British Performance of the Week - 23 June 2025

A year ago, New Destiny clocked 34.82 in the opening round of the Coronation Cup before going on to take the final in the track record of 34.53. On Friday, her winning time was 35.00 with Radical Scoby producing the night’s quickest run, 34.82. Maxine Locke’s black, who led the Golden Jacket final to the fifth bend before struggling to see out the 684 metres, looks ideally suited to the shorter distance where he has a 2:2 record. A mention too for Ballymac Taylor’s 58.87, the quickest ‘925’ at Romford since Zascandi’s 58.51 in 2020 - though there have only been two match races over C&D since then.

Carrick Fergie was the Nottingham top performer a couple of weeks ago when he clocked the second fastest ‘500’ of the year. On Sunday, he was the quickest winner in the opening round of the Time Three Steps To Victory with a FOY 27.38 for the 480 metres at Sheffield. Out of interest, Queen Georgia clocked 27.27 in the equivalent round last year, followed by a 28.79 and 38.88. Will Fergie stay six bends? Chelms Bear (27.49), who has 42.64 (712m) winning form at Towcester, would have plenty of support should he make the 660m decider in a fortnight.

Meanwhile back at the track where Chelms (Barntick) Bear holds the 500m record, his former kennelmate and double Cat One finalist Breton Molly looked at a different level from the opposition in a minor open on Sunday. Patrick Janssens’ blue, who finished fourth in the Ballyregan/Curtis Memorial and fifth in the Cesarewitch made her 4/9 SP look good value when winning by more than 13 lengths. Her winning time has only been bettered twice this year: Vhagar (42.21) and Mongys Wild (42.27).

The Sunderland selection is a subjective one as it reflects times against age. The fastest ‘450’ of the week came from Tom Heilbron’s seasoned open racer Madabout Flick in 26.88. Jacktaven Chief was the quickest of the two ARC Puppy Trophy semi finalists with a 26.93 run. But, defending Performer of the Week Slingshot Poppy is four months younger and was only one spot slower.

Nottingham’s outstanding local performer of the year to date, Jetstream Breeze was at it again on Monday. Peter Holland’s brindle went to traps at 1/4f in a 480m open and won as his price reflected, just a head short of six lengths. It was his ninth win from 15 races this year and his 28.57 winning time was the third fastest this year. He is also the quickest at the track over the extra 20 metres (29.16).

It is almost two years since Moyar Brow contested the Puppy Classic Final at Nottingham. On Saturday, Dave Welding’s black reminded Perry Barr punters that he remains a significant force when landing a three runner A2 event by almost seven lengths. He had looked destined for a six bend career when landing a ‘660’ maiden back in December though a series of issues which have seen him run just 10 times in six months, put those ambitions on hold.

The Swindon selection was equally as straightforward. Last week, we highlighted Ivergarry’s fastest 682m run of the year with a 41.35 run. He followed that up on Thursday by winning again in 41.37 (handtimed). However, that was bettered by a pup making his staying debut, Eagles Respect. Angie Kibble’s home bred was backed into 4/9fav (100/30 bar) and did the business in the expected fashion clocking a new FOY, 41.30.

March On Freddie was 36 spots slower than the fastest of Hove’s 500 metre open winners on Thursday, though since he was running an extra 15 metres, and that should theoretically convert to 120 spots, the scale of his dominance is overwhelming. David Mullins’ Nottingham track record holder didn’t hit the front until the third bend but was still extending his lead beyond the six length margin over Queen Shakira after the winning line. His 29.78 was a new FOY, with Broadway Murty’s 16.18 achieving something similar for the sprint.

Coppice Saphire, the reigning Newcastle top performer, won again on Thursday night beating British Bred Maiden Derby winner Sirdar in the fastest 480 of the week. However, Chloe Hardy’s Bramble Shelby gets the nod on the basis that the 20-month old blue was just four spots slower when retaining his unbeaten run at the track in 28.44. Fabulous value at £2,250 from the March sale at Towcester.

No racing manager wants to tell connections that their dog is too good to grade, but the Valley grader will be chewing a few pen lids in working out how to keep Unwanted Present on the strength. A 4/11f chance in A1 on Sunday, she won as she pleased in 27.96 for the 460m, thus extending her recent record to eight wins and four seconds from her last dozen races over course and distance. Given she already has the fastest run at Valley this year (27.87), and the quickest open race time at Swindon (476m) is 27.84, she may have to pillage over the border.

Whyaye Bonnylass looked favourite to be the Yarmouth selection when her 27.87 survived from the second race of the week, on Monday, until her return to the track in the last race on Sunday afternoon. The layers didn’t fancy her changes (11/1) and were proved spot on as Laugh Alot (5/6f) made it career win 25 from just 86 races (29%). Jane Craske’s blue brindle, who has D1 and 400m open race winning form at Romford looked, a level better than the rest when clocking 27.63. Bonnylass finished fourth.

Harlow A3 runner Cash For Elsanto seems to enjoy the summer weather. Last June he rattled off a top heat four-timer at Yarmouth including consecutive times of 28.01. Kevin Cobbold’s 30 kilo black has since won nine times at Harlow, the most recent being Friday’s 26.53 run which was also the quickest of the week.

As the late Brian Wilson might have sung, ‘God only knows who to pick at Monmore’. The fastest time of the week was recorded by Catchem Flawless when winning an A3 by less than two lengths in 28.27 (+40). Aero Becks narrowly won an A2 in 28.35 (+20). Then on Saturday night, Droopys Expected narrowly landed an A1 in 28.84 (-10). There were several other times quicker than Expected (on various going allowances), but following a deal of head scratching, quiet contemplation, and deciding ‘life is too short’, we’ve made the Expected choice.

If you were choosing runners for the ultimate sprint, Rioja Oisin (4/9f) and Ballinakill Liam (4/5f) would surely have been included. However, both were turned over by locally-bred Kings in the Kent Silver Salver semis at Central Park. The slightly quirky King Jackson (who has a calculated 28.73 over four bends) clocked 16.29, but quickest was the track record holder King Presley with a 16.22 run. It should be a great final.

A short-head separates the two main contenders for selection at Doncaster. On the basis that her latest win was achieved in open race company, and the fact that she was one spot quicker, we’ve gone for Keefill Dares, who is probably the fourth of fifth string in an amazing litter. Phil Milner’s home bred has seven wins in her last 12 races. Earlier in the week, puppy Droopys Artilery, who prevailed when the pair last met, completed a hat-trick with a 27.53 B1 win for Sean Parker. He has six wins from eight Donny outings.

Meanwhile, over in West Yorkshire, we have a battle between a couple of A3 winners at Kinsley. The supporting evidence for Swift Office is that she beat last week’s champ Swift Aqua in the fastest calculated time of the week, 28.07 (N). However, she is just edged out by 27.91 (+20) winner Cloverhill Dove, who has another couple of months with puppy status and is the track’s in-form performer with five wins from her last six races.  

Saturday night’s Oxford card might have been a shambles due to the coughing outbreak in the Ray kennel, but that shouldn’t detract from the five-length win from Start The Engine in the six-runner 450m open. Although some way off his FOY 26.41, the Hutton hound extended his unbeaten Oxford run to six from three different traps.

Dreamin Porcha would have had a decent claim as the Pelaw selection based on her fastest ‘435’ of the year. Don’t suppose Glenn Foot is too concerned that we swerved her in favour of puppy Tassie Twirl; he trains them both. Although still to win at Sunderland, she seems to love Pelaw and was just seven spots outside the fastest sprint of the year.