Irish Performance of the Week - 27 January 2026

Rural Kennels Open Unraced semis provide top action again

The final of the Rural Kennels Open Unraced will be on Sunday night at Clonmel where performance of the week winner Newinn Spot heads the market. He won the award a fortnight back for his opening round run, improving on his win time in each of his three rounds so far. Graham Holland had the favourite last year as well in Faypoint Ranger. He finished last but then went to Limerick and went unbeaten through the Kirby.

There was a career best run from Carrigmore Dante at Limerick when winning an A1. He has shown plenty of solid form at the track to this point but his 28.42 is as good as he has been. The question now is whether he is able to sustain that level just six months away from veteran status. 

Similar comments apply to Labana Cody who produced his best run in a long time at Tralee. He is already the other side of four, picking up his first success since August. He had looked a smart recruit when bursting onto the scene in 2023, behind the likes of De Lahdedah and Daleroad Duke in his early starts, so this was a nice return to something close to his best.

At the opposite end of the career spectrum is Tracton Starbar who won a sprint at Curraheen Park. Just a September 24 whelp, she is from a repeat mating of Roaming Turbo and Butterbridge Ivy that produced Mick Mavrias's triple D1 Central Park winner Butterbridge Seb in the first. 17.84 on her debut marks her down as a bitch of strong potential. 

Another sprinter to make the list this week is Seven Spanish who won the Dundalk award. The drop back to 400y at Dundalk has seen her pick up a couple of wins. She is also from a litter that produced a multiple top grade winning sprinter in the UK, Gemma Byford's Mavis Minger at Hove. Her dam is a half-sister to Broadstrand Bono as well as Droopys Alice who has thrown the likes of Broadstrand Syd and Slick Sentinel.