There may be a cold snap but that won’t stop Romford putting on a show for us tonight. With the semi-finals of the prestigious Coral Essex Vase and Coral Maiden Trophy taking place there is plenty of reasons to attend the track or watch via Racing Post TV. Along with those six semi-finals we also see the start of the Romford Friday night 500 maiden stayers over 575 metres. In that competition there are several greyhounds making their six bend debuts and as ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more two from each of the two heats.
Tanys Bill Tiny after thirty three races over four bends at Towcester and Yarmouth is attempting six bends and Romford for the first time for trainer John Mullins. He goes in heat one of the Romford Friday night 500 maiden stayers over 575 metres. The January ’20 whelp has won four of them all in graded affairs with three of them at Yarmouth over 462 metres. It does look like the son of Dorotas Woo Hoo and Alice My Angel needs further and 575 metres and Romford could be ideal for him right now. In a recent trial over 400 metres at Romford he clocked a decent time of 24.86. For that look he will be expected to improve on that over the longer trip.
John on him said: “He stays. He is a lovely dog and the owner is brilliant. I would say this level is above his capabilities, but you never know. It is a big ask for him but thought we would give him a go.
“He has trap four and that is not a problem for him as he is generally slow away and will slot in behind the others. If he gets a run, he could get at them but it is a big ask. He is against All About Gold who runs at Yarmouth at a higher grade. He wouldn’t beat him over 462 metres.”
He is generally available at 12/1 to turn the form book on it’s head and win at Romford and over six bends at the first time of asking.
Corbally Chubbs showed his staying potential when winning at Towcester over 500 metres last time out for local handler Jean Liles. That run was his first race away from Romford and 400 metres and has been stepped up again. This time the November ’20 whelp is attempting six bends for the first time in heat one of the Romford Friday night 500 Maiden Stayers at 9.12pm. At Romford he has won three times from thirteen races in A3, A2 and A1 graded affairs. The son of Laughil Blake and Aslaug is clearly improving all the time and six bends could be where he future lays if proving his stamina.
Colin Creighton, partner and assistant trainer to Jean on him said: “We took him to Towcester and he kept pulling, even to the pick-up. We thought we would give him a go over 575 metres. We think he will stay. We want him off the front ideally.
“He has been staying on strong at Romford over 400 metres. He has got early and pinged the lids at Towcester last week and kept pulling. He clocked 29.82 at Towcester which is a good time there.
“He has trap two and that is good for him. He wants traps two or three and hopefully he can get on the bunny.”
Bet365 are top price 6/1 for him to win over six bends at the very first attempt.
Right Joe for local handler Jean Liles is being stepped up to six bends for the first time after fifty eight races over four bends in heat two at 9.28pm. Over four bends the September ’19 whelp has won open races at Romford, Yarmouth and Nottingham over 400, 462 and 500 metres. At his home track over 400 metres the son of Laughil Blake and Fork Lightning has also won several top graded affairs as well. In his one and only sprint race at Romford over 225 metres he came second by 1 ½ lengths behind sprinter Scala Omeara. He can clearly hold his own against pacey sorts and if able to stay may not be a maiden stayer for long.
Colin on him said: “He should stay. We didn’t think he would but has seemed to change his running style. In Ireland he was struggling to get 480 metres at Galway but now he looks like he will get further.
“We took him to Towcester for a go and he impressed us. He stayed on late and was first to the pick-up. We are confident he will get it.
“He runs Romford well and has his draw in six. It is a tough race but is a good dog himself. He is that class himself and has beaten some very good dogs.”
Betfred, Corals and Ladbrokes are 4/1 for the local hound to win the second heat at his first attempt over six bends.
Hove trainer Derek Knight knows what it takes to win at Romford over 575 metres as one of his former charges Solid Money held the track record there for some time. Tonight, he tries his charge Candolim Monsoon over six bends for the first time. In heat two at 9.28pm, the September ’20 whelp showed his future could be over six bends when clocking a calculated time of 35.16 over C&D in a recent trial. The son of Magical Bale and Maireads Shauna has won three times, all at home track Hove over 500 and 515 metres. Last month he reached the semi-finals of the Coral Olympic over 515 metres. He will be looking to shed his maiden stayers tag at the first time of asking.
Derek on him said: “He will stay if he gets a run early on. He will get 575 metres if he turns handy early on and is in the first two at the first two bends.
“It’s a really good race and Queen Gaga in trap three concerns us. She has clocked 29.26 at Towcester which is a Derby winning time. She is a very good bitch.
“He did do a really nice time at Romford but that was a solo. He can do good times and did 29.25 at Hove over 500 metres. I would prefer him in trap one but we are happy with two. Hopefully he can get up on the outside of the one dog and get on the inside.”
Several firms are offering 2/1 for him to do the business and take the spoils first time up at Romford.
