It’s here. After weeks of trial stakes and maidens the prestigious Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes over 575 metres starts tonight. The category one competition first inaugurated in 1947 has been won by past greats just as TricTrac who won the greyhound derby a year earlier in 1967, Palace Issue and Murrys Act. This year it is worth a whopping £20,000 to the winner, the most in the competition’s history. With prize money like that on offer the competition has attracted top entries.
To support it, Coral have sponsored the Coral Standard Trophy. Over 400 metres the category two competition worth £5,000 to the winner compliments it beautifully.
As ever there are several greyhounds making their Romford debuts and true to form I’ve endeavoured to find out more about seven of them; Four from the Champion Stakes and three from the Coral Standard Trophy.
Towcester trainer John Mullins knows what it takes to win the Champion Stakes as he did with Ascot Woodie in 2016. This year his sole entry is Miss Big Pants in the opening heat at 6.09pm. The June ’20 whelp is not only making her Romford race debut but her six bend one as well. The furthest the daughter of Candlelight King and Swift Magnetic has run is over 500 metres at Towcester where she has won three times in open and A2 graded affairs. It looks like she needs further and in two recent spins around Yarmouth over 462 metres showed all is well.
John on her said: “I think she will stay. The tighter track will suit her down to the ground. She is bred to stay and gets 500 metres at Towcester strong.
“Her last time out over Yarmouth was very good and that says a lot. We want to see her lead and show what she can do. Hopefully she comes away, She has trap four and that is brilliant for her. We were grateful she got accepted without form over the trip and now have a shout for it.”
Corals are 16/1 for her win over six bends and Romford at the first time of asking while Ladbrokes are offering 125/1 for her to claim the outright spoils.
Unattached trainer Michael Hurst is braving the Friday traffic from his Northumberland base to give two of his charges a chance to take the spoils in each of the competitions. First up is Droopys Soldier in heat two at 6.28pm. The September ’19 whelp although making his Romford debut has run over six bends previously at Perry Barr over 710 metres. In that race the son of Out Of Range ASB and Droopys Blossom finished fourth after leading to the fourth bend. Over four bends he has won once from three attempts.
That win came at Nottingham over 480 metres in an open race. He has early pace and six bends could be ideal for him.
Michael on him said: “He will definitely get the trip. We raced him at Perry Barr and he led to late on. The last 50 yards or so took it out of him. He will get 575 metres. He has run at a few tracks and think he will take to the track especially if he gets on the hare. Hopefully he can lead the inside two up and shows what he can do. He has trap three and that is ideal for him.
“Hopefully he will run well on Friday. We think he will do well and has a good chance.”
Corals are 9/2 for the Northern based raider to do the business at Romford at the first attempt and are top price along with Ladbrokes at 22/1 for him to get his paws on the coveted trophy.
Monmore handler Arran Dunn means business by entering three of his charges at Romford. Two in the Champion Stakes and one in the Coral Standard Trophy. First up is former Romford raider Aero Squeak in heat five at 7.18pm.
Formerly with Paul Young the February ’20 whelp was based at the Essex track and had all of his twenty three races there over 400 metres. Over that distance the son of Dorotas Wildcat and Crossfield Dolly won six times including opens and top graded affairs. Since going to Arran he has won five times all at Monmore over 264, 480 and 630 metres. Although back to Romford he is attempting 575 metres for the first time. Since running at Monmore he has won over 630 metres in an open race which bodes well going into his heat.
Arran on him said: “He came up from Romford and since running at Monmore has taken off. He is staying on really well. 575 metres should be no problem for him now. He knows and runs the track well.
“He is such a wide runner and keeps out of trouble. Due to that his trap draw in six is great which makes a change for us! He has early and stays.”
Corals and Ladbrokes are offering 8/1 for the former Romford runner to come home and win over 575 metres at the first time of asking. Several firms are 66/1 for the early paced sort to win it outright.
Aero Bob goes in heat six at 7.36pm and will be looking to make it a quickfire double for team ‘Dunn’. The June ’20 whelp unlike his kennelmate has never raced at Romford and has had all of his twenty one races at home track Monmore. All those races have been over 480 metres where the son of Laughil Blake and Crossfield Betty has won five including open and top grade victories. Tonight, he not only makes his Romford debut but his six bend one as well. He looks like he needs further and 575 metres could be within his capabilities.
Arran on him said: “Bob has won a nice open at Monmore but he is probably more A1 level than open. The trip will be no problem for him.
