BRITISH PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

A performance deserving of a £20K Cat One win for Bellmore Sally in the Ladbrokes Golden Jacket Final at Crayford on Saturday. It was the quickest run over course and distance in three years and the fastest final win since 2013.

The KSS Syndicate missed out with Warzone Tom on Saturday but would have been cheered by the 28.98 run of Feora Noel on Sunday night. Another comparatively cheap star spotted by Brendan Keogh (he’d been beaten in his last eight Irish races), the 35 kilo blue is unbeaten in four at Central Park. The 28.98 run was recorded on going rated at (-40), (TR 28.50). That allowance seems entirely reasonable based on his time being 67 and 69 spots quicker than the night’s other two opens.

There was an unusual situation at Monmore on Saturday where Bornchurch Mick would have been nominated for his 28.37 semi final win in the semis of the Winter Derby, had he not clocked 28.30 four days earlier in the delayed first round heats.

A fabulous 1-2 for Tom Heilbron in the ARC Northern Puppy Derby Final at Newcastle on Tuesday which was the quickest 480 on the night. But we are giving the nomination to Danny Beattie’s stayer Afton Pixie following a 38.81 run on the day. That’s her third consecutive POW.

At 3.28 on Sunday, Crossfield Dusty was lined up as the Towcester selection after clocking the 15.62 for the sprint, the sixth fastest run over course and distance. (His 15.61 was the joint fourth fastest.) But at 4.28 he was bumped from his place by kennelmate Lautaro with a 29.15 run for 500m, the 14^th quickest run over the Derby course (a list headed by former kennelmate Bockos Belly).

The Sheffield Tuesday night opens have been quite competitive. Boomtown Bally was 22 spots off his FOY for 660 but Magical Duke was only nine spots off the best 500 metre time to date with a 28.72 run. Only Acomb Winston has gone quicker.

Nottingham staged an open race final on Monday though there outstanding performance came in the night’s A1 where Alex Hopkins’ Toast Of Sydney was outstanding in 29.71, seven spots off his personal best.

There won’t be many occasions when a Performer of the Week goes even quicker next time out, records the fastest time of the night, but loses their crown. Sadly that fate befell Harlow’s brilliant dual distance winner Front Society. But how could we possibly overlook the exploits of March On Henry? That is NINE unbeaten over course and distance for Jamie Kingsley’s black.

ExHarlow 25.96 winner Paper Straw was the most impressive trialist at the Suffolk Downs qualifying sessions and Tuesday’s second meeting gave him the chance to repeat that on debut in race company. The 24.32 run was on (-40), a calculated 10 spots off his best.

Perry Barr staged their first A1 since before Christmas on Saturday afternoon. That went to Bower Turbo in 28.67. The latest version went to his young kennelmate Rock On Ronnie in 28.61.

With no Romford opens this week due to the storms, the nod goes to a bitch who began life in Crayford A6 last July. Now established in minor opens and top at London Road, Bestofalltime picked up her third win in her last five outings in a FOW, 24.20.

Aghaburren Charm began her race career at Central Park. Without a win since October, she saw off a Sunderland A1 field in 27.48.

Of course there are A1s and A1s. In the latter category we can place Ballyblack Speed whose 29.19 (+20) recorded last month is the fastest time of the year. On Saturday the Richard Yeates trained pup beat some of the top hounds at the venue including Indesatchel and Pocket Lulu in 29.27 (N).

There was a similar ‘all stars’ look at Yarmouth’s A1 on Wednesday. They were all there, Montrose (27.70), Gracias Lorenzo (27.82), and of course Dominance. It was Sandra Clayton’s strapping 31.4 kilo bitch who came out on top in 27.85 (-10).

Swindon’s top graded runners get the opportunity to contest opens every Sunday night and Snaffi Syd was made 4-7f to win a maiden heat on the basis of four wins in his last five including a calculated 28.07 run. But he found one three lengths too good in the Paul Foster trained Brickhill Jethro who landed the quickest 476 contest of the week in 28.76 (-60).

There was no A1 at Doncaster this week, but that gives us the chance to highlight a brilliant A2 winner in Catunda Tom. For a dog who started his career in graded sprints at Monmore, the five year old seems to relish winter going – he won over 483m in -200 last January when weighing 40.6kg!. Now a slimline 39.6kg, his Sunday morning win came by four lengths in 30.64.

Times were even slower later the same day at Yorkshire neighbours Kinsley as former Central Park D1/A1 runner Kitmins Maggie carried off the A2 on going rated -130. Henlow’s Golden Oldie Layton Shrek won his 27^th race on Sunday, though his winning time doesn’t stack up to the 27.77 (-20) clocked by the Jason Bloomfield trained Holycross Brae on Wednesday.

There were only four races staged at Pelaw Grange this week with Sunday’s meeting abandoned.