Racing at Romford last Friday may have been cancelled due to storm Eunice but it’s well and truly back this week. With two minor competitions starting and one final concluding along with three Golden Sprint trial stakes there is plenty to enjoy. Yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about two potential Golden Sprint entrants who are making their Romford debuts tonight. There are also two maiden competitions starting over 400 and 575 metres and while I was at it found out more about three of them.
Jacks Lockup for local handler Nathan Hunt is not only making his Romford debut but his race one as well on these shores in heat one of the Romford Friday night maidens over 400 metres in the opener at 6.09pm. Since arriving from Ireland the March ’19 whelp has had four trials, three of which were at Monmore over 480 metres.
In his one and only trial over C&D the son of Laughill Blake and Woe Katie clocked a very promising calculated time of 24.48 along with a 3.95 sectional. He will be expected to improve on that one solitary look. Although making his race debut on these shores he is no novice with twenty six races in Ireland to his name. Over there he won at Shelbourne Park over 480 and 503 metres in A1 graded affairs.
Nathan said: “He looks nice dog and has good form in Ireland at Shelbourne Park winning a couple of A1s. He had a trial at Monmore but cramped solid. We had a bit of sickness in the kennel at the time. We gave him a couple of weeks off and he did a nice trial there over 480 metres.
“He looked quite strong over 480 metres at Monmore and looks more of a 480 dog. We have to start him somewhere. We expect him to improve at Romford. In his trial he was beaten by 1 1/4 lengths to a good dog.
“He hasn’t trapped yet and ideally needs to at Romford. He can break and showed it in Ireland but is not doing it yet. If he takes to the track then the Golden Sprint is a possibility.
“He has had quick trials and he needs the runs as he is very excitable and is mad for his racing. It is not the strongest race and we are hopeful.”
Henlow trainer Jason Bloomfield looks like he means business at Romford this week with three of his four charges making their Romford race debuts tonight.
In heat one of the Romford Friday Night 500 Maidens at 6.28pm, Money Heist will be looking to get team Bloomfield off to a flyer. The January ’19 whelp is well travelled with races at Central Park, Towcester, Harlow and home track Henlow.
When racing at Central Park the daughter of KC And All and Dollar Dolly was under the care of Matt Dartnall. While with Matt she won a D2 graded affair over 265 metres. At Henlow and in the capable care of Jason she has won eleven times over both 265 and 460 metres. She is in blistering form at the moment by winning her last four races. Her last race was a win in an A3 graded race with the others all over 265 metres in D1 graded affairs.
She clearly has bundles of early to win three sprints on the bounce and that bodes well going over 400 metres tonight. In a recent trial over C&D she clocked a calculated time of 24.91 and like the others will be expected to improve on that.
Kelli said: “She is loving Henlow. It may be silly taking her away while she is running so well but she deserves a go. We have taken her elsewhere before and it’s not been a success but she wasn’t in this form and it wasn’t to Romford. If it doesn’t work out we will run her at Henlow again.
“460 metres at Henlow is too far for her. She didn’t trap that well originally and paced up well but is trapping now. 400 metres could be ideal for her.
“She didn’t come away in her trial but hope she will on Friday. She has trap two and ideally, she needs trap one. She doesn’t trap that well but paces up. She can trap though and has done before and needs to now she has trap two.”
Chasing Anna in heat two of the Romford Friday night 500 maidens at 7.18pm will be looking to make it back-to-back wins for ‘Team Bloomfield’. The March ’19 whelp has had ten races at home track Henlow all over 460 metres winning twice.
Those two wins came against A2 graded company. In a recent trial over C&D the daughter of Droopys Jet and Absolutely Ace clocked a calculated time of 24.75 and will be expected to improve on that. At Henlow she has shown she has early pace and the drop down to 400 metres could be beneficial.
Kelli Windebank, assistant trainer to Jason on her said: “She’s very nice. She was bought by the Four Nations Syndicate from Ireland. She was just a grader over there and they just wanted a racer. She took off at Henlow and won two A2 races. We thought we would give her a chance, she deserves it. She is a very game lovely little thing.
“She should improve for her trial. She was in with our Eagle [Savana Eagle] who is a good dog. Hopefully she won’t find another in the race that goes that far in front. She definitely has early, whether she has Romford early remains to be seen.
“Trap five is good for her, she can stay out wide. It’s where she wants to be. She runs from five or six at Henlow. It’s all about coming away.”
Savana Eagle is the last of the three for ‘team Bloomfield’ to try his luck at Romford in a Golden Sprint trial stakes over 400 metres at 7.18pm. The April ’19 whelp has won six times with one of them at Towcester in an open race over 500 metres.
The other wins came at home track Henlow over 460 metres in A3, A2 and A1 graded races. The son of Belles Direction and Tommys Ruby showed in a recent trial over C&D that Romford could be his track with a good calculated time of 24.23 for a first look. He has early and if utilising that in the ‘lucky last’ may be a player.
Kelli on him said: “We wanted to enter him in the Winter Derby but couldn’t get up there so we didn’t. He went around Monmore nicely as well. That sort of track may be more suited to him rather than a short sharp track.
“He did do a good trial at Romford and needs to get it all right in the race. He does have early and when he gets it right he is a really good dog.
“He has had problems in the past which is why he is so lightly raced. He is all over his issues and has come back nicely. He is doing really well. Trap two is fine for him. He is not really a trap dependent dog which is good.
“If he handles Romford well then the Golden Sprint is a target. He has had a trial around Romford and will have one race around there before the Golden sprint starts.”
Icaal Danny is not only making his Romford race debut but his six bend one as well for Towcester trainer John Mullins. The December ’18 whelp has had twelve races all at his home track over 500 metres and now attempts 575 metres in heat three of the Romford Friday night 500 stayers at 8.38pm.
At Towcester the son of Droopys Sydney and Landscape won in A5 and A4 graded affairs as well as one open race. He has had a recent look around the Essex track over 400 metres and showed all is well. He looks like he needs further and going over six bends could be the making of him.
John on him said: “I don’t know whether he will stay but the indications are there that he will. He has been running on well over 500 metres at Towcester. He looks like he needs further. He should get it, but we will see. I would like to see him lead to find out what he does. He has trap two and I like him from that trap.”
On his other runners John said: “Rocco (Icaals Rocco) is running well and has a good chance. Slapup (Ballymac Slapup) will go close.”
Icaals Rocco goes at 9.12pm in a Golden sprint trial stakes over 400 metres while Ballymac Slapup goes at 9.28pm also in a Golden Sprint trial stakes.
Regular readers may have had a nice little winner two weeks ago courtesy of Droopys Garden. The Maxine Locke trained charge won first time up over six bends justifying the faith put in her by winning by a neck at an SP of 2/1. Early birds may have snaffled up the 3/1 being offered for her in the morning.
It pays to follow this column.
