Sunday’s open race card at Towcester with a 29.48 run. Unlucky not to be featured was Savana Stormzy with a 43.52 (712m) clock – a time that was good enough to take the nomination last week.

Although Cascade King was the fastest over Monmore’s four bends this week with a 28.63 win, we’re opting for the tiny (24.6kg) pup Droopys Starlet who landed a maiden open in her first ever race.

But if we talking ‘pocket rockets’ – Tinas Carol stands on her own. Although only 22.6kg (less than 50lbs in old money) wringing wet, she produced by far the most impressive A1 win of the week at Sunderland in 27.15.

Crayford’s Saturday night mixed open race card featured six four-dog, and four five-dog races. The lack of runners didn’t reduce the drama though as a dog highlighted several times in this column, Moaning Matrix went to traps at 4-9 in a four-runner S1 event. Former Harlow A4 runner Matrix – who will be five years old in January – made a sensational start to his Crayford career by rattling off S1 and open race victories. Unfortunately, he was beaten a short head in consecutive races, most recently with the comment, ‘Bmp2,2ndFr3,Chl&AwkRnIn’. The first blemish on his card after 77 races! The subject of his attentions was Project Year who has shown great progress since launching her career in S3, and has a recent open win at Central Park.

Most of the Doncaster big hitters have been on raiding missions elsewhere this week. Best of the graded races went to Sean Parker’s Burns Night with his second consecutive A2 win in the fastest time of the week.

The decision at neighbouring Kinsley was probably the easiest of the week with 22 month old Quo Vadis just three spots off the fastest 462 of the year with a 27.46 run for Mark Siddall.