After a two week hiatus your favourite read is back with a look at Friday night’s Romford card. With the Golden Sprint over 400 metres starting in two weeks time there are greyhounds making their Romford debuts tonight. They are having a look around the Essex venue before the category one competition starts and as ever yours truly has found out more about one of them along with greyhounds making their six bend debuts.
Monmore trainer Kevin Hutton is a Friday night regular at Romford and along with the regular faces he has running tonight he has three making their Romford debuts. It is those three that is the focus for this column.
Those who follow racing over the water in Ireland will definitely know the name Buckos Dream. The Son of Superior Product and Dalcash Dvinsky reached the Irish Greyhound Derby in 2017 finishing fifth and more recently came fourth in the Irish Derby Plate last September.
Unbelievably the experienced and high class greyhound is a maiden on these shores and contests in a maiden race tonight over 400 metres at 9.08pm. The September ’15 whelp has only had two races in England and is making his Romford debut at over three years old and tonight’s short four bend trip could be ideal for him.
Trainer Kevin Hutton on Buckos Dream said: “He’s reached the Irish Derby final but he’s getting on a bit. We probably have got him a bit too late but he is still a nice good dog. He still has races in him.
“There wasn’t a massive amount of opportunities available for him in Ireland so he was sent to me to try him over here. He could be a nice Golden Sprint chance if he takes to Romford. He should be fine at Romford as he is so experienced.
“The trap draw is perfect [trap six]. I like a dog out of trap six at Romford first time up.”
Coral are currently 5/4 for Buckos Dream to win first time up at Romford.
Baby Blitz for trainer Hutton is making her six bend debut at Romford tonight in heat one of the Friday night 500 maiden stayers over 575 metres at 8.06pm. The June ’16 whelp since coming back from a season break has hit the ground running. The daughter of Farloe Blitz and Brinkleys Tinsel has won two from her last two races at Monmore over 480 metres in A3 and A2 graded company. She has run all her twenty eight races over 480 metres at Towcester and Monmore and tonight steps up to six bends for the first time.
Trainer Hutton on Baby Blitz said: “She is in the form of her life. She flew around Monmore the last couple of times. She is an all round pacey sort and deserves a shot at a staying maiden and 575 metres at Romford is an ideal start.
“I do think she will stay, certainly off the front. She likes to dominate and get near the front. She should stay 575 metres okay. Like in Buckos Dream race, trap six is perfect for her.”
7/4 is generally available for Baby Blitz to win over six bends at the first time of asking.
Ballymac Daz like kennel mate Baby Blitz is making her six bend debut tonight at Romford. The May ’17 whelp is in heat two at 8.21pm over 575 metres. The daughter of Droopys Sydney and Ballymac Razl unlike her kennel mate has only had nine races so far and has won an open race at home track Monmore over 480 metres. The 575 metres trip tonight could be ideal for her if taking to Romford.
Hutton on Ballymac Daz said: “She is a nice bitch, a proper staying type. She is good enough to win this type of race if she takes to the track. She wants further and further. Her last race at Central Park she flew to the pick up and looked impressive.
“She looks a real good staying bitch and well worth following this year.
“Romford is a good place to start her. She has enough experience to take to the track. Tonight is all about the break. If she gets around the first bend okay she is capable of winning. Trap two is okay for her but traps three or four would have been better first time up.”
Ballymac Daz is currently 7/4 with Coral and Ladbrokes to claim the spoils tonight.
On all of his six runners, when asked the cheeky question of who he thinks could go best Hutton said: “Tonight at Romford is a really good card and the competition is red hot with the likes of Grays Cup Winner and Kilmore Lemon in it. I would say the maidens Buckos Dream and Ballymac Daz are good chances for us tonight.”
Followers of the open scene will definitely know Kilmore Lemon. Trained by Patrick Janssens the February ’16 whelp has been covered in your favourite read several times in the past. Since the Golden Sprint is looming it seemed rude not to include him tonight.
The son of Taylor’s Sky and Lemon Lucy is coming back from injury and tonight sees him run for the second time this year. His come back last week over C&D saw him finish fourth after finding trouble at the 1st bend and ¼ mark. Last years withdrawn finalist due to injury aims to go one better this year and with two weeks to go could be ready to do so.
Trainer Patrick Janssens on Kilmore Lemon said: “On Friday he should go better than last week. He found a lot of trouble but showed great back straight pace to finish fourth. He will have another couple of races before the Golden Sprint starts. He is absolutely fine in himself and is raring to go.”
Kilmore Lemon is top price 11/8 with William Hills to win the third heat of the Steve Simmons standard at 7.49pm.
