NOTE – With a particularly interesting card including the three Puppy Cup semi finals (R6-8), and the heats of the Mitch Millward Marathon (R12-13) we have included full form for all 13 races. Comments for the featured races can be found under each of those events.
The semi-finals of the Coral Romford Puppy Cup take place tonight with the first one at 7.36pm. Regular readers of this column will know all about five puppies still in the showpiece category one competition as covered by yours truly in recent weeks. Away from the £10,000 to the winner competition the Essex track have put on ten other open races for our enjoyment.
With the Champion Stakes starting next month over 575 metres, there are several greyhounds stepping up in trip or taking on Romford for the first time. True to form I’ve endeavoured to find out more about two of them along with one from each of the Mitch Millward marathon heats over 750 metres.
Former Romford trainer Jim Reynolds knows what it takes to win around the Essex venue and tonight tries his charge Five Fifty Min there for the first time. The October ’20 whelp is not only making her Romford debut but her race and six bend one as well on these shores.
In a maiden stayers race at 7.18pm the daughter of Good News and Bartlemy News goes straight into action after five trials. One of those trials was at Romford over 400 metres where she clocked a calculated time of 24.40. Although unraced on these shores she does have race experience in Ireland with five races at Youghal over 480 metres winning once. Longer trips could be where her future lies.
Jim on her said: “She’s had a couple of trials at Crayford but is not a 380 metres bitch. We trialled her there for fitness and experience. She came out of Ireland after a good run. When she won her race at Youghal she ran on very strong. To clock 28.93 at that track means you have pace.
“She is a bitch we have high hopes for and should get eight bends in time. She will probably need eight bends before we get to where we want with her.
“She is still learning and we are still learning about her. Over here we have trialled her at three tracks to give her experience and she is a bit unsure about where she wants to run. At Youghal she was an out and out railer.
“She should be a reasonable price and one to keep onside. If it is not this time, a win could come in the next couple of races. We need to see her in race conditions and at Romford before we make a decision about the Champion Stakes. She could potentially go for it.”
Ladbrokes are top price 11/2 for the Jim Reynolds trained bitch to win her first ever race on these shores.
Followers of the open scene will know all about Havana Bale Out. Trained by Central Park’s Liz McNair the April ’20 whelp has won eight from eighteen races all at open level: a very good percentage of 44.44%. The daughter of Magical Bale and Comeout To Play now attempts six bends for the second time and Romford for the first in heat two of the Romford Friday Night 1000 Stayers over 575 metres at 9.12pm.
Over four bends she reached the final of the ARC Northern Puppy final at Newcastle over 480 metres and the final of the Coral Sussex Cup at Hove over 515 metres. In her one and only race over six bends at Monmore over 630 metres she proved her credentials when taking the race and beating Coolavanny Aunty, this years Essex Vase winner over C&D. She clearly has the upcoming Champion Stakes in her sights and showed all is well in a recent trial over 400 metres clocking a good calculated time of 24.11.
Rab McNair, partner and assistant trainer to Liz on her said: “She won at Monmore over 630 metres but it took a bit out of her. We probably made a mistake of not putting her back over it.
“We gave her a trial last week over 400 metres but I’m not convinced she is a 575 metres Romford bitch. We will look at her on Friday and see how she handles the track. If everything works out, then we will go for the Champion Stakes. If it doesn’t then we will go to Sheffield for the Three Steps To Victory. It will be a lot easier for me if she takes to Romford but I’ll go wherever it is best for her. The dogs come first.
“She will get 575 metres all day long. She did well in her solo trial but the test will come in race conditions. She has enough early against 480 and 500 metres types.”
William Hills are top price 4/7 for the classy sort to win at Romford at the first time of asking.
It’s great that Romford host the Mitch Millward Marathon every year in honour of the very popular Romford owner. Having known him myself, I know how much he is missed by the Romford faithful and the marathon is a fitting tribute for him.
In the opening heat at 21.28pm over 750 metres, Dapper Dinnen is attempting his longest distance to date for local handler Nathan Hunt. The furthest the daughter of Ballymac Eske and Designer has attempted is 710 metres at Perry Barr. In that race the April ’20 whelp finished last after trouble at the first bend. Over six bends he has won over 575 metres at Romford twice and once over 592 metres at Harlow. With being the only wide seed in the race and a vacant trap directly on his inside he has a good chance to show what he can do and claim his first marathon victory.
Nathan on him said: “He should get it off the front but wont back run them. He can be a bit clumsy from behind. He was bred to stay further and looks like he will stay further.
“He can run when he gets on the bunny. Over eight bends he has a good chance to lead. He has a great draw and with a vacant trap on his inside could take advantage. He will come in at the bend but has a bit of space.
“He ran at Perry Barr last week over 710 metres but stumbled out the traps and then found trouble at the first bend. He ran on well at Harlow over 592 metres.”
On Slapdash Tommy his other runner in the race, Nathan said: “He is like Dapper Dinnen. He will get it off the front but won’t come from behind. He is also clumsy from behind.
“He has good four bend pace and hopefully both of them will turn into the first bend first and second. I’m not asking for much but hopefully both will finish in the first three for the final next week.”
With the withdrawal of trap 4 Fermoy Ivy, the race is now down to four runners with William Hills offering 6/1 for Dapper Dinnen to take the spoils while they are 6/4 for Slapdash Tommy to win it.
Lemming Extra for Monmore trainer Carol Weatherall tackles Romford for the first time in heat two at 9.42pm but not eight bends. The May ’20 whelp has raced at Towcester over 942 metres and Crayford over 714 metres previously. On those occasions the daughter of Magical Bale and Lemming Boleyn finished fourth and fifth.
She has also raced over 740 metres at Hove finishing fifth to Blueberry Bullet. Tonight is her first race since then and in a recent trial over 400 metres around the Essex track she clocked a decent calculated time of 24.59. She once again races against old foe Blueberry Bullet and will be looking to turn the tables on her and take the spoils.
Darren Holmes, assistant trainer and partner to Carol on her said: “It is probably not far enough for her. She does find trouble though and would run into four corner flags!
“The draw in three is fine for her as she will drop herself out then try to pick her way round, She runs on strong but tends to find trouble. The first three qualify and there is only five in her heat so hopefully she can. It is her first race since July at Hove as we have struggled to get races for her. She is ready to go and needs the run.”
Corals are 8/1 for the Monmore raider to win at Romford and over her furthest distance to date.
Regular readers of this column may have had a nice double last week at SP returns of 7/1 and 6/4 courtesy of Queen Pink and King Ezra paying out 19/1. Both trained by Liz McNair they showed their potential when taking there first round puppy cup heats by 3 ½ and 2 ¾ lengths. Of all the six puppies covered last week, three qualified to tonight’s semi-finals. Crafty San Diego and Chelms Marley were also covered in the weeks leading up to the category one competition and are also still in it.
It pays to follow this column.
