By Rob Abrey
It’s that time of the week again. Romford open races on a Friday night. The Greyhound Derby may be under way but that will not stop the weekly open fun in Essex. As usual fourteen races are on show from 6.36pm but unlike every other week no race can be watched live outside of the track. Romford is not on Racing Post TV this week due to the Greyhound Derby and are not being shown in betting shops either. That won’t stop yours truly from finding out more about some of the more interesting entries this week.
Monmore trainer Patrick Curtin has entered a team of four for various races tonight and I’ve found out more about them.
Skys Bradley is first up at 6.55pm in a winner of one open race over 400 metres. The son of Ballymac Vic and Beanos Ash has had four open races at Perry Barr over 480 metres winning one. The 480 metres trip appears just a tad too long for the June ’15 whelp at this stage so the 400 metres trip at Romford could be ideal.
Trainer Patrick Curtin on Skys Bradley said: “He was bought for the Bradley Lowery foundation with prize money going straight to the foundation.
“He is a nice dog bought from Cork sales. He looks to be a nice sort and will hopefully get the 480 metres in the end. He has decent early pace but has had some poor draws so far. I’m happy with trap three but a lack of a look around could be a negative.
“If he gets in front he will be hard to beat.”
Suave Cougar is an interesting entry by Patrick Curtin for the maiden stayers competition over 575 metres at 7.46pm. The August ’13 whelp is no youngster and makes his six bend debut tonight. The son of Kinloch Brae and Northbound Lucy has had four races at Romford over the 400 metres trip back in 2015 winning one of them. Two years later he is back and looking to win over 575 metres at the first time of asking.
Patrick Curtin on him said: “He is an older dog and has won a puppy race around Romford before. He has won an awful lot of A1’s at Monmore and as he has got older he has got a lot stronger. The 575 metres trip at Romford could be perfect for him. He could exploit the right sort of maiden race.”
Yellowstone makes his Romford debut over 400 metres tonight at 9.26pm and will be looking to win at the first time of asking. The May ‘15 whelp has had five open races at Perry Barr all over the 275 metres trip winning two of them. The son of Makeshift and Lemon Mel clearly has the early to win sprint races and if that early translates to Romford he could be a livewire.
On Yellowstone, Patrick Curtin said: “He was bought with the Monmore puppy cup in mind but it all went wrong. He picked up a gastric bug and reacted particularly bad to it. He was very, very poorly. The owners were great and just wanted to save him. After recuperation he is now 100%.
“We have given him sprint races and now will start to step him up in distance and 400 metres at Romford seemed the obvious next step.
“He has good figures in Ireland and has ability. He has early pace and when he hits it he is really good.”
Boxing Clever makes his Romford debut in heat one of the Friday night maidens over 400 metres at 8.21pm. The Son of Blackstone Gene and Doasyouplease has had only one race on these shores after an open race at Perry Barr where he came third.
Patrick Curtin on him said: “He lacks a look around Romford and this is his first four bend race. He has early pace but he is very much an unknown quantity.”
Boxing Clever is up against another newcomer in the form of Ridgedale Prince that will also be looking to win at Romford at the first attempt. Trained by Philip Simmonds, the October ’14 whelp has his first ever race on these shores after just two trials over C&D. The son of Kinloch Brae and Ridgedale Look has shown consistency in his trials at Romford clocking good calculated times of 24.23 and 24.31. He has won over 480 metres at Clonmel, Thurles and Limerick so can clearly handle the trip and with very good split times of 3.72 and 3.79 at Romford in his trials he has the early pace. Ridgedale Prince could be the real deal.
Trainer Philip Simmonds on him said: “We have entered him for a maiden 400 metres race. He has trialled in well. We are confident of a big run from him on Friday. We feel he has a big run in him and in time can run a sub 24.00 seconds.
“We are looking forward to getting him to the track. We are relativity happy with trap one. He is no puppy and has experience in Ireland so trap one should suit him for his debut.
“If all goes to plan we are looking to enter him for the Yarmouth Derby.”
Heat two of the Friday night 500 maidens over 400 metres at 8.37pm sees the debut of Rising Naymar. Trained by David Mullins the son of Godsend and Boozed Bubble, races on these shores for the first time tonight after three trials over C&D. The May ’15 whelp clocked calculated times of 24.29, 24.47 and 24.43 along with consistent split times of 3.81, 3.86 and 3.82. Like Ridgedale Prince in the previous heat, Rising Naymar could be the real deal.
Trainer David Mullins on him said: “I like him. He has come over from Ireland to be a Friday night dog. At the moment he is light on experience but not light on pace.
“I matched him against very good dogs for his mixed trials to give him experience more like a race environment and he did very well, winning one.
“We are happy with the draw on Friday as he has been running middle.
“When everything goes right for him we think he is capable of clocking sub 24.00 seconds.”
For those who follow this column would know last week and hopefully benefited form Adoras Saplent winning at a SP return of 2/1 and Snowdon Bolt claiming gold at an SP of 4/1. If anyone also took my advice of backing Swift Buddy each way with Skybet would also have won.
