British Performance of the Week - 31 August 2026

Warrior leads the way in Cat One semis

The week kicked off with the semis of the Arena Racing Company Puppy Classic on Monday night at Nottingham where Annadown Warrior was just the quickest of the three semi-final victors. There was not much to choose between them but even after some scrimmaging on the run to the opening bend, Maxine Locke's runner came out best on the clock.

The end of the week saw the heats of the BGBF Produce Stakes, run for the first time at Towcester. Harton Whirlwind was the fastest of those winners in the eight heats, already a Cat One winner for the kennel, he has made a smart start in his bid to take a second, nudging 29 dead with his run. 

This coming Saturday there will be another two Category One events kicking off at Dunstall Park. Headford Dane laid down a decent marker for the Birmingham Cup with a slick win in a trial stake at the Wolverhampton venue. He has a pair of top tier titles to his credit himself, both just down the road at Monmore, there must be something in the Wolves air he loves!

On Wednesday the East Anglian Derby will kick off at Yarmouth with Jane Crake's Laugh Alot picking the perfect time to produce the best time of the year over the Derby trip. She is going to be five in October but has already produced plenty of very smart winning form this year, with this the pick of the bunch.

At Category Two level, there was a win for Anglesey Milo in the SIS British Bred competition at the Valley. It was a huge shame for connections that he was unable to take up his engagement on Derby final night at Towcester having qualified for the Truframe Champion Stakes decider. This was a well deserved victory for him.

Since being stepped up to six bends at Doncaster, Magical Supreme has been absolutely foot perfect. His calculated time has improved with each go, now a perfect 3/3 over the distance. He already had four open race wins over the 483m distance at the venue but had taken his form to a brand new level as a stayer. 

Just down the road at Sheffield there was a slick run over 500m from Jacktavern Turbo. It was only his second start since arriving from Ireland where he had made the final of the Race of Champions at Tralee, finishing third behind Ballycowen Frank and Solo And Go. That level of form is going to see him pick up plenty of prizes around the northern tracks.

Off to the north east now and we start at Sunderland and Droopys Orator. He is another new recruit from across the Irish Sea, also making just his second start for his new kennel. He has won both and this effort, dipping under 27 seconds marks him down as a very smart type and a player for the Classic coming up in November. 

There were opens over four different trips at Star Pelaw on Saturday night which makes it hard to compare the relative merits of the form but Pothole Bob gets the nod for performance of the week after ending the winning run of Sunnyside Gurkha at eight. There was no fluke in the victory, out in front and maintaining the gallop.

Blackhouse Lewi is the recipient of the Newcastle award, just clocking the quickest of the times on Thursday night. He has some very smart times at this track when he times his break right, picking up his sixth open race success at the venue. He is the top performer in the first litter by his sire who was a smart type here himself, though sometimes a painfully slow trapper!

At Monmore there was a smart win over six bends from Timmys Hunter. A 3 Steps to Victory finalist not so long ago at Sheffield, he made the semis of the Ladbrokes Summer Stayers Classic more recently. He had made the Monmore semis last year as well before a trip to Sheffield and a run to the final of the Steel City Cup, so it will be interesting to see if that is in the minds of connections once more. 

Another who is more than capable of splitting time over both four and six bends is Bonus Bullet who picked up the prize for Hove. She had led until the final bend in the final of the Coral Regency at this track at the start of the month before finding Droopys Flare too strong. Back at 500m, she produced a rock solid effort, running on strongly to score. 

Alright Bullet took the Central Park award for a decent clocking on a slow track. He has tended to save the very best of his form to this point in his career for Towcester but this effort suggested that he would not be out of place in the Kent Derby which comes up in October. 

Through the Dartford Tunnel to Romford and Lincoln Impact took the opening contest on Friday night with the top performance of the week. He has missed the break plenty on stiffer tracks over four bends before running on strongly so the drop to 400m might not have been expected to suit but he absolutely bolted out the traps and gave his rivals a running lesson. He will stay 575m here which opens up plenty of options. 

A little further around the M25 and up the M11 at Harlow and there was a new best of the year over 415m as Salems Amaretto produced a flying run in an A4. She has got her trapping boots on at present, absolutely flying to the sectional in 4.73 to make it eight wins from his last 12 runs at the track.

We end with Kinsley where Da Man Joey landed a quick A4 win on Monday, going under by just a neck on Friday from making it a double on the week. The veteran has won 34 of his 138 career starts, nearly a 25% strike rate and is still going strong.