By Rob Abrey
The Champions stakes is all over for another year with Greyhound Derby finalist Murrys Act taking the spoils for trainer Kevin Boon. As the dust begins to settle after the final night on Wednesday the Coral Puppy Cup is lurking around the corner. Several greyhounds are being given runs around the Essex venue to see if they make the grade and some make their debuts tonight with the Puppy Cup a potential target further down the line. Along with others making their debuts yours truly has yet again endeavoured to find out more about some of them.
Jillypops trained by Gary Vincent runs in her very first race at 7.12pm. In a maiden race over 400 metres the novice greyhound has had her three qualifying trials at Harlow and has been entered straight into an open race. The daughter of Iso Octane and Swift Venom moved well in her trials at Harlow and will be looking to shed her maiden tag at the first time of asking. The March ’16 is still very young and can be expected to improve for every run she has.
Trainer Gary Vincent on Jillypops said: “I bought her from Ian Greaves as a baby. You never know what you have but a mate of mine has her litter sister and she is okay.
“When she came over we let her settle down first before we did anything with her. We took her to a schooling track and she impressed us. After that we gave her a spin around Harlow and she ran well. In her second trial over the sprint trip she clocked 14.96 [+5]. She is a raw pup and have no idea how fast she is.
“The dream for me is to run her at Romford. If she takes to the track and is good enough the puppy cup is a target. Just to get her in the competition will be great and the dream continues.
“Everyone is telling me how good she is. I don’t know how good she is yet but everyone says I have a nice puppy.”
On the draw in trap one Gary Vincent added: “I’m happy with trap one as she appears to be a dead railer.”
Paddy Power make Jillypops a 4/1 shot and that must be considered. She is a complete novice but has taken to Harlow and if that form translates across to Romford she will not be waiting long for first win.
In the following race at 7.29pm, Monmore trainer Kim Billingham is back at Romford, this time with Moyola Cruach for the winner of one open race over 400 metres. The Monmore raider has won four of his eleven races at his home track including an open race victory over 480 metres. The son of Premier Fantasy and Moyola Chirp is tackling Romford for the first time tonight and goes into the race in fine fettle after a recent top graded win at Monmore.
Trainer Kim Billingham on Moyola Cruach said: “He’s a nice dog. He is lightly raced and has a nice bit of early pace when he gets it right from the start. If he pops out I think he will go well. Fingers crossed he does. He just about stays the 480 metres at Monmore trip and with a few more runs should strengthen up.
“It is his first race at Romford and will let him have a look around and plan to bring him back again soon.
“I’m happy with the draw [trap six]. Trap six seems better for him. He seems to trap well from six.”
Paddy Power make Moyola Cruach an 8/1 poke and that should be considered. He has not had a trial but if getting loose as the sole wide seed could get the job done as he just stays 480 metres. An option is to make him each way with Skybet who offer three places.
Bubbly Panther makes his Romford debut at 7.46pm in the first heat of the Friday night maidens over 400 metres for the Champagne Club and trainer Paul Young. The son of Head Bound and Full Of Beans has yet to win in three attempts on these shores. Those three races were at Hove and the November ’15 whelp could not get over the line in front in any of them. He has had several trials at Romford and the penny has dropped in his last trial over C&D. On Tuesday Bubbly Panther clocked a calculated time of 24.14 even after recording a 4.01 split time. If improving on his trapping it will not be long before connections are gathering in the winners enclosure.
Steve Fluin, head of the Champagne Club syndicate on Bubbly Panther said: “He has been off for a little while with a split web and a slight tear in his shoulder. We have not rushed him back and he is now 100%.
“He ran extremely well in his last trial but is badly drawn in trap three. If he does get a clear run he will be hard to beat. He has no excuses other than the draw.
“Our intention is to run him in the puppy cup and the preparations will be made for that.”
As Steve Fluin pointed out the draw could prove to be an issue. Trap two, Plan Ahead has some middle tendencies. If able to out trap Plan Ahead then the 7/4 looks a good bet.
Castlehill Wally runs on these shores for the first time tonight for local handler Phil Simmonds. In the second heat of the Friday night maidens over 400 metres at 8.03pm the October ’15 whelp will be looking to win at the first time of asking. The son of Tyrur Sugar Ray and Drumurrer Vixen has had two trials over C&D and showed improvement from the first one. He knocked eighteen spots off his first attempt when clocking a calculated time of 24.49 in a solo. He achieved that even with a slower spilt time so with a quicker exit from the boxes more improvement can be expected.
Trainer Phil Simmonds on Castlehill Wally said: “He has settled into the kennels well. He has been round Romford a couple of times now but has to improve.
“He has started a bit better at the traps and gets the trip. The draw in two is fine as he trialled out of there last time out.
“The aim is the puppy cup as he just qualifies. We will see how he gets on.”
Regular readers of this column would have read about recent Champions stakes winner Murrys Act before the first round heats. Regular readers would have also read my suggestion of “…proved himself to be a competition dog and the 8/1 ante post price being offered by William Hills and Betfred should be taken.” Those who did heed to my advice would have had a nice ante post winner on Wednesday.
Back on Friday 21st July I covered Rio Coco. Trained by Daniel Riordan he claimed: “I don’t think he will be a Romford dog. He has plenty of early pace but is a big dog and needs a longer run to the first bend and hopefully will go further.” He did indeed struggle at Romford but in his first race away from Romford and at a track with a longer run up he scooted up at Central Park over 480 metres last Sunday in a calculated time of 28.65 by 8 ¾ lengths at 3/1.
Told you so.
