BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

There aren’t too many open race competitions that have progressed over time. Most of are shadows of their former glories. The Hunt Cup was a comparatively second division staying competition at Reading. In its first year at Towcester, the course and prize money have already elevated it into the top league. Quickest of Sunday’s semi finalists was the dog who gave the top marathon stars running lessons for 800 metres, the game, Burgess Elite.

Thirteen of Newcastle’s finest embarked on a raiding mission to Sunderland on Thursday. Nine survived to the semi finals of the ARC Classic semis with Droopys Dazzler the pick of the bunch.

Back at ‘Brough’, two youngsters were in the spotlight this week. February pup Coppice Psyche was the quicker of the pair when winning A2 in 28.60, but we’ll edge it to the slightly slower, but two months younger Fourbet Layla who completed an A3-A2-A1 hat-trick.

Warzone Tom defended his title with a very different performance from last week at Crayford. He missed his break, was two lengths slower off his sectional but still clocked the joint second fastest time of the year for the 540m – bettered only by himself.

There was also superb repeat performance from Liberty Belle at Monmore who stepped up from her 28.22 with a 28.12 run.

The ‘Queen of the Defence’ though was Angie Kibble’s Emotional who took over five lengths off her own six bend clock at Swindon.

But there were lost titles too. On Monday night, Churchill Holly (4-6) looked nailed on to defend her crown when leading the 500m open but she failed to shake off Toast Of Sydney who produced his best run in six months to clock 29.64.

Doncaster’s Zero O Eight saw off all challengers last week but made his second defence in A1 company and found one far too good in Burns Night. Kinsley’s quickest 462 went to Instant Dreamer who started out in A6 and beat last week’s top dog Glenvale Gav In 27.79.

Three runners broke 29.00 at Sheffield this week and two were in the same race, a maiden open dead heat. Quicker on the night though was Sandwood Buster in an A2. Lanzo produced Hove’s quickest 500m run. Returning to graded company after winning consecutive opens on a slow track, he showed what he is capable of on a normal surface when recording 29.20.

Hove based (though he has never run there) March On Henry made it four consecutive winning trips to Harlow on Wednesday with a nine length win in 26.37.

It was back to graded fare at Perry Barr this week and after finding one too good in his last couple of opens, Bower Turbo produced the run of the week in A2. Without opens, Romford’s selection is a tougher call. We’ll edge it to British bred A1 winner Fabulous Skylar with a 24.02 A1 win.

Offshore Falcon is the joint third fastest hound over Yarmouth’s Derby course this year with a 27.43. He hasn’t found that form since but still clocked the quickest run of the week.

Marinas Artist had four consecutive A1 wins at Pelaw followed by two seconds. Make that 5:7. Also on Sunday, Lenson Doolin sent out a ‘you needn’t bother to turn up’ message to the opposition in an ARC Champion Hurdle trialstake at Central Park. On a night when the fastest flat open was won in 29.00, Ricky Holloway’s jumper clocked 29.28. (TR 28.97).

As we approach the end of the year, there have been several hounds who have been regularly featured in this column. If we had to choose an ‘editors pet’ though it would surely be Layton Shrek. On Sunday, Steve Fletcher’s veteran landed the final of a 550 Monkey at Henlow. He has nine wins and four seconds in his last 16 races split between the 460/550 distances.