CHATTING TODAY WITH DAVID MULLINS – NATHAN HUNT – RAB MCNAIR
The Coral Romford Puppy Cup concluded last week with Brookside Richie deservedly taking the spoils unbeaten. Trained by David Mullins the ultra-consistent dog showed his credentials with a category one win.
Away from last week, another category one competition is on the horizon with the Coral Champion Stakes starting next week. The £10,000 to the winner competition starts next week and in preparation for it several greyhounds are making their Romford debuts over the distance tonight. As ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about three of them.
Ropewalk Bhoy for local handler Nathan Hunt is not only making his Romford race debut but his six bend one as well. The January ’18 whelp steps up for the first time in a maiden stayers race over 575 metres in the opening race. The son of Laughil Blake and Ravenswood Emily has had one race on these shores back in June at Towcester where he qualified for the second round of the English Derby before he was withdrawn lame. Tonight, is his first race back but he has shown all is well in comeback trials when clocking 24.29 over 400 metres.
In a sprint trial over 225 metres from the same traps he will run from tonight he clocked a good time of 13.78. In Ireland he has proved form with several wins over 503 metres at Shelbourne Park and last year reached the quarter finals of the Irish Greyhound Derby. If able to stay he will not be a maiden stayer for long.
Nathan on him said: “He went lame after qualifying for the second round of the derby last year. You could see during the race something wasn’t right but yet he still qualified which says a lot about him.
“He has had plenty of time off and has had a few trials now. He went well at Perry Barr over 480 metres in his trial.
“He has always looked like a 575 metres dog. He looks like he stays. In Ireland he ran well. He is a strong finishing dog. Had he not gone lame in the derby we felt he could have kept qualifying as he is that sort of dog. In Ireland in 2020 he reached the Irish derby quarter finals.
“He is a good dog, a fast dog. He went really well at Central Park. He has a bit of early, he is not devoid of that.
“He is owned by a group of Hungarians and they let me take my time with him. Ideally, we would have liked a few more races in him before the Champion Stakes but he will hopefully do a good run and enough to get in the Champion Stakes next week.
“It is a tough maiden and ideally needs to clear the one dog [Bockos Belly]. He needs to be on his toes early. He has trap two and traps two or three are his ideal boxes. He is a rails to middle dog and will hopefully come away and show his four bend pace. He is a tough dog to get past and looks really fit and really well in himself.”
David Mullins knows what it takes to win around Romford and will be looking to make it back-to-back category one wins at Romford with Coolavanny Lilly. In a Champion Stakes trial stakes at 6.58pm over 575 metres the April ’19 whelp is making his Romford but not six bend debut. The daughter of Scolari Me Daddy and Noelles Swiftco while in the capable charge of Kevin Boon had three open races over 659 metres at Yarmouth reaching the final of the George Ing St Leger where she finished last. To reach the final shows she have proven six bend form. Last week at Towcester under David over 500 metres she got off the mark with her first win. She goes into tonight’s race in good form looking to make it two from two.
On her David said: “She hasn’t had a trial at Romford but will be alright around there. The distance will be well within her comfort zone.
“She won her first race with us at Towcester and will be more than comfortable over 575 metres. If she runs well, the Champion Stakes is the plan for her.
“We seeded her middle for a little while, but she wants to be on the inside. She’s a railer and does rail. We are happy with trap two for her.”
On his other runners, who he thinks could go well, he said: “Crystal Charm in the maidens final [8.38pm] will run better. We expect her to run better this week.”
Liz McNair is back at Romford and is eying up the Champion Stakes with their charge, Warzone Tom. The August ’19 whelp is no stranger to six bend races having reached the final of the Ladbrokes Summer Stayers at Monmore over 630 metres finishing fifth.
The son of Good News and bogger Bonnie also recently reached the final of the Derby Purse at Yarmouth over 659 metres finishing second. Tonight, in a Champion Stakes trial stakes in the ‘lucky last’ at 9.28pm he is making his Romford debut. With wins at three different tracks, Central park, Monmore and Towcester it may not be long before he adds Romford to that list.
Assistant trainer and partner to Liz, Rab on him said: “He needs a run there. We were going to give him a trial but wanted to give him a rest after Yarmouth to keep him fresh.
“It’s the ideal opportunity for a look around but he’s going straight in at the deep end. He will get the trip easy. I always thought 575 metres would be good for him. It is his first race around there, we thought we would take our chance and see how he goes.
“At Yarmouth he seemed to lose a bit of his early but we have given him a few weeks off to freshen him up. I think he will be spot on for it. He’s absolutely bouncing at the kennels.
“Trap five won’t matter. We know what you have to do at Romford and that is use early pace to be up there.”
