We are still well and truly in Lockdown III but to keep us going we have the final of the Essex Vase to enjoy. The £10,000 to the winner competition concludes tonight at 8.54pm. Regular readers of this column may well be on Seaglass Tiger ante post at around 33/1 – writes Rob Abrey
Away from the showpiece final there are nine other opens with several greyhounds making their Romford debuts and running over a distance for the first time. As ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about three of them.
Sporting Daniel trained by Perry Barr’s Robert Hall makes his Romford debut tonight in the opening heat of the Romford Friday night 500 maidens at 6.58pm over 400 metres. The May ’18 whelp looks ideal for the four bend trip around the Essex venue.
The son of Ballymac Vic and Sporting Dame has won five races from forty one. Three of those wins have come in sprint graded races over 275 metres. All three were in top graded company. He has also won twice over 480 metres in A3 and A2 graded affairs. He is in fine fettle with one of those three wins over 275 metres coming recently. To win sprint races he clearly has early pace and that bodes well going into tonight’s race. If taking to Romford he may not be a maiden for much longer.
Robert said: “He is a very, very fast dog. He has done some times at Perry Barr over 275 metres. He has done 16.07 which is very good. Look at his last sprint race. He beat Drumcow Nelson who won at Romford last month in a good time. He can give open race sprinters a start and still win.
“He doesn’t want no further than 480 or 500 metres. I was toying with giving him a race at Nottingham over 305 metres but decided to go to Romford with him instead.
“If he gets his run right, hits the lids like he can, I would expect him to do 24 dead. He is a classy little dog.
“Trap four is good for him. He runs a straight line to the bend. If he hits the lids like he can or paces up with them he could do well. If he pings the lids and is first at the bend I don’t think he will get beat.
“A1 at Perry Barr is a good class of dog. Any A1/A2 dog at Perry Barr can go open racing and hold their own.”
Ladbrokes are top price 10/3 for the pacey sort to win on his Romford debut tonight.
The tongue twisting Shesellseashells makes her Romford debut in heat one of the Romford Friday night 500 bitches over 400 metres at 7.56pm. Trained by Gary Vincent the August ’18 whelp has won two from thirteen starts. Those two wins have come at Harlow over 415 metres in A7 and A5 graded races. The daughter of Candlelight King and Swift Joan attempts Romford for the first time after a recent trial at Perry Barr over 480 metres at Perry Barr. She has run over six bends recently so may find the four bend trip tonight a bit on the short side.
Gary on her said: “I ideally wanted her over 575 metres but there wasn’t a 575 race this week so I thought I would give her a spin over 400 instead. She is not slow.
“She wants trap zero! Trap one is her trap, she is a bang railer. She is in trap four and will turn left. I do not get very lucky with draws. If she had trap one, I would be a lot more confident on her qualifying.
“She has got early and can ping the lids but doesn’t quite have the pace to the bend. She will certainly be staying on strong.
“She doesn’t quite get 649 metres but 575 will be perfect for her when she goes over that trip.”
Ladbrokes and Corals are offering 20/1 for her to overcome what is deemed a very tricky trap draw.
Goldies Greaves runs over 575 metres at Romford for the first time tonight at 9.12pm but is no maiden stayer. Trained by Patrick Janssens the October ’18 whelp won a 642 metres race at Central Park last month. The son of Droopys Nidge and Borna Helena clearly looks more suited to longer trips after winning one from two attempts over six bends. He has had a look around Romford over 400 metres last August.
On that occasion he found trouble on the run up and first and third bends. 575 metres looks more suited for him and it may not be long before he adds to his one win from five.
Patrick said: “I think the world of this dog. He will have no problem with the distance. If anything it will be a bit on the short side for him. I was disappointed he didn’t get in the Essex Vase but it is what it is. He did a flying time at Central Park when winning over 642 metres.
“He is not fit, fit as he has only had one 540 metres trial at Crayford since the Ballyregan Bob Memorial at Hove last month. He ran well in that but the minus 300 going was not suited for him. We thought we would give him a spin around Romford and then go to Crayford for the Golden Jacket.
“If he gets a run he is a really fast dog. He has serious gears. At Crayford he beat my bitch by over ten lengths and she’s good. Last year over four bends at Central Park in a trial he beat Skilful Sandie and she couldn’t get to him to the pick-up either.
“He has run at Romford before over 400 metres but is not a four bend dog at all. He has trap four tonight and that is perfect for him.”
Goldies Greaves is generally available at 15/8 for him to win over 575 metres at the first time of asking.
Those who read last week’s effort by yours truly may of had a nice 5/1 winner courtesy of Seaglass Shannon. Trained by Patrick Janssens she just got up on the line to win by a neck after finding trouble in the run up and second bend. She goes again tonight in heat two of the Romford Friday night bitches at 8.17pm.
It pays to follow this column.
