All went to plan with the re-opening of the Pavilion last Friday. Stadium manager Karen McMillen said: “The refurbishment of our Pavilion restaurant was not only to attract new customers into the sport but also to give our owners, trainers and regulars a place they can hold meetings & dine with their guests.
“The idea was to create an area that was modern & can be used for any event catering up to 100. We have already 5 confirmed corporate events booked throughout July with a race meeting scheduled as part of their day. At Romford we are always looking for new ideas to bring more customers & potential owners to what we see as the ultimate racing experience”
Get the barbeques sorted early and ready yourself for a night of open race action from Romford. With ten opens amongst their thirteen race card, Essex is where it is at. With a maiden category three competition and a standard final concluding there is plenty to enjoy along with several one off affairs. As ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about one from each of the three maiden heats and one from a maidens stayers race while I was at it.
The first of the three Romford Friday night 500 maidens heats over 400 metres start at 7.36pm with the John Mullins trained Oh Cosmopolitan making her race debut. Thar March ’20 whelp has had all of her twenty four races at home track Towcester winning eight times.
Those eight wins was interestingly over both 270 and 500 metres. Over the sprint trip the daughter of Laughil Blake and Ballykett Beauty won three times in D3 and D2 company and over four bends won in every grade from A5 to A1. She goes into tonight’s race in fine fettle after winning twice from her last three attempts. She had a trial around the Essex circuit back in April clocking a calculated time of 24.94. That trial was while she was competing in A5 graded affairs and will now be expected to greatly improve on that. The 400 metres distance tonight could be ideal for the pacey sort.
John on her said: “We have seen a huge improvement in her since her last trial at Romford. She won her first A1 last time out.
“She is starting to get 500 metres more strongly now and in time could get 575 metres. She has very good early but ideally needs a couple more runs around Romford. It should suit her though. 400 metres right now is good for her. She is a different dog from when she last trialled there.”
Corals are offering 11/4 for the Towcester raider to win first time up.
Quagos Jack for Yarmouth trainer Kevin Quinton is not only making his Romford race debut but his four bend one as well in heat two at 7.56pm The September ’20 whelp has had all his nine races at his home track over 277 metres winning five: an impressive strike rate of 55%. Three of those wins for the son of Kilmore Lemon and Barnfield Ten came in D1 graded affairs showing he has great early.
Those with good memories will remember the sire as he ran Romford beautifully and regularly posted sub 24 and low 24 second times. Jack looks a chip off the old block with bundles of early and if taking to the Essex venue like the ‘old man’ he may not be a maiden for long. He will be expected to improve on his recent trial over C&D of 24.78; his first one over four bends.
Kevin on him said: “It will be his first race away from Yarmouth. He had a recent trial around Romford and there is more improvement there. That was his first ever time over four bends and he found a bit of trouble at the first bend.
“I bred him myself. The mother is still here with me. The other two in the litter have won in the high grades at Yarmouth over 462 metres.
“Jack has just run over the sprint trips and has been close to the track record. Like his dad Kilmore Lemon he has bundles of early. He doesn’t get out the traps just like his dad but hits the ground running like he did.
“He is blessed with early pace and will hopefully improve for his look around the track. At Yarmouth he has always been out of trap three but four will be fine for him.
“Hopefully he will beat the inside three to the bend and see what he does from there.”
Corals are 5/1 for the son of Kilmore Lemon to take the spoils.
Phoenix Puma goes in the final heat at 8.17pm for local handler Nathan Hunt and is not only making his Romford debut but his race one as well. The July ’20 whelp is making his race debut on these shores after three trials over C&D. In each trial he has continued to improve with forty one spots between his first and last trial. His sectional times has also improved with each trial as well.
Tonight, may be his first race over here but the son of Dorotas Wildcat and Lizzylegit has got racing experience with plenty of races at Mullingar. At that track he has won five times in A6, A5 and A3 graded affairs. He is the sole wide seed in the race and will be looking to shed his maiden tag at the first time of asking.
Nathan on him said: “He looks a nice dog. He did some good runs at Mullingar. He was bought with Romford in mind. He did some good sectionals at Mullingar and should suit Romford.
“He improved with every trial and there is still improvement to come and still improvement with his trapping. On his Mullingar form his splits should be in the 70’s. If it improves he could be capable of clocking 24 seconds.
“It is a tough maiden and hopefully he will at least qualify for the final next week. At Mullingar he was a bang wide runner but has been moving in a bit in his trials. It is a nice draw for his first race though. Hopefully he paces up to the bend.”
Corals are 9/4 for him to win his first ever race on these shores
After three races over 400 metres, Courtneys Girl for local handler Michelle Brown is making her six bend debut over 575 metres in a maiden stayers race at 8.38pm.
The February ‘20 whelp has had all her three races in category three competitions. The daughter of Droopys Jet and Kilara Lizzie failed to win from those attempts but did make a final. She showed in a trial over 400 metres she has talent when clocking a calculated time of 24.44. She looks like she needs further and six bends could be where her future lays.
Michelle on her said: “I think she will stay. She is always first to the pick-up in her trials and open races. Hopefully the 575 metres traps won’t catch her out as they sometimes can.
“She is from the same litter as Nathan Hunts Antigua Bluey. He has won several races over 575 metres at Romford so hopefully it runs in the family.
“She found a lot of time in her last qualifying trial so thought we would try open racing with her. She reached a final over 400 metres which we didn’t expect.
“She is now sixteen weeks out of season and did her nice trial twelve weeks out. She has a good draw in trap one with nothing on her inside. She is not reliant on trap one but it’s nice to have first time over six bends.”
On her other runners Michelle said: “Bodell Frankie in the sprint race has a good chance. It is a hard race but she has trap one and is a consistent bitch. Hopefully she can do it for us.”
Corals are offering 4/1 for Courtneys Girl to win over six bends at the first time of asking and 5/2 for Bodell Frankie to win her sprint race at 7.18pm.
