Its Friday and that can only mean one thing: open racing at Romford. Tonight we are treated to four finals including the historic category one competition, the Essex Vase – writes Rob Abrey

After three weeks we are now down to the final six vying for the trophy and £10,000 winners cheque. Away from the four finals there are eight opens taking place including the start of a maiden competition over 400 metres. With several greyhounds making their Romford race debuts yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about four of them including one from each of the three heats.

Swindon trainer Sean McDonald is braving the Friday traffic from his Welsh base to tackle Romford with two of his charges. First up is Elks Girl in heat one of the Romford Friday night maidens at 6.28pm. The daughter of Droopys Jet and Catrigg Cove runs away from home track Swindon for the first time after twenty four races at Colwick Park. All her races have been over 476 metres with the August ‘18 whelp winning six of them. Tonight she drops down to 400 metres which could suit the early paced sort. If taking to Romford she could be a player.

Sean on her said: “She won a good A3 at Swindon. Romford may suit her. She is pretty fast away and has lovely early pace. If she pings out, she will be difficult to get past. She stays better than my other one but 400 metres could be good for her.

“I would prefer her from trap one as she is a bang railer but two is okay. She has run from two at Swindon. She has enough early to hopefully get to the rails. I would have liked to ideally trial her first but she should handle Romford.”

Several firms are offering 7/1 for her to take the spoils at the first time of asking.

Next up for ‘team McDonald’ is Annual Increase in heat two at 6.43pm. The daughter of Laughil Blake and Atir is very similar to her kennel mate in the way she also appears to want a shorter distance after contesting in similar grades. The March ‘18 whelp unlike Elks Girl has had one race away from Swindon. That was at Central Park over 265 metres where she came third. Tonight she runs at Romford for the first time over 400 metres and that could be ideal for her. She clearly has early pace and that bodes well for her.

Sean on her said: “She has lovely early. At Swindon she blows up coming home. 400 metres should be a lot better for her. It could prove to be her ideal distance.

“She has sprinters early if she pings. Trap three is not ideal. I would have preferred one. She has lovely early so hopefully can get to the rails without any trouble.

“Like with the other one I would have liked to trial her but again she should be able to handle Romford.”

Sean on both of his charges said: “They are both the same really. Both are screaming out for a shorter distance although Elks Girl gets the 476 at Swindon better. Not much can get to them if they ping out and lead.”

Ladbrokes are top price 12/1 for her to win on her Romford debut.

Front Monopoly for Harlow trainer Kevin Proctor is attempting only her second ever race tonight in heat three at 6.58pm. The daughter of Droopys Jet and Forest Natalee only other race was at Central Park over 480 metres early last month where she finished fifth after finding trouble early on.

The May ’19 whelp now tackles Romford and has had trials over C&D in preparation. She has shown consistency with her two times clocking calculated times of 24.36 and 24.37. Interestingly she found fifteen spots from her sectional split times. First time around she clocked 3.98 then improved it next time out to 3.83. She will be expected to improve and it may not be long before she sheds her maiden tag.

Kevin on her said: “She made her debut at Central Park but it didn’t work out that well. There were five railers and one middle in the race. She had trap five and found a lot of trouble.

“She is British bred and is a raw puppy. She is novicey as anything. Her one race and her trials is all she has ever had. She was well schooled at Nick Savvas before we took her to a race track.

“She has two decent trials at Romford. She was slow out the traps first time and improved untold the next time.

“I felt she needed more experience and for her second trial at Romford put her in with one of mine. She showed good track craft at the first bend to take over and win the trial. She has trap one and I’m happy with that.

“She is well bred and has natural improvement in her. Whether she will improve again at Romford on Friday I don’t know. She is still very young and could go on to better things.

5/1 is generally available for the youngster to get off the mark at the second time of asking.

Savana Marno is not only making his Romford debut tonight but his six bend one as well for Henlow trainer Jason Bloomfield in a maiden stayers affair at 9.28pm. The son of Ballymac Matt and Scala Rose has had one trial at Henlow over 550 metres clocking a good calculated time of 33.60.

The February ‘18 whelp has shown at his home track he can hold his own against four bend types with wins in B1 and A1 graded company over 428 and 460 metres. Back in January he showed he can win away from Henlow with a win at Hove over 500 metres. With his early pace and recent spin over 550 metres he may not be a maiden stayers for long.

Kelli Windebank assistant trainer to Jason on him said: “We hope he will stay. We have not tried him over six bends and the plan was to grade him over 550 metres. After his trial he would have gone into top grade so thought we would try him over 575 metres at Romford.

“We were pleased with his trial. It’s what I would have expected of him. He didn’t trap particularly well though and still did a good time. Top graded dogs over 550 metres can do 8.80 splits, he only did 9.08.

“We thought we would try different things with him. He runs well wherever he goes and is quite experienced. He seems to run well first time at tracks. It is a big ask though to win first time up over a new distance and win. He is capable though. The distance will test him but we hope he can get it.

“Trap one is good for him as he is a railer. He is a trap one dog.”

Skybet are top price 5/1 for ‘Marno’ to win over six bends at the first time of asking.