A reminder that Romford’s refurbished Pavilion re-opens its doors this evening

After a two week hiatus your favourite read is back and as it’s Friday that can only mean one thing: open racing at Romford. With eleven opens from their thirteen race card there is plenty to enjoy. With one category three competition starting and one concluding there is lots of enjoyment to be had. As ever there are several greyhounds making their Romford race debuts and trying distances for the first time. True to form I’ve endeavoured to find out more about three of them.

Tober Sydney for local handler Gemma Evans is not only making his Romford debut but his race one as well on these shores. The January ‘20 whelp makes his debut in a maidens only affair at 6.43pm over 400 metres. The son of Droopys Sydney and Tober Crash has been going well in trials and will be expected to improve on his best time of 24.65. He is not a novice with two races under his belt in Ireland at Dundalk over 366 and 480 metres which he won. He will be looking to add to those wins tonight.
Gemma Evans on him said: “He broke his hock late last year. We have nursed him back, taken our time with him and are over the moon to get him back. He has gone really, really well in his trials.
“We hope he has a little bit more and comes forward and pinches an open. He has done brilliant to get back on the track and is an achievement in itsself after his injury.
“We will see what he does and see where he goes from there. We can all but try and are over the moon with trap one.
“There will be lots of happy tears if he wins.”
Corals are offering 12/1 for him to win first time up on these shores.

After nine races all in graded affairs over 400 metres, Keanos King for trainer Gemma Evans is running over 225 metres for the first time at 8.17pm. The August ‘19 whelp has won three of them as high as A5. He clearly has bundles of early but 400 metres looks a tad too long for him. Before joining the Evans kennels he was at Harlow where he won a D4 sprint over 238 metres. The drop in trip looks ideal for the son of Makeshift and Keeperhill.
Gemma on him said: “He has bundles of early. The owner asked to try him over 225 metres so thought why not. He will be a strong dog over 225 metres but over 400 metres he tires off the last bend.
“He has got to get it right from the traps. If you miss your break over that distance and level your done pretty quickly.
“Trap two is okay for him. If he pings he can go where he wants.”
On all her runners Gemma said: “Mohort Bob is running out of his skin and has a good draw. All our dogs are running well at the moment. The kennel is in form.”
Corals make him 14/1 for the pacey sort to win over 225 metres at the first time of asking.

Towcester trainer John Mullins knows what it takes to win over six bends and tonight tries his charge Spicuzza over 575 metres for the first time at 9.42pm in a maidens only affair. The April ’20 whelp has had twelve races on these shores all over four bends. His furthest distance to date is one race over 500 metres at Towcester where he finished fourth. All of his other races have been at Yarmouth and Romford where the son of Droopys Sydney and Ravenswood Margo won one race at each. The win at Romford came over 400 metres in an open race while the victory at Yarmouth was over 462 metres in an A1 graded affair. The fact that he has winning form over 400 metres at the Essex track bodes well going into the race.
John on him said: “I don’t know for sure if he stays but will find out. If you don’t try these things, you will never know so we shall see.
“The signs are there that he will stay but he will have to lead. He will have to do it from the front and go from there.
“He has a good draw in six, but you have to take what your given. I don’t tend to worry about trap draws.”
Corals are 5/2 for him to shed his maiden stayers tag at the very first attempt.