The temperature may be dropping but what is not is the high standard of racing at Romford tonight. As usual the Essex venue have put on a top notch card featuring nine opens. With a category three sprint competition starting and a maidens final over 400 metres concluding there is plenty to enjoy. With several greyhounds making their Romford debuts and stepping up in trip for the first time yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about three of them.
Towcester trainer John Mullins knows what it takes to win at Romford first time up and did so last week with Oh Cosmopolitan. This week his half brother Oh El Nido will be trying to do the same in his maidens only race at 7.18pm. The son of Ballymac Best and Ballykett Beauty has had all his eight races at Towcester with both his wins coming over 270 metres in D3 graded company. The October ’20 whelp has had two races over 500 metres but at this stage the trip looks a tad too far for the early paced sort. 400 metres and Romford could be ideal for him.
John on him said: “He’s only an October ‘20 pup. He is a short runner at the moment and 400 metres will suit him down to the ground.
“He has had a trial around the track and will 100% be able to improve on that. He has bundles of early, has a nice draw first time up and will hopefully take to the track.”
Corals are offering 8/1 for him to emulate his half brother and win first time up.
Thatchersdessert for local handler Paul Young is attempting six bends for the first time tonight at 8.38pm in a maiden stayers race. The September ’20 whelp has had four of her five races on these shores at home track Romford over 400 metres and failed to notch a win. The daughter of Droopys Buick and Senahel Fuda had one race at Towcester over 500 metres and showed her staying potential. Six bends looks where her future lays and it may not be long before she sheds her maiden stayers tag for the Thatchers Boys.
Geoff Bowmer, a member of the Thatchers Boys syndicate on her said: “We got her due to Peter Abrey. A few of us meet up most Tuesdays to talk dog business, have lunch and a few beers. Peter was offered her and said he would discuss it with us. Paul Young later told us our new dog is in the kennels and no one remembered agreeing to it, including Peter! She is a lovely bitch and can’t ask for more. We’re well pleased with her.
“She looks like she will get the distance. Some of the others certainly seem to think so.
“She is a real game little bitch and is improving all the time. She is well bred and there is definitely more to come from her.”
Corals are 9/2 for her to win over six bends at the first time of asking.
If first you don’t succeed try, try again is how the ancient proverb goes. I’m not sure the proverb meant for a year to lapse to try again but why not. Lolas Wish for Henlow trainer Pam Dolby is back for more in a stayers race at 9.28pm after three races over 575 metres last year. The April ’19 whelp failed to win in those attempts with her last try back in June last year. Thirteen months later the daughter of Pat C Sabbath and Mays Bonus is back to Essex to write the wrongs of the past to try to claim gold. Since those races, over six bends she has won twice over 592 metres at Harlow which bodes well going in tonight’s race.
Pam on her said: “She never really stayed the course before but looks a lot stronger now. She should stay the course better now. She is currently finding it hard to win over 460 metres at Henlow as it is too short for her. She gets going too late in her races. Against six bend dogs she should be with them early on.
“What you see is what you get with her. She is well in herself and will see what happens. We could do with a bit of luck.
“We have lowered our expectations, but a win would be nice. She has trap six and that is where she wants to be.
“We have not really had the chance to get back to Romford but decided now is the right time.”
Corals are 6/1 for her to do what she couldn’t last year and take the spoils.
Regular readers of this column may have had two winners at SP returns of 7/4 and 2/1 last week courtesy of Bodell Frankie and Oh Cosmopolitan. Bodell Frankie was ‘put up’ by local handler Michelle Brown as her best chance and he didn’t disappoint when taking advantage of a good draw to take the spoils by half a length. Oh Cosmopolitan won straight after for Towcester trainer John Mullins in his Romford debut. The pacey sort relished the drop in trip from 500 metres to win his heat by five lengths. Those early birds could have got 5/2 and 11/4 for the pair offered by the bookies during the day.
It pays to follow this column.
