January may seem like a long, wet, cold and dark month especially with the festivities that went on in the month before. Romford however are trying to enlighten all lives this January with not one but two competitions starting tonight. The second running of the category two competition Coral Maiden Trophy starts first.
orth £5,000 to the winner for three runs over 400 metres, it is open to greyhounds that have not won an open but have run at least six races, graded or opens in the UK. Straight after the last of the six heats, the Essex Vase takes over. With no time to catch the breath, the showpiece category one competition gets underway. First inaugurated in 1939 the category one competition has been won by greats such as Delores Rocket, Ballyregan Bob and El Tenor. The thirty six greyhounds competing tonight will be trying to get their name etched on the trophy amongst those prestigious names.
As ever there are several greyhounds making their Romford and stepping up in trip. True to form your favourite scribe has endeavoured to find out more about six of them, three from each competition.
Loco Sharky trained by Central Park’s Alfie Herbert races at Romford for the first time in heat one in the opening race at 6.09pm over 400 metres. The September ’20 whelp has had two trials over C&D clocking calculated times of 24.47 and 24.02. The first trial was back in August last year with the second one early last week. That improvement in time shows where the son of Great Blue shark and Robeen Magic is heading. At home track Central Park, he has had seven races winning three times. Those wins have come in top graded affairs over both 265 and 480 metres. His win over 265 metres bodes well when tackling 400 metres for the first time.
Alfie on him said: “He has won over the sprint trip and 480 metres at Central Park. He has enough early to win a good D1 sprint which is needed at Romford.
“He has not been coming out the traps well. Trapping is something to work on. He has good early when he gets into his stride.
“He had a trial last year and has improved since. He has come on massively. We were over the moon with his recent trial at Romford. It was the second fastest trial on the day.
“Hopefully he can trap better.as his draw in trap three worries me a little bit. He is a railer and has never run from trap three with me before. Hopefully he qualifies and gets a better draw in the next round. We are only a small kennel and would be over the moon to make the final.”
Ladbrokes are offering 7/4 for the Central Park raider to win first time up at Romford while several firms are 10/1 for him to take the outright spoils.
Savana Raven will be looking to ruffle some feathers when making his Romford race debut in heat two at 6.28pm for the dual attached trainer Jason Bloomfield. The December ’19 whelp has had the majority of his forty five races at Henlow over 460 metres winning there eighteen times; a great strike rate of 40%. Fifteen of those wins have impressively been in top graded affairs. In a recent trial over C&D the son of Legend Blake and Market Glory clocked a calculated time of 24.19. In that trial he beat Essex Vase and Gold Collar finalist Dapper Rodney by one length. He will be looking to add to his eighteen wins with a victory around the Essex circuit.
Jason on him said: “He’s a nice little dog. He has won a lot of A1’s at Henlow. He is one of the best dogs at Henlow for winning his races. We took him to Yarmouth but he was a bit nervy then. We took him to Oxford and he was a lot more settled there and made the final of the ‘cat’ two maiden final. He was quite full of himself there and seemed fine.
“He traps well but a long run to the bend doesn’t suit him. Romford could be ideal for him, right up his street. In his trial he beat Dapper Rodney and he didn’t get to him which was pleasing. We expect him to improve on his trial time.
“He has plenty of pace and I’ve always said a dog that can do under 27.50 seconds at Henlow is a good one. He does 27.50/60 which is on the cusp.
“In his opens he has always found one too good but Romford could be a turning point for him. He has trap three and that is okay for him. Traps one to four is favoured. He’s keen as mustard and if he leads it will be a job to peg him back. Hopefully he will go well.”
Ladbrokes are 6/4 for the multiple top graded winner at Henlow to do the business at Romford while Skybet and Paddy Power are 8/1 for him to win it outright.
Cleenas Lily for Oxford trainer Matt Dartnall is making her Romford race debut in heat five at 7,18pm. At Central Park the May ’20 whelp has had fourteen races over 480 metres winning three times in A2 graded affairs. At Oxford over 450 metres the daughter of Droopys Noah and Droopys Harbour has only had three races winning twice. The drop in trip to 450 metres has clearly benefited the early paced sort and the further drop to 400 metres could continue to be beneficial. In a recent trial over C&D she showed all is well with a decent calculated time of 24.41. She will be expected to improve on that for that look and may not be a maiden for much longer.
Matt on her said: “She ran really well last time out at Oxford in an open. She is still coming out of season and improving all the time. Since being at Oxford she has won A2 and A1 races.
