What better way to kick start the May Bank Holiday weekend than open racing at Romford? If there is, I don’t want to know about it. With twelve opens amongst their thirteen race card, Essex is where it is at. With not one or two but three, category three competitions getting underway, there is plenty to enjoy. As ever there are several greyhounds making their Romford race debuts or stepping up in trip and as ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about four of them.

Henlow trainer Andrew Ioannou is racing two of his charges at the Essex track tonight for the first time. Plaza Big Fella is first up at 6.28pm in a maidens only race at 6.28pm over 400 metres. The Henlow raider has had all his sixteen races at the Bedfordshire circuit over 460 metres. The February ’20 whelp won five of those sixteen races in P2, A5, A4, A3 and A2 graded affairs. The son of Laughill Blake and Plaza Girl now attempts Romford in race conditions for the very first time. In a recent trial over C&D the early paced sort clocked a calculated time of 25.00 and will be expected to improve on that.
Andrew on him said: “He doesn’t quite stay. If he’s not in front, he’s not interested. If he’s not leading early, he won’t win. He is one of those types of dogs. He likes to lead early. He is a good front runner. The distance will suit him.
“Hopefully he can handle the hustle and bustle of Romford. It’s trial and error with him. We go to Romford and he doesn’t like it or go there and he does like it.
“He should be capable of holding his own in a maiden and would expect him to improve on his trial. He looked a wide runner there and has a good draw in six. He has clocked 27.74 at Henlow so can run.
“All being well we aim to run him around there for a couple of weeks and see how he goes. He is capable of winning a maiden.”
Ladbrokes are offering 9/2 for the Henlow raider to win first time up at Romford.

Next up for ‘team Ioannou’ is Thirteen Black. Like her kennelmate she is also in a maidens only race over 400 metres but at 6.58pm. The February ’20 whelp like Plaza Big Fella has also had all of her eighteen races at home track Henlow over 460 metres. The daughter of Ballymac Vic and Westmead Angelic won five of those in A8, A7 and A5 graded races and one Invitation race. She clearly has bundles of early and the drop to 400 metres could be ideal for her. 460 metres appears to be a stretch for her right now and 400 metres could suit her needs. In a recent trial over C&D she clocked a calculated time of 24.88 along with a 3.80 split. Like her kennelmate she will be expected to improve on that.
Andrew on her said: “She’s got very good early, more than the other one. She rarely gets headed early on in her races. She’s not the greatest trapper but paces up really well.
“The distance will suit her but whether she can trap and get around the first bend in front is another thing. It is different at Henlow against 460 metres dogs than natural 400 metres dogs at Romford. Hopefully she has enough early. At Henlow she has real good early and really does go to the bend.
“The distance will definitely suit her and hopefully the track will as well. She should improve on her trial. Her 3.80 split at Romford gets you clear one week but last another week. If you do the 3.80 equivalent at Henlow you will be in front.
“She has a good draw in six and has a good chance.”
Ladbrokes are 10/1 for the early paced sort to takes the spoils at the very first attempt at Romford.

Towcester trainer Kevin Boon knows what it takes to win at Romford over 575 metres having won the Essex Vase and Champion Stakes three times with Star Cash Simon and Murrys Act. Tonight, he tries two of his charges over the six bend trip tonight for the first time in each of the two heats of the Romford Friday night 500 maiden stayers.
First up in heat one is Farneys Tiger at 7.18pm. The April ’20 whelp is making his six bend debut but is no stranger to Romford though. The son of Ballymac Best and Body Clock has had five of his fourteen races at the Essex track over 400 metres failing to win. In nine races at Nottingham and Towcester over 500 metres he also failed to get off the mark. Six bends could be where his future lies and with track experience could get to the winners podium for the first time.
Kevin on him said: “He is young dog and hopefully he will continue to improve. He’s not won a race yet but has been running well enough.
“In his races over four bends he has been staying on and thought we would try him in a maiden over six bends. There is only one way to find out if he stays and will see how he gets on.
“He has trap three and he’ll be alright from there. The one in trap two, Master Ten Ten looks the one to beat though. We are going there to win but have to lower our expectations.”
Ladbrokes are 7/1 for him to win over six bends at the first time of asking.

Farneys Calipso is next up in heat two at 7.36pm for ‘team Boon’. The April ’20 whelp unlike his kennelmate does have six bend race experience with three races at Sunderland over 640 metres. Although failing to win any of those three the son of Droopys Sydney and Killinan Reina did reach the semi-finals of the ARC Grand Prix. He has won one race over four bends at Towcester in an open race and now attempts Romford and 575 metres for the first time. In a trial over 400 metres early last month he showed Romford could be his track with a calculated time of 24.27. He has been running against the top dogs over four and six bends and may not be a maiden over the extended trips for much longer.
Kevin on him said: “Calipso will get the distance, 575 metres could be right up his street. He lacks a bit of early pace so six bends is better for him.
“He is a young dog and improving all the time. He ran well at Sunderland over 640 metres to reach the semi-finals of the Grand Prix. He has been running against the top dogs over four and six bends.
“We trialled him over 400 metres last month and were expecting around 24.60. He clocked 24.27 which was a great trial for a dog that needs further. He has a good draw.”
On his other runner, Farneys Chloe, Kevin said: “She finished third in the Grand Prix final Sunderland by only one length. She has won around Romford before so thought we would give her another race there. She is well drawn and has been holding her own against the top stayers.”
Ladbrokes are 7/4 for the Grand Prix semi-finalist to win over six bends tonight. Farneys Chloe is generally 2/1 with the ‘bookies’ to win the 9.28pm over 575 metres.

Regular readers of this column may have had a nice little 6/4 winner last week courtesy of Sonic Emjay. Trained by Towcester’s John Mullins, the early paced sort was brought ‘dahn sarf’ for a reason and fully justified it to win first time up at the Essex circuit. He quickly took control of proceedings to take the race by 1 ¾ lengths.
It pays to follow this column.