A competitive if not top-class card to get stuck into at Romford this evening with 12 opens and a £500 A1 kennel sweepstakes final.
First up at 609pm Heat 1 of the Romford Friday Night 500 Maidens. David Mullins Youth Policy was eliminated from the English Puppy Derby at Towcester at the first-round stage but had previously shown a lot of pace when leading most of the way in a hot A1 here. If coming away from traps well enough on his first run back on home soil he’s sure to take a lot of beating. Maxine Locke’s Bonville Hugh is never far away in top grade company around here and looks the obvious danger should the selection fluff his lines.
Heat 2 at 628pm can see the Mullins team land a quickfire double with their Mallogs Stormzy selected to make all. He’s won his last two over course and distance with an A2 win a couple of weeks ago followed up with top grade success last time out. Michelle Brown’s May 2020 pup Lightfoot Styles holds a lot of potential and though he’s another that was eliminated from the English Puppy Derby at the first hurdle that was behind eventual competition winner Havana Bale Out. ‘Styles’ has any amount of improvement to come and should more than pay his way on the open scene throughout next year.
It’s the Jack Murrell Celebration Stakes at 643pm and Aero Squeak looks plotted up on the wide outside to land the spoils for the kennel Jack was so well associated with. A stalwart of the Paul Young kennel it would be fitting if ‘Squeak’ was to win the race named in his honour and if doing so there are sure to be some emotional scenes on the winner’s podium for a young man who has left the world much too soon.
The RDS Fire And Security Stakes over 575m at 658pm. The Patrick Janssens trained Doolin Princess absolutely loves the red jacket and wears it for the first time in 5 starts. The last time she did so saw her winning over Towcester’s 500m trip in dominant fashion and ‘Princess’ can repeat the dose here. A level break should be all she needs to turn the bend in front and if doing so she shouldn’t be for picking up.
The Nathan Hunt Racing Club stakes at 718pm. It’s far from inconceivable that there could be crowding on the run up and at the bend. Paul Clark’s Harlow raider Waikiki Blake showed huge pace when running out an easy winner of both heat and final of a 500 maidens competition around here on his last two starts and a similar performance here would see him skipping clear of trouble at the first and landing the hattrick in style.
The Aero Madrid Retirement Stakes at 736pm. A course and distance specialist ‘Madrid’ turned 4yo in September this year but still retains a high level of ability when he gets his break right. Indeed it was only three runs ago that he pinged out and made all around here in a top class 2399 and on the final start of his career he’s taken to win for the 18th time on what will be his 80th career start for Mark Wallis and the Aero Racing Syndicate.
The B&SW Limited Christmas Stakes over 750m at 756pm. It looks a matchup on paper between Heather Dimmock’s classy Alaskan Dawn and Laurence Tuffin’s Sweet Leaf. Preference is given to Alaskan Dawn who though drawn wider than ideal in trap 3 has a vacant trap to his immediate inside and a generally slow starter in Jewel Of Madonna drawn in red. Given that ‘Madonna’ doesn’t find one of her better breaks then ‘Dawn’ should soon seize command of the rail and once there would prove very tough to beat. Sweet Leaf won well in a heat of the Mitch Millward Marathon over course and distance before being well enough beaten behind Blueberry Bullet in the final. It’s difficult to see her getting a run but if she did she’d no doubt go close.
The RPGTV 10th Birthday Kennel Sweepstakes A1 Final at 817pm. Most of this line up are inconsistent at best at the traps and that did include David Mullins Droopys Liz. In recent time however she’s been much more reliable at the start and that’s led to her moving back up through the grades having at one point dropped to a career low of A5. Having won her last 3 and 6 of her last 12 she is in great form and victory can see the Mullins team back up on the winner’s podium once again.
The RPGTV 10th Birthday Standard Final at 838pm can go to Antigua Socks for Mark Wallis. He’s going to have to be lively at the start and brave at the bend to hold off the attention of some early paced rivals who will be vying for his rails plot but if he can get around the first turn in front the crowd can begin shouting as he’ll not be for picking up.
The Romford Friday Night Maiden Stayers 500 Final over 575m at 854pm. Oneforthelake had some decent form on the card in Ireland prior to heading over the Irish sea to the kennel of champion trainer Patrick Janssens. Victorious in his first two starts on UK soil over 500m at Towcester. Showing plenty of early pace on those occasions he didn’t look to be stopping either and this 575m trip looked a natural progression. A comfortable winner in last week’s heat at long odds on he looks sure to be priced similarly prohibitively tonight but can win this before moving onto bigger and better things. It would be no surprise to see him back here regularly and running up a sequence over course and distance.
The RPGTV 10th Birthday Standard Invitation at 912pm. Nathan Hunt’s Scala Omeara steps back up in trip having been kept sprinting for a while now. Eliminated from the National Sprint at Nottingham in the first round on Monday he’s sure to have been well prepared for that competition and if coming away anything like level he can use his excellent early pace to soon take command.
The RPGTV 10th Birthday Stayers Invitation over 575m at 928pm with John Mullins Gymstar Elusive taken to smash out and make all. He’s been a revelation since stepping up to these short six bend trips. He’s always been a talented sort but he’s been a fragile and at times frustrating greyhound too. The step up in distance has proved somewhat of a masterstroke by Mullins and ‘Elusive’ can dominate from the outset.
Last but by no means least it’s the Greyhounds Make Great Pets Maiden Stayers over 575m at 942pm. Nathan Hunt’s recent Eclipse finalist Broadstrand Ryan will take some leading and though he’s not fully certain to see out this trip he could be so far gone that it won’t matter if he doesn’t. ‘Ryan’ taken to smash out and send the punters home happy.