“We were happy enough with her trial time. She was in a three dog trial and expect improvement. She has trap three and is not a bang railer. It’s not ideal but should handle it alright.
“It was case of her hitting her six race requirement without winning an open. She ticked all the boxes, is fit and well and thought we would have a crack at it.”
Corals are 5/1 for her to continue her good form and win first time up at Romford. Most firms are 20/1 for her to win it outright.
Central Park trainer Elizabeth McNair stepped several of her charges up in trip last week in preparation of the Essex Vase. This week in heat two at 8.17pm, it is Queen Gaga’s turn to go over 575 metres for the first time. The January ’21 whelp has had ten races on these shores all over four bend trips winning three times. Those wins came at Central Park and Towcester over 480 and 500 metres in open races. The daughter of King Sheeran and King Danni looks like she needs further and the trip tonight could be perfect for her. She has Romford experience with a run over 400 metres last September which bodes well going into the competition.
Rab McNair, husband and assistant trainer to Liz on her said: “I would think she will get the trip. She has always looked like she would get the trip. At Towcester over 500 metres she has been running on well.
“The litter all looked to be strong runners with 575 metres a minimum. They are just two year olds and have given them time to find their feet. She has trap four and that is fine for her.”
On all his five runners in the Essex Vase, Rab said: “We are happy with them all. We have put them back in there after last week. We had one winner and that was a bonus. We are looking forward to the next two or three weeks hopefully.
“They are in great form and we are very, very happy with them. All the heats are hard and there is no such thing as an easy competition. Qualifying is the name of the game.”
Ladbrokes are 11/4 for her to win at Romford at her second attempt while Skybet and Paddy Power are top price 20/1 for her to claim the outright spoils.
Drive On Lad, the Birmingham Cup and Juvenile finalist at Perry Barr and Towcester over 480 and 500 metres is making his six bend race debut in heat three at 8.38pm. Trained by Hove’s Richard Rees he has been stepped up to take on the Essex Vase. Amazingly although reaching two category one finals the son of Pat C Sabbath and Drive On Robyn is yet to win on these shores from twelve attempts. That could all change over six bends. The November ’20 whelp showed in a recent trial over C&D his future could be over longer trips when clocking a calculated time of 35.21. He will be expected to improve on that and may get off the mark sooner rather than later.
Richard on him said: “I think he will get it. We decided to step him up a bit and should get it. It’s not the hardest six bend trip around but will see
“We will see how he goes. He has been running against top four bend dogs. He has made two ‘cat’ one finals without winning.
“He did a good trial at Romford and was pleased with that. He has trap three and that should be okay. I would prefer him more on the inside but he did move off a bit in his trial but that was his first look around the track. It depends on his break.”
Corals and Ladbrokes are 7/1 for the two time ‘cat’ one finalist to win at Romford at the first attempt with Bet365 top price 66/1 for him to win the competition outright.
Droopys Mural is another of Richard Rees charges to be stepped up in trip for the Essex Vase and goes in heat four at 8.54pm. Co-owner Daryl Bear has had many greyhounds run around the Essex venue over the years and would love to lift the famous trophy aloft. The September ’20 whelp goes into the showpiece competition in fine fettle after reaching the final of the Coral Olympic over 515 metres last month. That competition was won by the very impressive Fromposttopillar. The son of Spoofer and Droppys Posh looks like he needs further and the trip could be ideal for him right now. In a recent trial over C&D he clocked a good calculated time of 35.24, beaten by only a neck by his kennelmate.
Richard on him said: “He’ll definitely get the trip all day long. He has always given the impression he can stay further. He has the class to hold his own against the top four bend dogs. In time six bends could be his trip.
“He made the final of the Olympic at Hove and was up against several hotpots. We were very happy with his trial and although finishing second by a neck to Drive On Lad, he actually ran the track better. He ran the track really well.
“He is a middle runner and we are happy with his draw in four.”
Corals and Ladbrokes are 10/1 for the Coral Olympic finalist to win at Romford and over six bends at the first time of asking. Several firms are 66/1 for him to go one better than last month and win a ‘cat’ one competition.
Regular readers of this column may have had two winners last week courtesy of Distant Emma and King Ezra. Trained by Barrie Draper and Liz McNair both duly won their races by 3 ½ and 2 lengths at SP returns of evens and 7/4. Both winners were making their six bend debuts in preparation for the Essex Vase and looked the part. Both have been entered in the Essex Vase and could be ones to follow.
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