New track records headline the top British performances

Droopys Kathleen leads the performances

On Friday, Dunstall Park 'regulars' had the opportunity of witnessing one of the sport’s superstars in the shape of Droopys Kathleen. The Irish Puppy Oaks winner was only 18 months old when she set a new Shelbourne 525 yard track record (27.58). In Friday’s English Oaks first round she reduced the Dunstall 480m clock to 27.87 (-20). Incidentally, she takes over as the Dunstall selection slot from litter sister Droopys Mikado. 

It seems remarkable that for a dog who made his debut back in March, Headford Dane was only contesting his ninth race when he went to traps at Central Park for the opening round of the Kent Derby. He finished the night as the fastest winner in 28.75 (-20). Should he go on to land the final in just less than a fortnight, it would represent three Cat One wins in 11 races following his dual Puppy Derby and Gold Cup successes at Monmore. 

Having never previously won more than three in a row, the once frustrating Chelms Bear has really turned his game around. Having completed a four-timer to land the Birmingham Cup at Nottingham, Craig Morris’ black stretched that sequence to five when taking the fastest first round heat (28.70) of the Bresbet Steel City Cup at Sheffield on Sunday. 

Gary The Arb’s love affair with Romford continued on Friday when he recorded the fastest heat win in the opening round of the Champion Stakes. Belinda Green’s defending POW finished fifth in last year’s decider won by New Destiny. They are drawn apart in next week’s semi-finals, and the pair will be fancied to renew their rivalry the following Friday. 

A week ago we mentioned Gary’s litter sister Blackheath Charm when she was beaten by Harlow’s outstanding performer Rains Bono. They met again on Friday afternoon and Darren Whitton’s brindle gained her revenge. On a track running half a second slow, she was led by kennelmate Moaning Hearns before powering home to clock 27.00 for the standard. 

The Nottingham times have been all over the place this year and including track records over three distances. But that shouldn’t detract from the fastest ‘680’ of the year recorded by Vale Bluebell last Monday. Jill Llewellin’s blue won by 11 lengths in 41.35, just over three lengths outside the track record. Bluebell has three of the four fastest time over course and distance this year. 

The Young kennel have become regular Hove raiders in the last few weeks and they weighed in with another four-timer on Thursday. None impressed more than Noellie who completed an open race hat-trick when also clocking the fastest ‘500’ of the week, 29.14. On the evidence to date, the 500 metres will be at the lower end of her stamina range. A mention too for January pup Buddys Bullet with a 29.25 A2 win on Sunday. 

Droopys Trigger was mentioned in despatches last week but is back on his own merit following another puppy open race win at Newcastle; this time in 28.72 (-10), which was also faster than the all-aged opens on the same night. Savva Roberts' 18 month old has now won three of his five races. A mention too for Jacktavern Lab who romped up by nearly nine lengths on his staying debut. Relished ever metre. 

Sunderland might have lost their Friday open race meeting but there was a perfectly decent run from Shinjim Magic earlier in the week. Yvonne Bell’s A1 winner clocked 26.92, when beating Laughil Larry by four, which was a spot quicker than Sunnyside Gurkha’s leading open race performance the previous week. Although he has a PB of 26.84, with going taken into consideration, he has never gone quicker. 

The best racing in the North East this week though was surely Star Pelaw’s Saturday night open race card. But among all the fine performances, the track record breaking run of Emilys Superstar was on a different level. Glenn Foot’s brindle was 14 spots inside the previous best for the 590 metre trip over which she has 10 wins in 11 outings. On Saturday, she was completing a six-timer. 

With no Saturday opens, Vampire Bob’s 28.22 (+20) in a Thursday evening A1 always looked likely to be the outstanding run at Monmore this week. And so it proved. It was a new personal best for Gary Griffiths’ dual distance black has won four of his last six outings having originally qualified into A3. 

Locally trained Produce Stakes winner Eagles Respect was turned over back in unconfined company at Swindon on Tuesday. The consolation for trainer Angie Kibble was that she trained the tricast. Victory went to Newinn Bliss who collared kennelmate Ballymac Zeela before crossing the winning line in 28.25. Eagles ran on for third. Full credit to the winner though. From her last 18 races she has 12 wins and five seconds. 

Strictly on times, Heartandahalf was the quickest winner at Yarmouth last week by a single spot. Though that is only half the story. As a May ’24 whelp, Sandra Clayton’s pup is also the joint youngest runner featured this week and his win in the 462 maiden was the first race of his career, UK or Ireland. His 27.63 (+10) winning time followed a 27.61 (+30) qualifying trial. 

Back in February, Rental Crisis was marked ‘awkward’ in an A4 at Kinsley. On Saturday night, Dave Fradgley’s black beat his own ‘FOY’ run for Doncaster’s 275 metres with a 16.71 run, just 10 spots outside Pinpoint Mo’s eight year old track record. That is 15 wins in his last 20 races. Talk about not making a drama out of a crisis! 

There was nothing of Rental Crisis’ ability on display at Kinsley this week. The quickest of the middle distance winners was Lundhill Alfie who beat an A3 field in 27.86. A mention too for Lightfoot Elle who landed a competitive D1 sprint in 15.91, her tenth win of the year. (Heading the table on 13 are Lunar Display and Highview Dance). 

It was another painful week to write about the mediocrity of Towcester. The fastest time of the week was a shared 29.55 by Romeo Salute and Choices Cara. We’ve gone for the former on the basis that he is a May pup and was contesting a higher grade. All that said, he went to traps at 1/2f in a three-runner field. Sigh! 

But Towcester’s loss was once again Oxford’s gain with the switch of opens to a Sunday afternoon. The star of the show was Start The Engine with a 26.70 narrow win over kennelmate Dreamin Reggie. That is 13 wins from 15 races over the track’s 450 metre trip. In fact, the only time that he has been out of the frame was in his first round elimination from the Pall Mall. Ouch! 

The big hitters were all in action in at Valley on Sunday in what might be described as the most competitive A1 staged anywhere last week. The layers made recent 28.18 winner Da Bold Paris 8/11f to complete a four-timer with Barntown Bond next in a 9/4, 3/1 Droopys Nijinsky, 100-30 Loot And Shoot. But it was Steve White’s Barntown Bond who made it four wins from his last five outings with the quickest run of the week, 28.12.