After weeks of preparation and trial stakes, the Coral Champion Stakes is finally here. Over 575 metres, the six heats start from 6.43pm. The category one competition which has been at Romford since 1988 traditionally attracts the top stayers with past winners such as Elderberry Chick, Palace Issue and Murrys Act to name a few.
Even breaking a track record during the heats like Solid Money did back in 2004 doesn’t guarantee a win. This year is no exception with sixty six greyhounds vying for their name on the winners trophy and the £10,000 winners cheque.
For your enjoyment, yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about two of them from the showpiece competition.
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 race conditions in heat three at 7.18pm. The son of Laughil Blake and Ravenswood Emily was meant to have his first six bend race last week but was withdrawn as a non-arrival due to traffic issues.
Due to that he did have a trial over C&D on Monday clocking a very good time of 35.34. He 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on these shores back in June at Towcester where he qualified for the second round of the English derby before he was withdrawn lame.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 his recent trial showed all is well. In Ireland he has proven form with several wins over 503 metres at Shelbourne Park and last year reached the quarter finals of the Irish Greyhound Derby.
Nathan on him said: “We were gridlocked last week and he failed to make his race. It was frustrating but may have worked out as the one on his inside turned right from the traps.
“We trialled him Monday over 575 metres and he went well. It’s not ideal going into a competition without a recent race but he has had a lot of trials and has done well. We’re expecting him to run well. His draw isn’t ideal [trap four] but he has a bit of pace. He has shown good early against four bend dogs.
“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.”
Ropewalk Bhoy is 25/1 with Ladbrokes and Coral to win it outright while he is 10/3 to take his heat.
Pennys Kai is back at Romford to continue where he left off. Trained by Nathan Hunt the son of Kinloch Brae and Rathbride Rocket won back-to-back races at Romford over C&D back in June. After two months off on the side-lines the November ’17 whelp is back.
He has had four trials at Romford and Nottingham and all looks well. At Romford over 225 and 400 metres he has clocked times of 13.60 and 24.38 showing he is heading back in the right direction. Tonight, he goes in heat four at 8.36pm looking to make it a hat-trick of wins.
Nathan on him said: “He was running in great form and ran a blinder in the maidens final. In his heat he came off the pace to win it and in the final he pinged the lids. After the final we found a problem with his tendon and have taken our time with him.
“We gave him a trial at Nottingham twelve days ago to give him a good blow-out. He will run well fresh. He has trap one and he is not the best breaker from that trap. He can break but doesn’t always do it from trap one. He needs to break to get a run in a tough heat.
“He is a fast dog and has got a lot of pace. In the maiden derby at Towcester he won his first round heat beating Warzone Tom who is in trap four.
“He is in good form in his trials and we are pleased to have him back. He will give a good account of himself.”
Corals and Ladbrokes are offering 33/1 him to take the outright spoils while Ladbrokes are 8/1 for him to make it three from three in his heat.
Regular readers of this column may have had a nice 7/2 winner last week courtesy of Warzone Tom. Trained by Liz McNair, he showed his Champion Stakes potential when winning a very competitive race by 10 ¾ lengths in a calculated time of 35.09. Rab McNair last week on him said: “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.”
He certainly was and did use his early and raced to the top of the ante=post market for the Champion stakes where he is around 6/1 favourite.
It pays to follow this column.
