It’s the final of the Coral Puppy Cup. After two previous rounds and weeks of preparation it comes down to one race for who will take the spoils and the £10,000 winners cheque. Regular readers of this column will be cognisant with three of the finalists tonight.

The focus for tonight though is away from the showpiece final and on greyhounds making their Romford and or six bend debuts. As ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about some of them.

After sixty eight races over four bends, Swabys Hope is making his six bend debut. In heat one of the Romford Friday night 500 maiden stayers at 7.49pm over 575 metres the July ’16 whelp will be looking to make it a winning one. The son of You Mind Me and Rough Dilemma has proven winning form over four bends at Romford in A1 and open race company. He has also won over 480 metres at Central Park. In one open race at Central Park he came second to Seaglass Tiger, the recent East Anglian Derby finalist at Yarmouth. If transferring that four bend form to six bends he may not be a maiden stayer for long.

David on him said: “I tried him over longer trips earlier in his career and he didn’t really get it. He is a lot stronger now and think he will stay now. He has won over 480 at Central Park and off the front could get it.

“He has a bit of early but his main asset is that he needs trap one which he hasn’t got but trap two on Friday should be okay. He hasn’t got lightning early but has enough. On his day he is a decent dog.”

Ladbrokes make him 5/2 to win tonight.

Oakvale Chubby for local handler Jean Liles makes his six bend debut in heat two of the maiden stayers over 575 metres at 8.06pm. The June ’17 whelp has had six runs over 400 metres in A2 and A3 graded races but is yet to win. The son of Scolari Me Daddy and Windmill Daisey appears to need further and 575 metres tonight could be ideal for him to get off the mark on these shores. He has won over 480 metres at Thurles in graded company so the signs look good he gets the trip tonight.

Colin Creighton, partner and assistant trainer to Jean on him said: “I think he will stay. Friday is the testing point. We are trying him and see how he goes. You never know until you try. Jaxxhappymoments only looked a sprinter when we first got her but she has won over eight bends.

“He doesn’t have early pace against natural four bend dogs. We’re hoping over six bends he builds up a lead and hope he gets it. He does look a nice dog.

“We are happy with trap four. He is definitely a middle runner.”

Skybet make Chubby an 8/1 shot to win on his six bend debut.

Followers of the open scene at Romford would have seen Jelly Flood make his Romford debut last week. This week the April ’16 whelp is being stepped up to make his debut over 575 metres tonight in heat three at 8.21pm. The son of Godsend and Mays Bodyguard is having his second race under the stewardship of David Mullins and has been fast tracked over longer trips. He reached the quarter finals of the Derby at Towcester last year and the third round at Nottingham this year. Last year in Ireland he reached the fourth round of the Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park. He appears to want longer and the run last week over 400 metres at Romford suggested he can get the trip tonight. In that race he found trouble but still clocked a good calculated time of 24.26.

David on him said: “He will get 575 metres. I didn’t anticipate stepping him up to 575 metres so early. The plan was to give him a few more runs over 400 metres but he ran particularly well last week and is pretty much ready. In a hard race last week he didn’t get beat far in a good field. It was a pleasing run. Trap one is good for him. We are happy with the draw.

“We are still learning about what he is capable of. We will keep him to 575 metres for a little while then start looking at a bigger scale. We are keeping our options open.”

On all his runners tonight and who he thinks could go best David said: “Not So Tardo. He won his first race in an A2. I think given time he could be a nice early paced 400 metres dog. He has a decent chance on a Friday.

Jelly Flood is 8/11 to win tonight while Not So Tardo in heat two of the Friday night 500 maidens over 400 metres at 7.17pm is 7/2 top price with Skybet.

Sawdust Sammie for Romford trainer Jean Liles is not only making his Romford debut tonight but his race one as well on these shores. The November ’16 whelp has had his qualifying trials and has been put straight into an open race. The son of Tullymurry Act and Lemon Lucy makes his race debut over here in heat three of the Romford Friday night 500 maidens at 7.33pm over 400 metres. He is however no novice with forty races under his belt over in Ireland. He has winning form at Cork, Kilkenny and Shelbourne Park over 302 and 480 metres in graded affairs. His trials at Romford over C&D have been consistent and would be expected to improve on those times.

Colin on him said: “He looks a nice prospect. We got him from the recent Henlow sales. He has done 24.56 twice and is just acclimatising. He looks a nice dog and has nice early. You need that at Romford ideally.

“He looks a proper Romford dog and that’s the reason he was bought by owner John Clarke. 400 metres look about it for him. He won’t get much further.

“We thought we would give him a try in an open race and see how he gets on. He is a wide runner and hopefully he keeps out of bother and see what he can do. We’re happy with the trap draw in six. He is definitely a wide runner. We trialled him on Tuesday from trap three and he turned right from the traps.”

On all of their runners tonight and who they think could go well tonight Colin said: “Jaxxhappymoments. She ran really well last week to win over 750 metres. We expect her to improve again because of that run and in time she could get further.”

Sawdust Sammie is top price 5/1 with Ladbrokes to win his first race on these shores. Jaxxhappymoments in the lucky last at 10.13pm over 750 metres is 5/2 with Skybet to make two from two over C&D.

Readers of this column last week may of had a nice 5/1 winner curtesy of Smithybyesadream and trainer Paul Young. When asked last week by yours truly for who he thinks could go best of all his runners he said the above. On him he said “…..He is running well, is well drawn and will get the trip. He shouldn’t be far away.” He wasn’t wrong when he took the spoils as a 5/1 shot by 2 1/4 lengths in a calculated time of 35.62.

It pays to follow this column.