It is only two weeks until the start of the Romford Puppy Cup. Over 400 metres, the £10,000 to the winner competition always attracts the top puppies writes Rob Abrey.
Since it’s inauguration in 1975, the competition has been popular with trainers and owners alike and this year looks no different. From the twelve race card starting from 6.09pm, there are twenty five puppies gracing the Essex track tonight. Eighteen are in the three Romford Puppy Cup trial stakes with the others in maidens and finals. To help shed some light on some puppies making their Romford race debuts yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about four of them.
Dashing Jo for Central Park trainer Paul Donovan makes his Romford race debut in a maiden race over 400 metres at 6.28pm. The Central Park raider has had all of his seven races at his home track winning once. That win came in an D1 graded affair over 265 metres. To win a sprint race shows he has some early and that bodes well going into tonight’s race. The October ’19 whelp has had one trial over C&D clocking a good time of 24.25. The son of Crash and Bigmans Daisy will be expected to improve on that time.
Paul on him said: “He’s a fast dog but still very green. He’s had seven races at Central Park and has won a D1, he’s got plenty of early.
“He doesn’t get 480 metres at this stage. He should get it in time but it’s too far for him right now. 400 metres could be ideal for him, he’ll get that easy. He trialled really well at Romford and handled the track well.
“He could improve for another look and it will be nice if he does. We hope he goes well; he is plenty fast enough.
“We are pleased with the draw [trap three], he should go well from there. All being well we hoping to go for the puppy cup with him.”
Corals are offering 3/1 for ‘Jo’ to add to his sole win at Central Park.
Central Park trainer Matt Dartnall recently ran Harry Sagar around Romford and he won first time up. Chelts Lad will be looking to do the same for trainer and connections. In a maidens race at 6.43pm the December ’19 whelp has had one trial over C&D clocking a calculated time of 24.89 along with a 3.82 split. That time will be expected to improve. The son of Romeo Recruit and Away Shelly at home track Central Park has won two races from five attempts. Those two wins came over 480 metres in A3 and A2 graded affairs.
Matt on him said: “It wasn’t a great trial. It was one of those. He lost his way a bit around the bends and kept trying to get back in the trial on the straights. He has had a spin and expect some improvement and see what he does.
“He is what he is. He is currently an A2 runner at Central Park and thought we would give him a go at Romford. He has a good bit of early.
“We have seeded him wide. He is more middle at Central Park and rails the bends. It is his first race at a tight track and trap six will be perfect for him.”
On his other puppy Harry Sagar, Matt said: “He is our main hope for the puppy cup without doubt. He is unbeaten at Romford at the moment and is up there with them.”
Corals are 5/1 for the Central Park raider to win at Romford in his first race there.
Nathan Hunt knows what it takes to win the puppy cup when winning it with then trainer Phil Simmonds with Grays Cup Winner back in 2018. In the first Romford puppy cup trial stakes at 6.58pm he gives Chelms Cub his Romford and race debut on these shores. The December ’19 whelp has had one race in Ireland at Tralee over 480 metres which he won. Over here he has only had four trials, three of which at Romford over C&D. The son of Ballymac Bolger and Ballymac Andwhy clocked a good calculated time of 24.29 showing his potential.
Nathan on him said: “He looks a really nice pup. I think a lot of him. He has had one race at Tralee and won it and did a nice trial at Romford. It looks like there is a lot more to come.
“In his last trial he found a lot of trouble at the first bend and lost his way a bit. He got going again and finished really well after a slow start.
“We thought we would get a couple of runs into him before the puppy cup starts. In time he should stay further and looks a nice dog for next year.
“He is well drawn on Friday [trap five]. He might want to come in as he gets older but it’s where he wants to be right now.”
Corals and Ladbrokes are both 6/1 for him to win on his race debut on these shores.
Donishall Brae goes in the second Romford puppy cup trial stakes for local handler Nathan at 7.18pm. The October ’19 whelp will be looking to make it two from two for the youngsters of the Hunt kennel. Unlike his kennel mate the son of Kinloch Brae and Elsie Come Home has had race experience on these shores. He has had three races at Nottingham over 500 metres finishing third, third and last. In a trial over C&D before those races he showed he has something with a calculated time of 24.36. The drop back down to 400 metres could be beneficial for the puppy.
Nathan on him said: “He ran in the Puppy Classic at Nottingham. He reached the semi-finals but was knocked out on Monday. He was a big price against very good dogs. He ran well for three bends then found trouble. He was unlucky really; he would have finished closer if it wasn’t for the trouble.
“He did a nice trial at Romford before he went to Nottingham and was one of the quickest trials of the day. He looks useful around Romford but needs to start trapping.
“Before his trial at Hove and Romford he was off with a cough and to do the trial time he did was really good. He has a couple of weeks at Romford to get used to the track again before the puppy cup starts.
“He has pace to the bend but needs to start coming away better. He has trap two and that is a nice draw for him. Trap one [Luck Box Blue] looks a nice dog and he will have to ideally beat her to the first bend.”
Nathan on his other runners who he thinks could go well said: “Im Alright Botch in the maidens final. He is tailor made for Romford; really trappy.”
Ladbrokes are 3/1 for Donishall Brae to win at Romford at the first time of asking while Im Alright Botch is 4/1 with corals to win the 8.38pm maidens final over 400 metres.
