By Rob Abrey
The Coral Golden Sprint and Coral Essex Vase start next Friday and tonight is the last chance for trainers to give their charges one last look around Romford in race conditions. There are several greyhounds tonight making their Romford debuts and those stepping up in trip for the first time. If going well some could come back next week for a tilt at one of those competitions. As ever yours truly has found out more about some of the entries on tonight’s open card.
Last week Yarmouth raider Oh Nonono made his six bend debut at Romford over 575 metres. This week his litter brother Oh Yesyesyes is aiming to do what Oh Nonono didn’t do last week and win at the first time of asking over six bends. Trained by John Mullins, the son of Iso Octane and Swift Salt makes his six bend debut tonight over 575 metres in a maiden stayers race at 7.18pm. The January ’16 whelp is in fine form winning two from his last four races. Those two wins came at Yarmouth in top graded company over 462 metres. If able to stay he could become a regular on the stayers scene as he clearly has an abundance of early pace. He has course knowledge of Romford as he ran around the Essex venue last August over 400 metres. If taking to six bends he could be a dark horse for the Essex Vase, starting next week.
Trainer John Mullins on Oh Yesyesyes said: “He appears to be ungradable at Yarmouth at the moment so thought I would step him up. I don’t know he stays, but think he will. If he does stay he will be entered for the Essex Vase 100%. His litter brother Oh Nonono ran at Romford last week and did what I said he could do. He slipped at the boxes and cut in at the first bend.
“Oh Yesyesyes is way better at the moment. At first I thought the other was faster but he has come into his own. He has early pace 100% and I’m happy with trap three tomorrow [Friday]. I’ll rather have trap three than trap one. He ran around Romford last year but is much, much better now than he was back then.”
2017 Greyhound Derby winning trainer Seamus Cahill is back to Romford tonight with five of his charges. Of those five, three are making their Romford debuts over the standard 400 metres trip and it is those three that I have endeavoured to find out more about.
First up for the Romford debut three for Hove trainer Seamus Cahill is Forest whiskey. The December ’15 whelp is making his Romford debut in a maidens race at 7.34pm. The son of Laughill Blake and Forest Rhythm has won two races from thirteen attempts. Those two wins came over 285 metres at Hove in D1 graded races. He clearly has early pace and the 400 metres trip looks like it could be ideal for him.
Trainer Seamus Cahill on Forest Whiskey said: “He is a nice little dog. The 400 metres distance may suit him. It looks the right trip for him. The sprint trip is a little too short and 480 metres is a bit too long for him. We are trying to find his distance.
“He hasn’t been around Romford before and that can be a disadvantage. He ran at Central Park last Sunday and was just beaten due to not running there before. We will see how he goes.
“He wouldn’t be going for the Golden Sprint next week as I don’t think he is quite at that level of class.
Lughill Robbie is next up for trainer Seamus Cahill to tackle Romford for the first time. In fact tonight’s race at Romford is his first on these shores. The March ’15 whelp however is no novice with prolific form in Ireland. The son of Superior Product and Lughill Sonya is the real deal and could take Romford by storm. He came second in the Produce stakes at Clonmel over 480 metres and won the Gain dog Nutrition select at Waterford over 480 metres. That last competition was over three rounds and scooped connections €13,100 in prize money. He is clearly very good and clearly has consistency which is a valuable asset for any greyhound to process. He trialled at Romford recently over C&D and clocked a good calculated time of 24.06. If improving on that time as expected to he could be a live wire for the Golden Sprint next week.
Trainer Seamus Cahill on Lughill Robbie said: “He is top class. He has settled into the kennels well and looks Golden Sprint material.
“I was apprehensive he would run Romford but he did run it well. He ran the track well first time and I would expect him to improve. He is in a race we would hope he be winning.
“Trap six is good for him and fingers crossed he shows what he can do.”
Asked if he would be considered for the greyhound Derby at Towcester later this year, Seamus replied: “He is a sharp 480 metres runner at most. I don’t think he will be going to Towcester for it. At this stage no is the answer.”
Those making a short list for the derby may be worth noting the above to avoid backing an unlikely runner.
