There are some old adages in greyhound racing like ‘back a bitch in form’ and ‘never change your mind’ and a new one should be ‘never rule out a Wallis dog in a final’.
Rail Mccoy unfancied by the betting community at 5/1 in the final of the Golden Sprint over 400 metres blasted out the traps to win by 3 ¾ lengths to claim yet another category one win for Mark Wallis. The win made it third time lucky for the Wallis camp to add to previous winners Blonde Snapper and Clondoty Alex.
On to this week and although there are no finals, with eleven opens amongst their thirteen race card there is plenty to enjoy. Several greyhounds are making their Romford debuts and stepping up in trip and true to form I’ve endeavoured to find out more about four of them.
Towcester trainer Patrick Janssens knows what it takes to win around Romford and tonight races his charge Newtown Sydney there for the first time. In fact, the June ‘20 whelp makes his race debut completely in heat two of the Romford Friday Night 500 maidens at 7.18pm over 400 metres.
The un-raced son of Droopys Sydney and College Minding has had two trials at Monmore and one at Romford over C&D before tackling the Essex track in race conditions. In his trial he clocked a good time of 24.33 with a decent 3.84 split time. He will be expected to improve on that.
Patrick on him said: “We trialled him at Monmore for the puppy derby, but he blew up coming home. At the moment he is not ready for that distance. In time possibly, but not at the moment. We plan to keep him at Romford over 400 metres for now as he looks suited to that.
“He clocked 15.72 at Towcester [+5} over 270 metres and that is going some. The pace he shows to the bend is great.
“In his trial at Romford he beat our Stamp Your Feet and he is a decent dog. Between the second to third bend, he blew him away. It is his first race, but he has had plenty of trials.
“I really like him, he is brave. A maiden at Romford is the perfect way to start him and trap two is good for him. He is definitely a railer. Romford is all about early and middle and he has great middle gears.”
He is 4/5 with the ‘bookies’ to win his very first race.
Ballymac Walski for Crayford trainer Dave Lee is making his Romford race debut in a maiden stayers race over 575 metres at 8.38pm but not his six bend one. The May ‘19 whelp has run over 592 and 630 metres at Harlow and Monmore but has yet to win.
That could all change tonight for the son of Ballymac Best and Brindle Ciss. In a recent trial over 400 metres he showed all is well with a calculated time of 24.72. He is well travelled with racing experience at Towcester, Swindon, Hove, Monmore and Central Park. He is yet to win in eleven attempts, but Romford and 575 metres could be his track and distance.
David on him said: “He’ll get the trip okay. He picked up an injury in his first race and we have taken our time with him. He was quite an expensive dog and will carry on trying him, here, there and everywhere. Hopefully he will start doing what he is capable of.
“He was bought to run over 575 metres at Romford and it should suit him. He ran the track okay over 400 metres. It wasn’t a fantastic time but he does his running late on. He seemed to take to the track.
“He has had a nice rest, had three trials and thought we would have a go at Romford and see. He has trap three and although a railer he should be behind early anyway so the draw won’t affect him. He is a back runner and will be doing it from behind.
“He is not expected to win but will run well.”
The Crayford raider is 14/1 with several firms to win at Romford first time up.
Regular followers of this column may remember reading about Maxine Locke’s Droopys Garden when she made her winning six bend debut last month.
Tonight, the February ’19 whelp makes her eight bend debut in a maiden marathon race over 750 metres at 9.42pm. The daughter of Laughill Bolt and Droopys Sylvia won again last week over 575 to show she is the real deal over extended trips to make it two from four over 575 metres. The early paced sort now goes over 750 metres for the first time and if able to get in front may not be a maiden over eight bends for long.
Maxine on her said: “We are hoping she will stay. It looks like she will. In her last race over 575 metres she came from behind. She can also do a run over 400 metres.
“If she leads which she is capable of it will be interesting and could do very well. All the signs are there that see will get the trip.
“She has trap two and that is good for her.”
She is 2/1 to win over eight bends at the first time of asking.
Regular readers of this column may have had a nice 5/2 winner last week courtesy of Wentworth. Trained by David Mullins the early paced sort took over proceeding at the second bend to win over 575 metres at the first time of asking. Last week David on him said: “He’ll stay. He will get it.” He certainly did.
