It’s Friday and we can watch some ‘celebrities’ eat kangaroo nether regions, or we can watch quality racing at Romford?
I’m the latter all day long. Romford have put on thirteen races tonight, along with eleven open races there is plenty to enjoy. With two minor competitions starting and the Romford Friday night 500 maiden stayers final concluding, tonight promise to be a cracker. As ever there are several greyhounds making their Romford debuts and true to form your favourite scribe has endeavoured to find out more about four of them.
Savana Victor makes his Romford debut at 7.36pm in heat one of the Romford Friday night 500 maidens over 400 metres after sixty nine races at home track Henlow.
Trained by Philip Tsirigotis, the August ’18 whelp has had all of his races over 460 metres winning thirteen. His first win came in A7 graded company and has seen gone through the grades to win an A1. The son of Ballymac Vic and Monroe Beag clearly has early pace and the drop down to 400 metres could be ideal for the pacey sort.
Philip on him said: “He started in A7 and has gone all the way to A1. He has won several races and has won at Henlow over 460 metres in 27.50. Kevin Boothby owns him and he wanted a night out at Romford so we entered him.
“He has early pace and Romford could suit him. The change of scenery will do him good.
“He if gets in front at Henlow they can’t catch him. He has never been beaten once he has hit the front. He is a good little dog. He has trap six and that is his box, he wants to be on the outside.”
William Hills are top price 6/1 for the pacey sort to take the spoils first time up at Romford.
Stefans Tornado will be looking to blow away his rivals in heat three of the Romford Friday night 500 maidens at 8.17pm. Trained by Sunderland’s Karolyn Blackbird, who is braving the Friday traffic from her County Durham base, the September ’18 whelp is making his Romford debut.
The son of Laughil Blake and Weesend has only had four races on these shores winning twice. Those races were all at home-track Sunderland over 450 metres with the wins coming in top graded affairs. The early paced wide runner will be looking to add to his 50% strike rate at Romford at the first time of asking.
Karolyn on him said: “The owners fancied a change and asked if we wouldn’t mind going. He has early pace and should take to Romford fine. The track should suit him.
“We have taken dogs to Romford previously and they have run well. He has trap six and that is good for him. His two wins at Sunderland have come from trap six.”
On all three of her runners who she thinks could go best, Karolyn said: “Mucho Macho Jack. He is our best hope. He has winning form and experience at Romford.”
William Hills are top price 5/2 for Tornado to blow away his rivals while Mucho Macho Jack is 4/1 to win the 6.58pm over 400 metres.
Savana Tailor for Towcester trainer Reggie Allder is making her Romford debut in heat one of the Romford Friday night 500 stayers over 575 metres at 9.12pm but not her six bend one. The July ’19 whelp has had two open races over 712 metres at home-track Towcester winning once. Over 500 metres the daughter of Laughil Blake and Ranchers Rainbow has won five times in A5 and A4 graded affairs. The distance tonight is well within her range and if taking to Romford could be figuring later on in proceedings.
Reggie on her said: “She will get the trip, she gets it alright. We did want to put her over 750 metres but the race didn’t fill. Ideally, she needs further. With each run she wants forever more but we’ll see.
“She has won over 500 metres at Towcester. She did not do brilliant times but she does her running later on. She has won A4 graded races but four bend grades don’t mean nothing in distance running.
“Friday is a little look for her and we will see how she goes. 575 metres is a bit short for her but she should take to the track. She is a wide runner and has handled herself well on the outside at Towcester.
“She has had a nice little rest and will be fresh for her race. I’m quite looking forward to it.”
William Hills are top price 12/1 for her to add to her sole six bend win in her first race at Romford.
The Kevin Malone retirement stakes concludes proceedings with a maiden stayers race over 575 metres at 9.42pm. I worked with Kevin for several years and know how passionate he is about greyhound racing. He is a Romford regular and owner and very popular on the terraces. Entains loss will be Romford’s gain as he now has more time to be there! Happy Retirement Kevin.
Bryce Canyon for Henlow trainer Mark Wallis will be trying to take the spoils for Kevin. The September ’19 whelp is not only making his Romford debut but his six bend one as well. The son of Droopys Sydney and Trumpers Floki has had all of his eighteen races at Towcester over 500 metres winning four times. Those four wins came in A5, A4 graded races and an open race. He clearly has early and if able to stay may not be a maiden stayer for long.
Mark on him said: “He looks the type that will be well suited to Romford. He is capable of being a nice type. He is strong running at Towcester and has been a dog in mind to step up and try over 575 metres for the next two or three weeks.
“We are hoping he will get the trip but are not convinced. We are 50% on his stamina. He looks like he will and hope he will but are not sure.
“He has trap two, and that is a good draw for him.”
Corals are offering 2/1 for him to win at Romford and over six bends at the very first attempt.
This week Romford are inducting Adageo Bob to their hall of fame and have put on a race to honour him. The crowd favourite was a pleasure to watch anywhere he ran but especially at his spiritual home in Essex. When he won the Essex Vase in 2015 the place erupted. Trained by Mark Wallis, the champion trainer on him said: “It is great of Romford to honour him, to recognise a true legend. He won at seven different tracks, but it was Romford where he was at his best.
“When he won the Essex vase in his final race at four years old, that was one of my best nights as a trainer.”
Regular readers of this column may have had three winners last week courtesy of Getwiththetimes, Doghouse Dazzler and Zoomey Saoirse. The three winners returned SP’s of 4/6, 13/8 and 5/2. Those early birds may have got on at bigger prices being offered during the day. Zoomey Saoirse was offered up by trainer Nathan Hunt as his best chance of the night and he wasn’t wrong when taking the spoils by three lengths in a time of 24.04 at an SP of 5/2.
It pays to follow this column.