Last up for the Cahill debut three is Loskeran Vardy. The April ’15 whelp although lightly raced on these shores has proven form in Ireland. The son of Droopys Cain and Loskeran Beauty was a finalist in the Juvenile Classic at Tralee over 480 metres and Laurels semi-finalist at Cork, again over 480 metres. Last year he travelled over from Ireland for a tilt at the Greyhound Derby but failed to make it past the first round. In a recent trial over C&D he clocked a calculated time of 24.32 and would be expected to improve on that. If he does it shouldn’t be long before he gets to winning ways at Romford.
Trainer Seamus Cahill on him said: “He has decent form in Ireland but appears to be a summer dog as he doesn’t like the cold and the weather forecast is not great. He needs runs though so we are giving him a go. If he runs fine then he will be entered for the Golden Sprint. It is his first run back after a niggle and would need to improve on his trial. You would expect him to improve.
“400 metres is fine for him if he can get away. He has the early and the short four bends distance shouldn’t be a problem for him.
“He is possibly a derby bound dog. That is the plan for him.”
Asked the cheeky question of who he thinks has the best chance tonight of the three covered Seamus Cahill said: “Lughill Robbie. He’s a good dog and we hope he does well tomorrow [Friday]. He will probably be one of our Trainers Championship dogs but over the sprint trip.”
Coral make Loskeran Vardy a 13/8 shot and that should be considered. He is clearly a dog with potential and if improving from his trial as expected he will be a handful for the others to deal with.
Friday night regular Patrick Janssens makes his usual trip to Romford and tonight brings back Kilmore Lemon for a stint over four bends in a standard race at 9.11pm. Those who follow the open scene will know the February ’16 whelp is making a name for himself over two bends. The son of Taylors Sky and Lemon Lucy has won twice from his last three races at Hove over 285 metres and processes immense early pace. The February ‘16 whelp has winning form at Romford over C&D with times under 24 seconds which shows just how good he is. He is in good form presently and will be one of the more fancied ante post picks for the Golden Sprint next week.
Trainer Patrick Janssens on Kilmore Lemon said: “He will be entered for the Golden Sprint. That was always the plan. A longer run to the first bend is more preferred but you have to go for the competitions that are out there and suitable.
“We all know his strength is from the traps to the third bend. He has awesome pace and is only two years old. He is running on Friday to get used to the track again in a one off open and next week will be back for the Golden sprint.
“He is a better now than he was in the puppy cup at Romford last year. Fingers crossed he goes well. After the Golden Sprint he will go to Sheffield for a sprint competition up there.”
We all know how good Kilmore Lemon can be when he gets it right and the 11/8 being offered by Ladbrokes and Coral should be taken. He is running really well at the moment and if leading as expected will be extremely difficult to get past.
Regular readers of this column will remember reading about Affleck Lady before she made her four bend Romford debut, then before she made her six bend Romford debut and now before her eight bend debut. Trained by Patrick Janssens she is attempting eight bends for the first time tonight in a marathon race at 9.26pm. She is progressing nicely and longer trips appear to be where her future lies. She has recently been stepped up to long six bend races at Hove over 695 metres wining once from three attempts. She has shown consistency and of those three races didn’t finish outside the top two. She has Romford experience and would be expected to go well tonight.
Trainer Patrick Janssens on her said: “She’s a really good little bitch. The distances before at Romford were too short for her. She has been running really well at Hove. She was beat in her last race there but run well.
“I think she will stay 750 metres at Romford and her future will lie over longer trips. I’m hoping she gets better with age and in the latter part of the year will go for the staying races with her.
“I’m currently trying to get her used to different tracks to help her improve but she will not need to improve too much.”
She is unexposed over eight bends but the signs are there that she can handle it. She has knowledge of Romford and the 9/4 being offered by Ladbrokes should be considered.
It can pay to follow some greyhounds covered in this column when they go back to their home track. Last week Oh Nonono ran in a maiden stayers race to no avail. Last night the John Mullins trained charge went back to Yarmouth over 462 metres and duly obliged in front of the Racing Post TV cameras at an SP return of 5/1.
