The first Category One decider at the weekend and a win for Farneys Willie in the ARC Grand Prix. He will be off to Sheffield shortly for the ‘Three Steps’, where he is currently the fastest hound this year over its 660m (38.99).
On Sunday, Wicky Ned lived up to all his hype with another flawless display in the Bresbet Gymcrack at Sheffield. He added a 28.51 to his 28.45 giving him the first, second and fifth fastest times of the year over course and distance.
With Judgement Night on the horizon, Kevin Hutton will be delighted to see his kennel in such good order. None has performed better in the last week than Jet Stream Angel with the fastest semi final win in Saturday’s ARC Laurels semis at Perry Barr.
Meanwhile, there was a Hutton five-timer at Oxford where Coppice Trophy clocked the fastest time of the night, 26.52. But he is passed over in favour of puppy Union Rebel who recorded 26.56 in a 450 open.
On the subject of winning sequences, Perry Barr entry Different Speed has been living up to his name between his home track and Valley. On Sunday he stretched his winning sequence to seven with a 16.12 win for the 260m.
Despite three impressive runs over the 515m course, the Hove nomination has to go to puppy Untold Dollar for his 29.18 run over the 500 metre course.
The fastest run over Towcester’s 500 metre course is Hove’s Droopys Clue with a 28.58 track record. So far this year, ten hounds have broken 29.00. Jaytee Craze is there at joint fifth following his 28.88 run in the KAB Maiden Derby.
Lemming Pride had the fastest clock at Harlow this week when winning an A2 in 26.36. But she is passed over since four days later she returned to traps as a 7/1 chance in a ‘proper’ A1 that included Gurtnacrehey Crew (11/8f) and Good Streak (9/4) and it was Paul Vincent’s pup who prevailed in 26.40.
Harlow based Mallogs Calvin looked to be on his way to a decent career when clocking 28.57 for Nottingham’s 480m as a pup. But he has been beset by issues with just 15 races in the last year. Thankfully, there was a glimpse of the old form over the same course and distance with a 28.79 (+40) run on Monday.
Kyprios made it three wins from as many visits to Suffolk Downs when landing a sprint open at West Row on Thursday. A mention too for local pup Bucking Bucks who skated up by four lengths in a 23.59 A1.
No opens at Central Park this week but three A1s on Saturday night, of which Tony Collett won two. Quickest of the night and the week was Boomerang Kray’s 29.42.
Newcastle staged four A2s on Thursday but quicker than all of them was Steve Caile’s Fridays Wild with a 28.85 win in A3. That’s two wins and six seconds in his last eight outings.
Doncaster trumped that with four A1s on Sunday lunchtime. Quickest of the quartet was Debbie Calvert’s Jaguar Jacob. If you recognize the breeding it might be because he is a half brother to the unfortunate Greenwell Ange who was withdrawn lame from the Grand Prix Final.
Vanessas Melody won Swindon’s only open with a 15.51 for the sprint. But that was overshadowed by Angie Kibble’s A1 winner on the same card, Gurtnara Paddy (5/2) with a 28.11 run. It was a cracking race too with a short head margin over great rival Bluejig Buzz. That makes the score 3-2 to Paddy in their last five meetings.
Given going allowances Aero Pattika’s wasn’t the fastest calculated time of the week at Monmore. But given he ran away from an A2 field in 28.46 (+20), the Richie Taberner trained 19-month-old is well worth his selection.
At Yarmouth, Wrighty won for the sixth time in his last nine outings (2 x 2nds) on Saturday. His 27.83 (-30) was the fastest time of the week though some way off his FOY of 27.34.
Nothing broke 28.00 for Kinsley’s 462 this week. Quickest winner was Lynway Touch in an A2 field that included the prolific Ballymac Frisby. A mention too for June pup Stonepark Abba who beat an A3 field in 28.22.
While at Pelaw Grange the week’s sole A2 was won by a puppy, Mick Sillars’ Killieford Sarah with a battling 26.17 run. It was her sixth win in nine races over the 435m course.
It is a year and a week since Capel Rose made her UK debut in a 714m open at Crayford. In that time, no greyhound has tackled the course and distance more often than Tony Gifkins’ dark brindle. Sunday was her 20th effort and resulted in win number eight, with six seconds. Her winning time of 45.33 (+30). Her PB is 44.86 (+60). Her record over the ten-bend course is 1:1.
An interesting result at Romford on Friday where puppy Teaboy Brownie set a new FOY for the 225m course, 13.49. Brownie’s dam ran three times over course and distance and was beaten in all three. Two of the three defeats were to Chopchop Hope whose daughter Chopchop Rainbow was the beaten favorite on Friday.