Romford kick starts the bevvy of open racing to watch this weekend with its traditional and very popular Friday open card. Crayford and Hove follow it up on Saturday with the start of the Golden Jacket and the semi-finals of the Winter Derby. Throw in opens from Sheffield and Central Park as well this weekend and we have ourselves a bonanza of racing – writes Rob Abrey.
Back to Romford and the Essex track have put on fifteen races from 6.27pm with fourteen being open race class. As ever there are greyhounds making their Romford race debuts and stepping up in trip for the first time. In some cases both. True to form your favourite scribe has endeavoured to find out more about five of them.
Seaglass Express is not only making his Romford race debut tonight but also his six bend one as well. Trained by Patrick Janssens, the March ’18 whelp goes into heat one of the Romford Friday night maiden stayers over 575 metres at 7.17pm. The son of Laughill Duke and Roxholme Suzie has run over 515 metres at Hove in December where he came second to exciting puppy Killeacle Gus by only 1 ½ lengths. In that race he showed six bend potential with a strong running on performance. From his six races he has won two which were both at Central Park over 480 metres in open races which shows he can hold his own against natural four bend dogs. In a recent trial over 400 metres he clocked a good time of 24.15 with a 3.85 split time. If able to stay he may not be a maiden for very long.
Patrick on him said: “I think he stays. He ran around Central Park and came off the pace to win. He ran well at Hove over 515 metres. He has always given signs that he stays but time will tell.
“He might need the run though as on Friday is his first race since December. If he qualifies for the final he should come on for it.
“At Central Park he did 29.00 over 480 metres which for a puppy was very good. He did a nice trial at Romford after a month off. In time he could stay further than 575 metres.”
Corals make Seaglass Express Evens to win over six bends at the first time of asking.
Crayford’s Gavin Debenham tackles Romford tonight with two of his charges after giving both of them a spin around the track in trials on Tuesday.
First up is Braesboy in a maidens race at 7.49pm over 400 metres. The October ’17 whelp has had all of his five races in open affairs but has just to chalk up a win. He has run at Nottingham, Hove, Central Park and Crayford over various distances. Tonight the son of Kinloch Brae and Tyrur Mairead is looking to break his duck at the sixth time of asking at Romford. He has had a recent spin over C&D on Tuesday clocking a decent calculated time of 24.44 along with a 3.82 sectional. He will be expected to improve on that after his look around the track. He has shown good early at Hove with a nice 3.57 split in a trial over 500 metres recently.
Gavin on him said: “We were quite pleased with his trial. He did trial at Romford last August in a hot day and was against Westmeath Pearl and was only beaten by around three lengths. After that trial we trialled him at Harlow and he picked up a little niggle.
“We brought him back and took him to Hove over four bends. In a trial he beat Mark Wallis’ Aero Madrid. He has decent early and hopefully can play to his strengths. If he hits the lids he has got every chance. He is 100% fit and we’re looking for a decent run from him. He has got something about him. He is a promising dog.
“After Friday we are planning to keep him at Romford for a few weeks all being well.”
Ladbrokes are 7/1 for Braesboy to win at the sixth time of asking.
Vics Charm is up next for ‘team Debenham’ in heat two of the Romford Friday night 500 standard at 8.38pm over 400 metres. The November ’17 whelp could be ideal for Romford after winning two sprint opens at Central Park over 265 metres. The son of Ballymac Vic and Latin Charm has had his last three races at Hove over 500 metres finishing third twice and fourth. In those races he was against top dogs like King Lennon and in one race finished only 1 ¾ lengths behind him. He has early pace and the shorter trip tonight could prove beneficial. In a recent trial over C&D on Tuesday he clocked a very good calculated time of 24.08 along with a 3.76 split.
Gavin on him said: “We were very pleased with his trial. It is a tighter track for a big dog then he has been running at but seems to suit him.
“He can break but is not always consistent from the traps. He does though always paces up. If he gets a run around the first bend he can match any dog for back straight pace. He avoids trouble and shows a bit of track craft. He is coming on really well.
“We put him in the Winter Derby at Hove and showed nice middle pace but started to tread water at the fourth bend. We thought we would take him to Romford and play to his strengths.
“He has question marks over his breaking but he drives the bend and paces up well really well. He is great in the kennels, nothing phases him.”
Paddy Power are top price 7/1 for Vics Charm to win at Romford first time up.
Leave This Town trained by Mark Fenwick was covered in your favourite read last month before winning over six bends at the first time of asking. Tonight the January ’17 whelp is back to Essex, but this time over eight bends. Since winning over 575 metres the daughter of Sidaz Jack and Brookville Dash has raced over 642 metres at Central Park winning twice in an open race and in S1 graded company. She is clearly thriving over longer trips and tonight attempts her longest distance to date over 750 metres in a maiden marathon race at 10.13pm.
Mark on her said: “I think she will get the trip tonight. I wouldn’t put her over it if I didn’t think she could get it. Three weeks ago if you asked me if she would stay after her first race over 642 metres I would have said 100%. Since then in her last two races over 642 metres she has struggled coming home a bit. In those races though, the going was very slow [-100 & -45] and it seemed to affect her. With good going and going around a smaller circuit she can be a different bitch altogether.
“As I said before I think a lot of her and she is a very nice bitch. We all know she is quirky but she has proved when she is on the bunny she doesn’t hang about. If she cracks out tonight then it is race on. Hopefully she will get on the bunny and see what she can do.
“She is against a very good dog tonight in Slaneyside Izzy. She has trap one and I like her from there.”
Ladbrokes and Corals are 4/1 for her to make it two from two at Romford tonight.
