The first category one competition of the year starts at Romford tonight. WRITES ROB ABREY

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The Golden Sprint over 400 metres has been won by some of the greats over the years including Tims Crow and Blonde Snapper. Worth £10,000 to the winner the competition is always ultra competitive and this year is no different.

Starting at 7.33pm with six heats there are greyhounds making their Romford race debuts tonight as well as some returning after rests and stepping up in trip after sprinting. As ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about five of the greyhounds competing tonight.

 

Sidaz Jet in the opening heat trained by Matthew Dartnall has showed no ill effects after returning from an injury lay off late last year. The June ’17 whelp contested in the Sussex Cup final at Hove over 515 metres last August before lameness.

The son of Azza Azza Azza and Miss Pyromaniac then came back and reached the final of the Winter derby over 500 metres also at Hove. He has not lost any early zip and his split times of 3.48 and 3.50 over 500 metres suggests he can hold his own against natural early paced sorts. Romford regulars know all about Make No Apologie who reached the puppy cup final last year and he clocked best splits of 3.47 and 3.49 at Hove. In a recent spin over 225 metres in a trial he clocked a very good calculated time of 13.60 which shows the track and distance tonight should not be a problem.

Matthew  said: “He has been in two cat one finals over 500 and 515 metres at Hove. His proper trip is probably 480 metres.

“We thought we would give him a go at Romford. When he gets it right from the traps he is as good as any over 480 metres. He has early and has led up the likes of Gus (Killeacle Gus). We were very happy with his trial at Romford over the sprint trip. It was his first time at the track and he was roaring to the pick up. He looks suited to the short four bend trip.

“We are pleased with the draw. He loves trap one. After this we my look to take him to the derby as he has contested in two cat one finals. He went last year but was still a puppy.”

Bet365 and Ladbrokes are offering 5/2 for the early paced sort to win at Romford at the first time of asking. To win the competition outright he is generally available at 12/1.

The Champagne Club headed by Steve Fluin know what it takes to win competitions at Romford and tonight they have entered three. All three have been rested by trainer Paul Young and look raring to go.

First up is Bubbly Cain in heat two at 7.49pm. The January ’18 whelp has only had six runs, with five over C&D winning four of them. That is an impressive 80% strike rate at home track Romford. The son of Droopys Cain and Wonder Pearl has certainly taken to Romford and goes into the competition

as a player. He has not run since the 24th January but after a rest showed he is still sharp with his best ever calculated time of 23.89 in a recent trial.

Steve on him said: “He did a very good trial after a rest. He is up against a very good dog in Forest Jason. He looked impressive last week. Cain has trap one though which gives him a very good chance. As long as they don’t come together it should be a great race and hopefully he qualifies.

“Of the three entries he is the best of the three. Arguably Cain edges it over Buster, although he won more races at Romford.”

Bubbly Cain is 11/4 with sponsors Coral to make it five from six wins at home track Romford while Ladbrokes and Betfred are 10/1 for him to win it outright.

 

Bubbly Spark goes in heat three at 8.06pm. The April ’17 whelp is not as prolific at Romford as his kennel mates but he has still won three times over C&D. The son of Barefoot Bolt and Energise has also won twice at Henlow over 460 metres. He is a wide seed and with only six wide seeds in the competition, if qualifying is at least guaranteed trap five or six in the semi-finals.

Steve on him said: “He has his draw in trap six. All his three wins at Romford have been from trap six. He should go well on Friday. He is really well.

“He could be a dark horse for the competition and looks a good price at 40/1 in the ante post market.”

He is 11/2 to take his heat with Bet365 and is 40/1 with Ladbrokes to take the outright spoils.

 

Bubbly Buster is the last of the three ‘Bubbly’ dogs tonight entered in the Golden Sprint. The June ’16 whelp goes in heat five at 8.38pm. The son of Laughill Blake and Express Micro is a bit of a Romford specialist with nine of his thirteen wins all at Romford over 400 metres. To win competitions consistency is a must and he has shown that when winning four on the bounce in January clocking calculated times of 24.00, 23.94, 24.03 and 23.85. Like his kennel mate ‘Cain’ he has not run since late January due to being rested and showed all is good with two calculated trial times of 24.15 and 24.27.

Steve on him said: “He has a poor draw in trap three. He will head straight to the rails. You have to take what draw your given and hopefully he will qualify. He has been well prepared and rested and should go well fresh.

“His two trials after his rest were good and is ever so well in himself. He loves Romford.”

Skybet and Ladbrokes make him a 3/1 shot to overcome his trap three draw and take the spoils. Skybet are 14/1 for him in the ante post market to claim the trophy outright.

 

On all three of the ‘Bubbly’ dogs in the Golden Sprint Steve said: “We have never won the Golden Sprint as a syndicate. We always target it. This year we have three very good dogs that are all capable of doing 23.80. To have three dogs that can go under 24.00 seconds in the same competition is rare but a great place to be in.

“I don’t expect all three to win on Friday in their heats but with a bit of luck all three could qualify. Paul [Young] has been planning this for a while. He has all our three well prepared and fresh. Hopefully it comes off.”

Those who follow the open race sprint scene will know the name Troy Bella. Trained by David Mullins the 2019 sprinter of the year is back over four bends for the first time in almost a year. In heat six at 8.53pm the February ’16 whelp last ran at Romford over 400 metres in March last year. In six attempts over 400 metres the son of Tyrur Big Mike and Fire Height won once clocking a calculated time of 24.16. He has won over 225 metres at Romford clocking a calculated time of 13.39 which shows he can handle Romford well. He clearly has bundles of early pace and is an interesting entry.

David on him said: “We thought long and hard about entering him for the Golden Sprint. He runs Romford well but never broke from the 400 metres traps. He broke really well from the sprint traps but not the 400 traps. Now the track has turned he will be coming out of sprint traps in theory. That’s our thinking.

“We are trying to get him get race fit and running him in the Golden Sprint coincides with that. After this we will go back to Central Park for the Salva. The Golden Sprint is a stepping stone towards that. Last year he ran over 400 metres before going to Central Park and ran really well in it so will go through the same sort of preparation.”

The 2019 sprinter of the year is 7/2 with several firms to win his heat and is 25/1 with Bet365 and BetVictor to take the outright spoils.