“He has early and can finish so can do it both ends but does lack a bit of middle. He has trap three and that is a good trap draw for him. He has been running from traps four and five at Monmore but wants to be a bit more on the inside.
“Stuart Forsdike co-owns him and is part of the syndicate for Aero Squeak so thought we would race him at the same time. The look won’t do him any harm and will freshen him up.”
Ladbrokes are 16/1 for him to win at Romford and over six bends at the first attempt in what can only be described as a tough heat. For the outright spoils he is generally available at 100/1.
Now onto the Coral Standard and in heat three at 8.54pm, Riverside Best for Hove trainer Patrick Browne is making his Romford race debut. The April ’20 whelp is running in only his second race on these shores. His sole race over here was at Oxford over 450 metres where he finished third after finding trouble at the first bend after leading.
The son of Ballymac Best and Body Clock has had a trial over C&D clocking a calculated time of 24.59. In that trial he found trouble at the half way point and will be expected to improve on that. Although lightly raced over here he does have plenty of race experience in Ireland with winning form at Clonmel and Limerick over 480 metres.
Patrick on him said: “He is a new dog with us. We gave him a trial at Romford but he got caught up in trouble. It was a messy trial and he still won it in a decent time. He has early pace but missed his break a bit. With a clean run he should improve on his trial time.
“He likes to get out and showed some lovely early in his trials at Hove over 500 metres. He has trap six and that’s where he wants to be. He will cut the bend though. He needs to get out and clear trap five to the corner.”
Ladbrokes are 9/2 for him to win on these shores at the second time of asking and are 66/1 for him to lift the trophy.
Crossfield Larry is the last of the ‘Dunn Three’ and goes in heat four at 9.12pm. The June ’20 whelp is making his Romford debut after twenty seven races on these shores. The son of Laughil Blake and Crossfield Betty has won at Nottingham and home track Monmore. Interestingly he has won over 264 metres at Monmore three times in D1 graded affairs and once at Nottingham over 305 metres in an open race. The fact he has proven two bend form bodes well going into the Coral Standard Trophy. To win four times in sprints shows he has early and may prove a handful for the others in the opening exchanges.
Arran on him said: “He has great early pace. He has clocked 15.23 at Monmore which is some going. 400 metres should be perfect for him. The trip should suit him. He struggles over 480 metres although he got up on the line last time out but the one he beat was struggling to see out the trip.
“It is a good competition but will be tough taking on the big boys. He has trap two, one would be perfect for him but trap is fine. Hopefully he will break and get on the rails.”
On all three Arran said: “Aero Squeak is our main hope. They are all good dogs but he will get the trip and runs the track well.”
Corals are 9/2 for the early paced sort to win at Romford first time up while Ladbrokes are offering 50/1 for him to win it outright.
Pennys Cooper is the second of Michael Hurst’s runners and goes in heat five at 9.28pm. The February ’21 whelp has had eight races on these shores but is yet to notch a win. All those races have been at open level at Nottingham, Sheffield and Sunderland over 480, 500 and 450 metres. The drop down to 400 metres and Romford could prove beneficial for the son of Man twenty One and Vintage Year. Although making his debut around the Essex circuit he will be looking to qualify at the first time of asking.
Michael on him said: “He has had all his races in opens, mainly in puppy only races. He is still a young dog and is now running against all aged dogs.
“He clocked 16.09 [+15] in a trial at Sheffield and clocked a 3.61 sectional at Perry Barr over 480 metres. He should be able to hold his own to the corner. He should be able to handle Romford and is learning and improving all the time.
“He hasn’t had a trial at the track but some dogs don’t need one and he is one of those. He is a good dog and has ability. Hopefully he will show it if he gets a run.
“We had been seeding him wide as he come out better the further out but has struggled with some dogs turning right out the traps. A middle seed will suit him better and he does keep a straight line to the bend.
“Ayle Blake on his outside has bundles of early and hopefully will tail him round and pick him up. He will be coming home hard.”
Corals are top price 10/1 for him to break his duck and win at the ninth time of asking, Both Corals and Ladbrokes are 100/1 for him to take the outright spoils.
Regular readers of this column may have had a nice SP winner of 3/1 last week courtesy of Swift Mellow. Those early birds may have snaffled up the 5/1 on offer by some of the firms earlier in the day. Trained by Paul Burr the Yarmouth raider duly won on his Romford and six bend race debut by a whopping twelve lengths in a calculated time of 35.35. He goes again tonight in heat three of the Champion Stakes at 6.43pm and is 33/1 to win it outright.
