Only one place to start, and the fastest two runs in the Boylesports Irish Derby first round with kennelmates Totos Park and Clonbrien Prince, just two of the six first round winner for Graham Holland
The reason for ‘double nominations’ can be best summed up this week by two performances at Waterford. In the Munster Oaks, Vancouver clocked the fastest 525 in more than a year with a 28.18 run. However, on the same card, the unraced pup Ballydoyle Valor – a litter brother to Roxholme Butt – was just three spots slower.
At the other end of the scale and another fine performance from veteran Jaytee Patriot to win the Cambridgeshire at Limerick.
The recent trend of turning puppy events into ‘juvenile’ competitions is at best controversial, at worst, self defeating. So while the ‘adult juvenile’ Gone To Ground might claim the fastest time in, formerly, one of the most prestigious puppy events in the Irish racing calendar, the Texacloth ‘Puppy’ Cup, the nomination goes to the marginally slower Mar’17 pup Ballymac Beach.
Elsewhere Harton Blitz clocked the fastest 550 at Drumbo this year, while Invincible Mike matched the year’s best 550 at Cork. Springwell Murty set a new best in 2018 for Mullingar’s 525 and Droopys Steel was just 20 spots outside the Tralee two bend clock.
The performance of the week?
Probably one that has gone under most radars –two and a half year old Lemon Jetson recorded the fastest sprint seen at Lifford in eight years – more than a year after qualifying – but in the first race of his career.
CLONMEL | 30.22 | TARSNA NUREYEV | (Tyrur Big Mike-Tarsna Danceaway, Jul 16) |
CURRAHEEN PARK | 29.53 | INVINCIBLE MIKE | (Shaneboy Lee-Invinciblejackie, Jul 16) |
DERRY | 27.85 | COME ON TADGH | (Sidarian Rhythm-Silverhill Exit, Mar 16) |
DRUMBO PARK | 30.01 | HARTON BLITZ | (Ballymac Eske-Miss Blitz, Jul 16) |
DUNDALK | 28.60 | HOUR GLASS DYLAN | (Daves Mentor-Gas Monkey, Nov 16) |
ENNISCORTHY | 29.13 | BALLINABOLA MIA | (Droopys Jet-Ballinabola Joy, Apr 16) |
GALWAY | 28.87 | JUMEIRAH BOSS | (Tullymurry Act-Jumeirah Dancer, Nov 16) |
KILKENNY | 28.93 | DEADLY DENNIS | (Makeshift-Lady Long Heir, Dec 16) |
LIFFORD | 18.53 | LEMON JETSON | (Droopys Jet-Lemon Bolt, Feb 16) |
LIMERICK | 42.25 | JAYTEE PATRIOT | (Godsend-Mays Maska, Apr 14) |
LONGFORD | 28.99 | CASTLEROGGY POSY | (Droopys Cain-Leigh Fantastic, Dec 15) |
MULLINGAR | 29.23 | SPRINGWELL MURTY | (Superior Product-Springwell Dotsy, Aug 16) |
NEWBRIDGE | 28.52 | BALLYMAC BEACH | (Ballymac Vic-Rockaway Beach, Mar 17) |
SHELBOURNE PARK | 29.34 | TOTOS PARK | (Slippery Robert-Chivers Mentor, Aug 15) |
29.39 | CLONBRIEN PRINCE | (Confident Rankin-Mongys Rach, Jul 16) | |
THURLES PARK | 28.92 | EASY COWBOY | (Newinn Yolo-Swift Stranraer, Sep 16) |
TRALEE | 17.39 | DROOPYS STEEL | (Laughil Blake-Droopys Posh, Apr 16) |
WATERFORD | 28.21 | BALLYDOYLE VALOR | (Kinloch Brae-Fear Emoski, Mar 17) |
28.18 | VANCOUVER | (Droopys Jet-Cruel Intentions, Nov 15) | |
YOUGHAL | 29.71 | SLANEYSIDE TWINK | (Superior Product-Slaneyside Kitty, May 17) |