Gold Cup or Golden Sprint? I know which one I prefer and that is the one based in Essex. After three weeks we will find out tonight who wins the first category one competition of the year at Romford writes Rob Abrey.
The final six are vying for the winners trophy and £10,000 prize purse. Regular readers of this article will know all about favourite for the final Bockos Jon Jo after he was covered weeks before the showpiece competition.
Away from the finals on show tonight there are three heats of a maiden competition over 400 metres and yours truly has found out more about one greyhound from each of them.
First up is Gibstans Flyer in the opening heat at 6.43pm. Trained by Crayford’s Marcus Smith the January ‘18 whelp is flying at the moment. The son of Zero Ten and Dromscarra Katie has won his last three races at home track Crayford in A3 and A2 graded affairs. He has had all of his twenty four races on these shores at Crayford and tonight runs away from the Kent track for the first time. He has had five races over the 540 metres trip winning one in an S3 graded race. Unlike what would usually be expected from a recent hat-trick winner at Cryford he runs on and is probably a bit in between distances right now. The 400 metres trip wont be a problem for him and if not detached early on will be a player in the latter stages.
Marcus on him said: “The owners Tony Stanley and Danny Gibson are really happy with him. He is doing better than they expected. He was not bought as a stayer but for early pace. He has not really trapped like he did in Ireland. His main distance right now is probably 480, 500 metres. He doesn’t quite get 540 metres but does good sectionals.
“He should take to Romford, it will suit him. If he turns handy he has chances as he stays quite strong. It doesn’t look the hardest maiden and is a good race to start him open racing. Tony and Danny really like Romford and are ecstatic to have a runner there.
“He ran well last time out at Crayford. He stumbled out of the traps, turned handy and led from the fourth. The run up to the bend at Romford will suit him and he can show his back straight pace.
“Trap two is fine for him but he can go from traps one to four.”
Roxys Jim for Yarmouth handler Paul Burr goes in heat two at 6.58pm. The June ’18 whelp has had all of his thirty nine races at his home track and races away from there for the very first time. Of those thirty nine races, the son of Eden The Kid and Roxys Lass has won seven with two of them being in A2 graded affairs. On paper 400 metres looks a tad on the short side for him but will certainly be finishing strong.
Paul on him said: “He is going through the grades nicely at Yarmouth. He is however a proper railer and has trap four. He may run different at Romford but he is a true railer. Hopefully I’m wrong but he doesn’t want the black jacket. Speed wise he has it but first time up at Romford and in trap four he is massively against it.
“He can run. He has done 28.10 at Yarmouth which is quick. He gets 400 metres and if he is within striking distance towards the end nothing will be finishing stringer.
“He can be a big runner if he tucks in behind early stays out of trouble as I’m not expecting much for first half of the race. The second half is key for him.”
On his other runners Paul said: “I prefer Roxy Florence in heat one. She was unlucky last time out at Yarmouth. From all my four runners it is Roxys Florence that has the best chance for me, especially from trap one.”
Those with sharp memories may remember reading about Lemming Devon back on Friday 5th February. Trained by Jason Bloomfield the Henlow raider is back for another tilt at winning around the Essex venue. On that occasion the May ’19 whelp found lots of trouble and finished fifth. Tonight, the daughter of Droopys Sydney and Lemming Boleyn is looking to reverse that form and show what she is capable of. Since that run she has shown all is well when winning at her home track over 460 metres in A2 graded company in a quick time taking her win tally to five from eleven races.
Kelli Windebank, assistant trainer and partner to Jason on her said: “There is no room for error at Romford. She has trap one and has a good chance. Hopefully she traps and shows what she can do. We think she is good enough at this level.
“She did a brilliant time at Henlow recently and is a very nice bitch and very bolshy on the track. If she keeps pinging and keeps leading she will get stronger.
“She is still only a puppy and would be in A1 graded races at Henlow. If she wins a maiden we will put her in puppy races over short, sharp trips.
“Trap one is not a problem for her. I would rather she was in trap two as she has never been out of trap one at Henlow.”
