BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

What a fabulous night at Perry Barr on Thursday, littered with amazing performances. She might be the most obvious selection of the night but with a last–to–first track record breaking run to win the St.Leger, how can you possibly look past Space Jet? Predictions are flying as to her potential over the marathon. We’ll make just one. Never in the remainder of her racing career will Space Jet ever return at 100-30!

Monday night at Nottingham kicked off the open race week and Ramors Jet continued his fine form – an A1, then a 680 open, followed by a 500m open beating Churchill Holly seven lengths. Going for four tonight!

On Tuesday night, Sheffield staged some Bresbet Steel City Cup trialstakes. All though were overshadowed by a good old fashioned top heat. It was a five runner field with three for the Draper kennel – locals will look forward to a renewal of the old Parker/Draper battles later in the year – with Ballyboss Baz producing the best run of his career to date.

Wednesday was ‘Gaskin night at Donny’ where ‘Young James’ dominated the opens. Happy Tally was impressive, but Santro Duke was sensational with a 29.36 FOY run for 483m. While at Harlow, the going has got quicker enabling Humble Jet to clock the second fastest 415 of the year. One of four York runners in a Monkey Final, Jet is the most consistent dog in the kennel – last 11 races, 7 wins, 4 seconds.

A FON performance on a full open race card is normally enough to ensure a nomination. Bubbly Crystal clocked 35.23 at Romford on Friday – and the risk of irritating the small nation known as the Bubbly Club, we’re edging it to 35.29 winner Warzone Tom. Why? Droopys Addition, Bo Shine Bullet, Smallmead . . .

It is almost two years since Addition landed the Trafalgar Cup at Monmore. Two places further back was Tasty Treat who was less heavily tested back in Wolverhampton on Saturday with a 28.36 run.

From pre-war until 1995 it was illegal to race on Sunday. Now it has the week’s busiest open race schedule. Heading the Towcester card were four heats of a British bred puppy competition, of which three went to ‘Snooty’ littermates. Quickest of the Lee Field trained trio over the new 470m trip was Snooty Arthur who added to a Monmore A4-A3-A2 hat-trick with a 28.02 run.

A few hours later, Swindon’s finest tackled a similar distance with the reigning POW Westway Blake finding 13 spots on last week’s run. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough, kennelmate Sayyousayme had gone a spot quicker just a few minutes earlier.

There was more good puppy action at Henlow where Sharkys Jezabelle didn’t look under-priced at 1-3f (based on a 28.58 for 480m at Nottingham) when clocking 27.33 for the standard.

Finally on Sunday – the race of the day in the ARC Kent Derby first heat where Brookside Richie made his first appearance in an all-aged competition. It was previewwed as a buckle with Yarmouth Derby winner Antigua Storm though David Mullins’ runner could not have been more impressive when extending his career record to ten wins (three 2nds) from 13 races in a fastest-of-night, 28.94 (-10).

Moving onto the graded runners, Slangevar Tommy’s last Newcastle line of form from trap three in A1 was a 28.43 win. Three months on, same box, same grade, 28.46.

With three wins and three seconds including a 29.64 (-30) win last time out, Mollys Diva was always due a Hove podium place this week. But given consideration to age and (lack of) experience, we’re edging it to 20 month old Bonjour Bullet who completed the journey from A6 to A1 success with six wins in nine races.

Unlike Hove, Yarmouth beat the weather on Saturday night but the going allowance reflected the battle. But we need to look beyond Roxys Teddy’s 27.73 run on Monday, because on Saturday he went to traps at 3-1 and was soundly beaten by 11-10f Dominance in 28.42 (on a track ‘conservatively’ rated at -50). (Which was incidentally, more than TWO SECONDS faster than the night’s slowest winner).

After whipping the best of the lads three weeks in a row, there was no run for Corona Lady in Kinsley’s top four-bender this week. Arch rival Cloneen Alba took his chance with an A3 downgrade, but was ‘outclocked’ by A4 runner De Dancing King.

Pelaw was another ‘time v grade’ dilemma. Your Round Benny landed the A1 in 26.22. Although Wow The Duchess’ 26.04 was in A4 company, she was also quicker than winners of two A2s and an A3. In fact, it was her best clock in 50 races at the track. No such worries in neighbouring Sunderland. Following two costly defeats Mucho Macho Jack went fastest in over two years over the 450m course with a 26.83 run.

The fastest 380 at Crayford this week was a 23.38 run. However, Darbys Bullet produced a FOY 23.54 run over the sticks beating local champ Kicking King in an H1. Bullet’s win came via the smart ‘out of the box’ thinking from the management in allowing non-contracted Ricky Holloway to compete in graded races.