By Rob Abrey
The Coronation cup is now a distant memory and the attention is turning to the first category one competition of the year, the Golden Sprint. Starting on Friday 3rd March some trainers are already looking at the £10,000 to the winner competition over 400 metres. With several weeks left before it starts some greyhounds are being tested to see if the Essex venue suits them.
Towcester trainer Patrick Janssens knows what it takes to win the Golden Sprint and is already eying up the competition by giving three of his charges a run tonight. All three are interesting entries and yours truly has found out more.
Barricane Tiger in the 7.12pm over 400 metres makes his debut at Romford tonight. The February ’15 whelp has had six runs and yet to claim gold. Five of those races have been at Towcester over 480 metres in graded company and appears to be a bit to far for the son of Central City and Ballyhill Beauty.
Trainer Patrick Jansens on him said: “He has a lot of pace but doesn’t stay at Towcester. 400 metres at Romford could be ideal for him. He was running in A3 graded races, leading but not getting home.
“He is a young dog and is not two yet and I want to see how he handles Romford. Tonight is like a trial and he will be entered at Romford for a while now so he can get used to the track.”
Walk The Talk has been making waves in the sprint scene coming third in the national sprint at Nottingham and second in the John Smith sprint final at Yarmouth by a short head. The son of Vans Escalade and Bling Bling is making his 225 metres debut at Romford tonight with a view to being stepped back up to four bends for the Golden Sprint.
Trainer Patrick Janssens on him said: “He ran at Romford last August over 400 metres in a maiden and was beaten by Madmash Eyebrows. He took to Romford well did a decent time and I have him in mind for the Golden Sprint in March.
“He can be a bit frustrating at the second bend at tracks where he sometimes moves off at the second bend. Hopefully he doesn’t do this at Romford. He is just over two and a half years old and sprinters start to hit their peak now.”
Diablo in the 8.37pm is taking advantage of the winner of one standard open race for greyhounds who have not won more than one open race. The June ’14 whelp won an open race at Henlow over 460 metres last August but has yet to follow it up. He has won over the sprint trip and 480 metres four bend trip at Towcester recently in graded company and looks in fine fettle.
Patrick Janssens on him said: “He is a very nice dog. I always intended to take him to Romford and I’m looking at the Golden Sprint for him.
“He picked up an injury last year then picked up a bad ear infection which took three months to clear. I gave him a sprint trial at Towcester and Chris Paige put him in a D1 race and he took off winning by two and half lengths.
“He did a great trial on Tuesday at Romford for a first look around and should come on from it. He has good early pace and is a better tracker than Walk The Talk and a bit more clever in running.”
Ginas Blue in the 6.55pm makes his open race debut tonight over 400 metres. The son of Droopys Scolari and Dundrum Lemon has had eleven races on these shores all at Towcester and all in graded affairs. The August ’14 whelp has been progressing nicely through the grades and recently won an A1 at the home of the BAGs track champions.
Trainer Heather Dimmock on Ginas Blue said: “He wasn’t down for a race this weekend at Towcester so I thought I would enter him at Romford along with Levi. He has some nice early and is a natural wide runner.
“He started in an A4 and has progressed through to A1 where he won one. He has good early pace and has beaten some good dogs at Towcester.
