It’s Good Friday, the sun is out and after a BBQ, watching open race action at Romford is a great way to finish the day off. The Essex track host fourteen opens tonight from 6.27pm for our enjoyment.
As ever there are greyhounds making their Romford debuts tonight and true to form yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about some of them. With a puppy competition starting tonight I’ve covered one from each of the three heats as well as two others from other races.
Patrick Janssens knows what it takes to win around the Essex track and tonight tries two of his puppies in the Romford Friday night 500 puppies competition over 400 metres. His kennels are in superb form at the moment and his puppies are always worth taking note of.
First up for Janssens is Goldies Allen in heat one at 7.17pm. The July ’17 whelp has only won one of ten races but has been up against some very good competition. The son of Kinloch Brae and Newinn This Way did however reach the final of the BGBF puppy cup at Sheffield finishing third after leading to the 3/4 mark. He clearly has bundles of early and the drop to 400 metres tonight could be ideal for him. He has experience over C&D with one trial back in January where he clocked a calculated time of 24.98. He will be expected to surpass that time tonight and then some.
Patrick said: “He’s a good puppy. We took him to Sheffield for the puppy comp where he got to the final and he ran really well. He led but got caught by two very good dogs to finish third. He has lots of early and a 4.30 sectional at Sheffield is good for a puppy. Every time at Sheffield he led but got caught.
“He has been at Romford before over 400 metres in a trial and did 24.78 (+10). He is a much better dog now. If he leads and gets on the bunny he could do 24.30. At Central Park he always railed but at Sheffield moved off a lot. Trap five at Romford should not be a problem for him.”
Ladbrokes are top price Evens for him to take the spoils in the opening heat.
Next up for ‘team Janssens’ is Bockos Rory in heat three at 7.49pm. The August ’17 whelp has hit the ground running at home track Central Park with two wins from five attempts all at open race level over 480 metres.
The son of Ballymac Matt and Coyote Queen with two wins clearly looks comfortable on the open circuit and tonight tackles Romford for the first time. If showing his trade mark early pace it should not be long for him to get off to winning ways at Romford.
Trainer Janssens on Bockos Rory said: “He has won a couple of races at Central Park. He has lots of early. He broke 29 seconds at Central Park.
“He hasn’t been around Romford before but he ran Sheffield and Central Park well. Handling Romford shouldn’t be a problem for him. If he breaks on Friday he is capable of 24.10, he could do that. Trap two is perfect for him and we will see how he takes to Romford first time up.”
Coral are 13/8 for Bockos Rory to win on his Romford debut and claim heat the final heat.
Monmore trainer Patrick Curtin is taking on the Bank Holiday traffic from his Warwickshire base to run three of his charges at Romford tonight. Although two of his three runners have been around the Essex venue before it felt rude not to cover all three.
Pull The Trigger goes in heat two of the puppies competition at 7.33pmand will be looking to make it two wins from three attempts over C&D. The July ’17 whelp when winning at Romford clocked a calculated time of 24.24. If improving from that tonight the son of Tullymurry Act and Marlfield Taylor will be a handful for the others.
Pat said: “He is a very fast dog but won’t stay 480 metres. When he won at Romford in early March he had the joint fastest split of that night (3.71).
“He is proving to be a enigma in where to seed him. He runs wide and when he is seeded there he runs middle. I don’t know where to put him as he cuts in and moves out. I am happy with trap five though at Romford on Friday. That is an ideal world and we can see what he can do from there.
“He is a little bit enigmatic from the traps at the moment but has only run from traps seventeen times in his career so is still learning. In time he could be one of the top sprinters in the country eventually.”
Ladbrokes and Coral are top price 7/2 for him to win heat two.
A Up is making his Romford debut for ‘team Curtin’ in a maiden affair at 7.03pm over 400 metres. The November ’16 whelp started out at Swindon before moving to Curtin’s kennels to tackle Monmore. The early paced sort has won in A5, A4 and A3 graded races there. The son of Taylors Sky and Comeindollface could be suited to tonight’s 400 metres trip as he appears to struggle to see out 480 metres at Monmore.
Pat said: “He’s a nice little dog. He wasn’t trapping and staying at Swindon. The track didn’t suit him. He is running well but he doesn’t stay flat out 480 metres. 400 metres could be just the job. If he gets out in front I’ll be disappointed if he loses.
“He has been up against some very good dogs at Monmore, the top end strength is very strong. He doesn’t always break but when he does he has devastating pace to the first bend. I would have preferred him from trap four on Friday but I’m happy enough with trap five for him.”
Ladbrokes and Coral are offering 5/1 for the Monmore raider to win at Romford first time up.
In a first for the column, I’ve covered a reserve. Pat Curtin’s Dreamstillalive has jumped in to fill the void left by Savana Awesome’s withdrawal in the third heat of the Romford Friday night maiden stayers at 8.38pm.
In trap three over 575 metres the January ’16 whelp makes his return to Essex after an unsuccessful attempt last month. In that race the son of Droopys Jet and Emma Honey was lying handy until finding trouble at the third bend. Since that race he had won over 630 metres in an S3 affair at his home track Monmore showing he can get the trip to tonight.
Pat said: “480 metres is too sharp for him and he gets 630 metres okay but 575 metres is lovely for him. His first time at Romford he ended up in a hot heat and came fourth after finding trouble. He has got early zip and if he gets I front will be very difficult to pass.”
Skybet have made him a 8/1 shot to win at his second attempt at Romford.
Regular readers of this column may of had a nice little 6/1 winner last week curtesy of Scotch Mist. Trained by Yarmouth’s Erica Samuels he showed his staying potential when claiming his race by 1 1/2 lengths in a calculated time of 35.63. The Yarmouth raider is back tonight in the ‘lucky’ last at 9.41pm.
