BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

The easiest decision of the week was probably Coolavanny Aunty following her 34.87 run in the semi finals of the Essex Vase, some 52 spots quicker than kennelmate Coolavanny Bani. Angela Harrison’s Empress Stakes winner and Puppy Classic runner-up contests her third Cat One decider next Friday.

Aunty’s litter brother Coolavanny Arnie finished second in a maiden open at Towcester on Sunday but was soundly beaten by Lemon Tossy whose 29.45 was quicker on the clock than both Blue Riband semis. This was no ‘tatty’ maiden. The winning time was equal to Candy Man’s quickest second round run. The ‘Lemon’ prefix has been synonymous with Kilkenny and the Lennon family for over half a century, and the 28.63 (calc) form is certainly stacking up.

Not quite as high profile but equally worthy was the 28.59 run by Stuart Rae’s Blackhouse Harry in a puppy open at Newcastle. The quality of the form is only really apparent when you check out his age!

George Cunningham’s Narcos Dode was favourite to win Monday’s £500 Nottingham final. However the All England runner-up found one too good in kennelmate Lav Yin Yak. On Tuesday, Skywalker Forte recorded a flying 27.49 for Sheffield’s 480m trip, just one spot off the fastest run last year. But even that run was eclipsed by Tom Heilbron’s Newcastle sprint record holder Freedom Whiskey with the fastest sprint seen at the track in nearly five and a half years.

Front Move has featured regularly in the column for her exploits over Harlow’s four bend course. This week she is back as the fastest six bend open race winner. There was a dual distance conundrum at Monmore with Kaiser Kubrick clocking a decent 38.30 for the 630 course. But on balance, the nod goes to Antigua Woofwoof with a 28.37 run and eight consecutive races in the forecast places. The Mark Wallis trained runner is a littermate to last week’s POW at Swindon, Druids Why So.

Last week’s Monmore POW selection Getwiththetimes was even more impressive this week with a 39.77 for Central Park’s 642m – the fastest run since Southfield Code’s 39.50 back in May 2020. Code is still performing well and last week ran Freffans Clinton to three quarters of a length for Swindon’s 682m. Shaun Gresham’s dual distance black extended his winning sequence to five on Sunday night with a calculated 41.93 run.

With the start of the £20K Ladbrokes Golden Jacket just two weeks away, Hove’s Droopys Senorita (a half sister to Skywalker Forte) put her name into the frame with a 45.23 over course and distance – a time that was only bettered once in 2021 – by Bo Shine Bullet (45.00).

Returning to top grade racing and last week’s top dog Russanda Bondi was out to defend his crown in Doncaster’s only A1 of the week. He failed. Ferryforth Davy, contesting his first graded race since May last year, looked back as good as new with a 30.03 win.

Perry Barr has been running fast again this week. Quickest on the clock this week was Coill Bhui Rebel with a 28.46 win in A2. Yorkshire neightbours Kinsely staged their top race, an A2, on Sunday where Kitmins Maggie was set to defend her title against the prolific Glenvale Gav and Cloneen Alba. In fact, it was Alba’s kennelmate Scotch Raider, fourth in his only previous A2 who prevailed in 27.64.

We make a lot of ‘repeat appearances’ in this feature. And then along comes a hound like Ragtime Flash, with just three wins in her 40 races to date. But on Saturday Theresa Dornan’s blue fawn – a litter sister to Billys Diva and Kishlawn Shakira – romps up in 41.77 for the Hove 695m. To put the run into perspective, Aayamza Royale’s win in the Regency last year was 41.56.

Irene Barnard’s Cold Blow seems to have benefited from a switch of track to Romford by producing easily his fastest ever sectional (5.26) on his way to the only sub 28.00 run at Yarmouth this week.

Marinas Artist, the largely undisputed champ of Pelaw Grange went to traps as a 4-9 chance to win Sunday’s A1. But last year’s fastest hound (25.50) found one to good in the locally bred Hurleys Spring who held on by a short head in the first sub 26.00 run of the year.

There wouldn’t be many weeks when a 27.16 run wouldn’t take the Sunderland nomination so it would be no surprise to see Light A Candle featured followed her fourth A1 win in 12 attempts.

Finally a mention for the second fastest 460 runner at Henlow in 2020 (27.19), and the third fastest in 2021 (27.29), All About Taylor. Carol Grasso’s Maiden Derby runner-up (to Roxholme Olaf) landed this week’s A1 in 28.07 (-50) and thus completed a graded four-timer which began last October.