There is a pause in proceedings for the Euro 2020 tournament and what better way to fill that gap than open racing at Romford writes Rob Abrey. The Essex track have put on eleven opens amongst there twelve race card for our enjoyment. As ever there are greyhounds making their Romford and six bend debuts and in some cases both. True to form yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about four of them.
Perry Barr trainer Gerry Ballantine is braving the Friday night traffic to give his charge Westview Puddles her Romford and six bend debut. The September ’18 whelp has had all of her twenty seven races on these shores at home track Perry Barr over 275 and 480 metres. The daughter of Ballymac Vic and Mieske now attempts 575 metres and Romford for the first time at 6.43pm in heat two of the Romford Friday night 500 maiden stayers. She has won an D3 graded affair over 275 metres so clearly has early which bodes well going into tonight’s race. Over 480 metres she appears to want further, the distance tonight could be ideal for her.
Gerry on her said: “We don’t know for sure but she does look like she wants further. It’s a short enough distance to try her over to start with rather than 660 metres at Perry Barr.
“Hopefully she leads otherwise she won’t tell us whether she gets it or not. We have had plenty of dogs in the past that look like they get further but don’t. It’s all about trying her and see what happens.
“Hopefully the track suits her. We have no worries about running her at Romford let’s put it that way. 575 metres should be a good trip for her. She has trap three and that is no problem for her. She doesn’t want trap two but three should be ideal for her.”
12/1 is generally available for her to win on her Romford and six bend debut.
Local handler Nathan Hunt tries his charge Chelms Arthur over six bends for the first time in heat three of the maiden stayers at 6.58pm. The May ’19 whelp has had four races at Romford over 400 metres since being purchased from Towcester sales in April. Over the four bend trip the son of Pat C Sabbath and Cabra Laura has won once in A3 graded company. On that occasion she clocked a calculated time of 24.37 along with a 3.79 split. If replicating that performance and providing she gets the trip a maiden stayers win may not be far off,
Nathan on her said: “I think she will stay on the bunny. We got her from the Towcester sales. She has early and can get out. At Towcester she showed early, lacked a bit of middle but ran on again and was first to the pick-up over 500 metres.
“She needs to be off the front to win. She won’t do much from behind. She can get out at Romford and has done a 3.79 split. She does that kind of run from the traps again, she can lead.
“She has trap four and that is fine. It’s as far out as she wants to be.”
On his other runners Nathan said: “Aero Wolves is in good form. She won an A1 last time out. She is good enough to win an open.”
The ‘bookies’ are offering 6/1 for Chelms Arthur to win over six bends at the first time of asking while Aero Wolves is top price 9/4 with Ladbrokes and Corals to win the 9.12pm.
Trainer Jason Bloomfield has two runners at Romford tonight and first up is Savana Odilo at 7.18pm in a maiden race over 400 metres. The December ’18 whelp has had all of his 30 races on these shores at Henlow over 460 metres. The son of Kinloch Brae and Mustang Jill started off in A6 company and seven wins later is competing in A1 affairs. He has had a recent trial over C&D clocking a calculated time of 24.48. He will be expected to improve on that and with his early the drop to 400 metres could prove beneficial.
Jason on him said: “He did an average trial, but it was his first time around there and Romford is quite tight. I would expect improvement.
“He traps well at Henlow and is running in A1’s so thought we would try him. When he traps he has plenty of early and clocks nice splits. He is a nice dog.
“When he first came to us he was a three or four dog but now is more of a railer. He has run and won from trap two at Henlow. He is fine from there. He certainly won’t be turning right from the traps. He tends to go in rather than out.”
Skybet are top price 7/1 for the Henlow raider to win first time away from home track Henlow.
Liffeyside Blake is next up for ‘team Bloomfield’ and is back for another tilt at Romford. The son of Laughill Blake and Singing Hen had a race over C&D back in April where he finished fifth after trouble at the start and during the run-up. Tonight, the April ’19 will be looking to make amends for that run in the maidens only race at 9.12pm over 400 metres. When he raced previously, he had no prior track experience but does now. In a recent trial over C&D he clocked a good calculated time of 24.28 showing all is well. He won his last race at Henlow in A2 company and goes tonight in fine fettle.
Jason on him said: “We took him to Romford blind before and he tried to go in and found trouble. We left him off and took him back to Henlow.
“He has plenty of early and is a Romford dog really. He did a nice trial and can take twenty to thirty spots off that time. He can go close to 24 seconds. He is capable of that.
“He is all about the early and won’t come from behind. Both our dogs need to trap. He can run and expect him to go well.”
Skybet are top price 7/1 for him to win at Romford at the second attempt.
Regular readers of this column may have had a very profitable night last week if listening to the advice of Towcester trainer John Mullins. Last week he had four runners gracing Romford and said: “We could have four winners on Friday.” He was spot on and anyone following his advice could have had SP returns of 10/11, 6/5, 4/1 and evens. A four-fold of 41/1. Those who acted early and took prices would have had a bigger pay out as Ballymac Brook who returned 4/1 was available at 7/1 and Ballymac Slapup was around 13/8 before returning evens.
It pays to follow this column.
