By Rob Abrey
It’s that time of the week again. Friday night open races at Romford. Live on Racing Post TV from 7.12pm there are a couple of interesting greyhounds running tonight as always and yours truly has found out more about them.
Anyone who follows the open race scene needs no introduction to Castell Henry. Trained by local handler Philip Simmonds the April ’14 whelp has been ever present on the open scene winning the Ladbrokes puppy derby at Monmore in March last year. The son of Kinloch Brae and Tyrur Alice makes his six bend debut tonight having only previously run over a top distance of 500 metres. In the first heat of the maiden stayers at 7.29pm over 575 metres, Henry is running well at Romford over 400 metres clocking calculated times of 24.04 and 24.23 in his last two races but only managing third and second. 400 metres looks a little short for him but could his future lie over six bends?
Trainer Philip Simmonds on him said: “I don’t think he will stay properly beyond 520 metres. We will see on Friday if he will stay and I might be proved wrong but I don’t think he will.
“If he builds up a lead, who knows, he could win the race or qualify but we will see on Friday.”
Paddy Power make Castell Henry a 6/4 and that feels a bit short. There are massive question marks over his stamina and although he could build up a lead, the 6/4 being offered is not worth the risk.
Harlow trainer Samantha West is making the journey from her West Sussex base to sunny Essex tonight with her charge Paddyflash. Entered in the marathon over 750 metres in the lucky last at 10.23pm the March ’14 whelp is making her Romford debut. Although new to Romford the daughter of Droopys Scolari and Ullid April is not new to the marathon scene. She has had six races on these shores and four of them have been over 714 and 874 metres at Crayford winning one of them over 874 metres. She can clearly stay so the eight bend trip at Romford shouldn’t cause her any stamina issues.
Trainer Samantha West on Paddyflash said: “She blew up a little bit in her last race over Crayford and if the race was one metre shorter she would of won.
“She has so much early for a marathon dog and if she gets out tonight and in front she could be hard to beat.
“Although a good race, trap five [Goldies Seb] feels the main danger but if she traps, trap five will have a hard job to pick her up.
“She has not been to Romford before but is not a young dog and does have experience. If she was a pup I would have definitely trialled her.
“She was originally seeded rails and ran as a railer in Ireland as well. Seeded rails she kept finding trouble but when drawn in traps three and five in her recent races she ran a lot better so I have changed her seed to middle as she looks more comfortable there.
“We will see what happens tonight but if she traps out she has a good chance. If she doesn’t she will struggle especially behind some of the dogs with Romford experience.”
Paddy Power are offering 4/1 for Paddyflash with some companies as short as 11/4. 4/1 is well worth a dabble. We know Paddyflash can stay and if leading will be a handful. She can handle tight tracks and proved that at Crayford. She hasn’t had a trial but if she had the price would have been a lot shorter so may be worth the risk at 4/1.
Regular readers of this column would have been on a 12/1 winner last week. Move Over Donie duly obliged in the 8.03pm after being suggested. “Donie appears to have a clear run and the 10/1 being offered must be considered.”
It pays to follow the Round-up.
