There is open racing at Romford tonight so it must be Friday writes Rob Abrey.
As usual the Essex track has put on a bevy of open races for us to enjoy. With the Romford Puppy Cup starting in three weeks time there are several puppies showcasing their potential for a tilt at the category one competition next month. Worth £10,000 to the winner, it is already attracting the young talent with several making their Romford debuts. As ever, your favourite scribe has endeavoured to find out more about three of the youngsters plus two others while I was at it.
The Romford Friday night 500 maidens competition consisting of three heats over 400 metres starts at 6.28pm. Amongst the entries, there are several puppies making their Romford race debuts. Yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about two of them plus one other.
Luck Box Blue goes in heat one for Crayford trainer Jim Reynolds. Former Romford trainer Reynolds knows what it takes to win at London Raod and gives his November ’19 whelp not only his Romford debut but his race debut on these shores. The daughter of Bull Run Bolt and Sweet Shalimar has had one trial over C&D clocking a good calculated time of 24.28 along with a nippy 3.79 split. She will be expected to improve on that and along with a good draw may shed her maiden tag at the first time of asking.
Jim on her said: “We are hoping to go for the puppy cup with her. She should get further in time, the Oaks and Derby potentially.
“She has gone well in every trial. She has taken to the different tracks and traps. She has trialled from spring loaded and hydraulic traps and they never fazed her. She has a great attitude and temperament which is very important and handles different tracks well.
“She is a natural breaker and it will be an interesting few months with her. I would put a wee bit of caution on her first race. It is her first time against five dogs over here. She has had one race in Ireland and went very well but has to do it against Romford type dogs. She is one to put in your watch box though.
“She trialled well at Romford and has a good draw [trap one]. We are pleased with the rails draw. We think a lot of her. Reg Bird is involved with her and he has been with me since my Walthamstow days. He is a great owner at our kennels.”
Hard To Call for Towcester trainer John Mullins makes his Romford debut in heat two at 6.43pm. The March ’19 whelp has had six races on these shores winning twice. Those two wins came at Sheffield in A1 graded races over 500 metres with then trainer Chris Akers. Since being in the care of John the son of Confident Rankin and Sizzling Daisy has had one race at Towcester where he finished last. Since then, he has had one trial Yarmouth over 462 metres and now tackles Romford for the first time.
John om him said: “He has been running a bit flat and are trying to get to the bottom of it. Being in race three may help him a lot. We are hoping him running at Romford brings him to life.
“We will see what he does. The shorter four bend trip may benefit him. He has a good draw in one and hopefully can take advantage of it.”
British bred Glatton Gianni is another making his Romford and race debut at the same time. Trained by Towcester’s Richard Devenish the December ’19 whelp goes in heat three at 6.58pm. The son of Droopys Sydney and Southoe Silver has only ever had five trials which were all at Towcester over 500 and 270 metres. 400 metres at this this stage of his career could be ideal for the pacey looking sort.
Richard on him said: “We reared him ourselves. Kim Gooding used our brood bitch for breeding and gave us one of the pups. He has gone well in trials. We haven’t rushed him. We have schooled him and brought him on. He has proved to be quite quick.
“He fell a bit short at the line over 500 metres at Towcester. He had enough coming off the last bend. We put him back over the sprint trip and he did some quick times and would have gone straight into D1 races. It came down to either run him in D1 graded races at Towcester or a maiden at Romford over 400 metres. We went for the maiden. A lot of the D1 dogs at Towcester are almost open class and natural sprinters.
“It is a steep learning curve for him. It is his first time against five other dogs and first time from the traps. There is a lot against him. He can run though and will hopefully qualify.
“We are happy with the draw [trap four]. We trialled him once from trap one and he went middle. I would like to see him hit the lids. He has a bit of pace about him.
“The Puppy Cup is a target if he takes to the track and traps.”
Farneys Tiger, an April ’20 whelp is the youngest runner tonight from the whole card and goes in a Romford puppy cup trial stakes at 7.56pm over 400 metres. Trained by Kevin Boon, the son of Ballymac Best and Body Clock may be the youngest but has already had two races to his name. Those two races were at Nottingham over 500 metres where he finished fifth and fourth. The drop to 400 metres may be beneficial for the Towcester based raider.
Kevin on him said: “He is a very, very raw pup. He is the fourth generation of Sheldans mother. It is a tough race to start with. He is only an April ’20 puppy and was bred by me.
“It is his first time at Romford and will see how he goes. We are hoping for a clean run to see how he goes. We are still learning with him.
“At Nottingham he did an 18.35 time over 305 metres which showed he has a bit about him. In his two races he had a little bit of pace about him.
“I’m happy with the draw [Trap four]. It is a tough race and will see how he gets on. He is a very young puppy and will go down the same route with him as Sheldan and Three Ems.
“The Puppy Cup is a target all being well.”
Right Joe is another being given his Romford race debut by trainer Kevin Boon. The September ’19 whelp goes in the ‘lucky last’ at 9.28pm in a standard open affair over 400 metres. The son of Laughill Blake and Fork Lightning has had seven races winning one. That win came at Nottingham over 500 metres late last month. The drop to 400 metres could benefit the pacey sort and it may not be long before he chalks up a win at the Essex track.
Kevin on him said: “He’s a puppy but doesn’t qualify for the puppy cup next month as he will be too old then.
“He was bought to stay but he doesn’t. We took him to Nottingham for the Puppy Classic but was eliminated on Monday. He has fantastic splits but doesn’t get the trip. His splits were very consistent at Nottingham.
“I thought I would take him to Romford for four bend sprint type races. He has lots of early, Romford could be his track.
“I will stay at Romford for a few weeks and see how he goes. Hopefully he will show his early pace.”
Chelms Getaway after only seven races is being stepped up to six bends by local handler Nathan Hunt after failing to get on the scoresheet. The September ’19 whelp has had five of those seven races at home track Romford over 400 metres. His last two races have been at Nottingham over 500 metres where he found early trouble both times. Longer trips could be where his future lies and 575 metres tonight in a maiden stayers race at 9.12pm could be the making of him.
Nathan on him said: “He was knocked out of the Puppy Classic at Nottingham on Monday but ran on to the pick-up strong. We’re expecting him to stay. It looks like he will get six bends. His mother, Ela Chloe throws six bend dogs and stayers are in the family. Skilful Sandie came from her mother, Global Liberty.
“His last trial at Nottingham certainly suggests he will get it. He was only just beaten by his kennelmate Doghouse Dazzler and was in front of him at the pick-up, who we will step up to six bends soon.
“He didn’t run too bad at Romford and if he does one of his 3.77 splits over 575 metres he has a very good chance of leading. He has a good draw in six and is the only wide seed. Trap five will probably move in and give him a nice run on the outside.”
Followers of this column may have had a nice 4/1 winner last week courtesy of Newinn Tik Tok if ignoring the Friday 13th hoodoo. Trained by Hove’s Patrick Browne, the December ’19 whelp showed his Puppy Cup potential by winning on his Romford debut by 1 ¼ lengths. Early birds may have had a piece of the 6/1 being offered in the morning.
It pays to follow this column.
