By Rob Abrey
The weekly open race schedule continues tonight at Romford as the Essex track host fourteen open races starting at 6.36pm. With a maiden and stayers competition starting tonight as well as a maiden marathon race there are plenty of interesting greyhounds running tonight and as ever I have found out more about some of them.
The maiden stayers competition over 575 metres starts tonight at 7.12pm and with only two heats with the first three home qualifying there was a chance that a double entry could end up in the same heat. That has happened to Belle Vue trainer Bran Thompson. His charges Astra Promise and Ballygur Rumble have drawn traps two and three in the opening heat.
Astra Promise has had ten previous races on these shores all at Belle Vue and showed recently that six bends trips should not cause too much of a problem. The February ’15 whelp had his first race over six bends last week over 590 metres and come second by a short head.
His kennel mate Ballygur Rumble has only raced twice on these shores with both races over the 470 metres trip at Belle Vue winning once in A2 graded company. The July ’14 whelp has however attempted 663 metres at Kilkenny but came last.
Trainer Brian Thompson on his charges said: “Both should do the distance. Both are running well and I think one of them will win on Friday.
“For the draw I would prefer it if they was the other way round as Astra Promise moves off the bend a little bit. Hopefully they will not be at the first bend at the same time.
“I haven’t trialled them at Romford but in my experience greyhounds that run Belle Vue run Romford well as the bends are similar. The last greyhounds I have brought to Romford, three came second and one came third and a couple of those seconds were by short heads.”
Asked which of his two entries would go better, Brian Thompson said: “If I was going to have a bet and that is if, I would go for Ballygur Rumble. I just think he is a bit smaller and has been impressive in his first two races at Belle Vue.
“When he ran Enniscorthy he was knocked about and didn’t figure so you can put a line through that race.”
Ballygur Rumble is improving with every race is expected to stay and gets the nod from his trainer over his other charge. The 5/1 being offered by Bet365 should be snapped up with the forecast also considered.
Sisters Secret trained by Hove’s Norah McEllistrim is up next in heat two at 7.29pm from trap two and after winning a recent maiden competition over 400 metres will be looking to win the 575 maiden competition as well. The son of Kinloch Brae and Mays Maska has only ever had two races at Romford and won both of them in calculated times of 24.42 and 24.25. The April ’15 whelp clearly likes Romford and if he stays he could be a player.
Trainer Norah McEllistrim on Sisters Secret said: “I’m sure he will stay. He is more of a stayer than a sprinter. He has taken to Romford and I was surprised at how big his price was [6/1] when he won the maiden final over 400 metres.
“One is his preferred trap but trap two is second best. He loves the rails and is really brave. He is a game little dog and is a real trier.
“He has been entered for the Greyhound Derby and has an outsiders chance.”
For a greyhound that is expected to stay and is two for two over 400 metres with obvious early pace the 5/2 being offered by Bet365 seems way to generous and should be taken.
Aegean Delight in the first heat of the Friday night maidens over 400 metres at 8.21pm will be looking to shed her maiden tag at the second time of asking. Trained by Norah McEllistrim the August ’14 whelp had one open race at Crayford over 540 metres but only managed 5th place. The daughter of Colorful Champ and Ravenswood has had two trials over C&D clocking calculated times of 24.55 and 24.59.
Trainer Norah McEllistrim on Aegan Delight said: “Technically she is not an open racer. The owner loves Romford so thought we would give her a go.
“She is a trier but has it all to do. Her Romford trials were respectable and she is a very, very genuine greyhound. If she had another three or four lengths she would be very good.
“I like her in trap one which she has so you never know.”
Parkwest Sally in the maiden marathon race over 750 metres at 8.03pm is looking to win over eight bends at the first time of asking for trainer Claude Gardiner of Hove. The daughter of Skywalker Puma and Blastoff Sally has run most of her 58 races around Hove over 515 metres. The July ’14 whelp has won an open race over 592 metres at Harlow so only has to find a bit more to win over 750 metres. She has had two races over 575 at Romford back in February and was covered by yours truly but on those occasions only managed 3rd and 5th place.
Trainer Claude Gardiner on Parkwest Sally said: “We think she will stay. We have decided to step her up as she was getting bashed about a bit at Hove over 515 metres due to her lack of early.
“I seeded her wide and I’m happy with the draw [trap five]. She was running from the middle at Hove but was finding too much trouble from those traps. From trap five she can pick her way around the outside.”
