The football season may be drawing to a close but what is not is open racing at Romford. That is a weekly treat all year round. As usual the Essex track has put on a feast of opens from 6.27pm for our enjoyment.
With a maiden stayers competition of three heats starting from 7.17pm, there are several greyhounds making their six bend debuts. As ever yours truly has endeavoured to find out more about one from each heat, along with another greyhound in the opening race.
Drumcrow Logan is belatedly making his race debut on these shores after being withdrawn from Romford late last month as a precaution. The April ’17 whelp is no novice though with three wins from three at Lifford over 320 metres. The son of Hondo Black and Drumcrow Blossom went through the Track Lotto novice competition unbeaten scooping up €700 for his troubles. Tonight he tackles Romford for the first time in the opening race at 6.27pm over 400 metres in a maidens affair. 400 metres could be ideal for the early paced sort who will be looking to make a flying start to his career on these shores.
Trainer John Mullins said: “He has come over from Ireland with a very good reputation. He has good early pace. He did a very good sprint time at Yarmouth in a trial (16.62).
“We thought we would start him at Romford for a short four bend trip. He will be at Romford tonight then have a look where to go after. He will not be going for the Derby this year at Nottingham. The Yarmouth Derby is a plan later in the year and we’ll see if he gets 462 metres.
“Trap one tonight will do tonight. Trap one is all good.”
Ladbrokes and Coral are top price Evens for him to win on his Romford debut tonight.
John Mullins’ home bred Saving Martha is making her six bend debut tonight in heat one of the Romford Friday night stayers at 7.17pm over 575 metres. The July ’17 whelp has had the majority of her eleven races at home track Yarmouth over 462 metres winning in A4, A3 and A2 graded company. The daughter of Kinloch Brae and Newinn This Way had one race around Central Park over 480 metres recently finishing third. In that race she was up against very good dogs in King Idol and Seaglass Tiger. She is improving all the time and tonight she attempts six bends for the first time and may not be a maiden for very long.
Trainer Mullins on Saving Martha said: “She can come away from the traps like her litter sister Saving Mullpark did at Romford when winning over 575 metres. She will stay. 575 metres at Romford is not the hardest of trips. She has been running on strong at Yarmouth. She has got to run so thought we would step her up. She will stay at Romford for a little while.
“Trap three at Romford tonight is okay for her.”
Skybet make Saving Martha 6/1 to emulate her litter sister and win over 575 metres at Romford.
Fire Sand for local handler Jean Liles after only two runs on these shores makes his six bend debut over 575 metres in heat two at 7.33pm. The February ’17 whelp’s two races were at Romford over 400 metres in graded affairs where he won one in a calculated time of 24.41.
The son of Droopys Jet and Momentinnewyork has winning form in Ireland over 480 metres at Waterford. In two races there he beat Nans Major who has since gone on to win two opens at Hove over 515 metres for trainer Sam West. He is certainly heading in the right direction and if able to get the trip may not be a maiden stayer for very long.
Trainer Jean Liles said: “He is a nice prospect. I think he will get the trip but the jury is out. He runs on strong to the pick up at Romford. He has done 28.87 at Waterford which is pretty good going.
“He has taken to Romford well and ran really well last time out. He has trap five on Friday. We would be prefer more middle but five is okay. We will see what happens.”
Fire Sand is a 4/1 shot with Skybet to win in his six bend debut tonight.
Savana Cleo for trainer Marlene Westwood makes her six bend debut tonight in heat three at 7.49pm. The April ’17 whelp has won her last two races at Henlow over 550 metres in an S1 affair and open race. Since going over the longer trip at Henlow the daughter of Honda Black and Billis Mistletoe has been thriving. She clearly likes the longer trips and getting the 575 metres tonight does not appear to be a problem for her. If continuing in this form she could be a player tonight.
Assistant trainer Terry Westwood said: “I think she will stay. Whether she runs Romford first time is another thing but she will stay. We bought her from sales at Thurles and since then she has only been at Henlow so don’t really know how she will take to the track first time. Some do, some don’t. It is trial and error.
“I’m not so sure she wants to do it from behind. Ideally she needs to be there and thereabouts early on. She has trap three and we don’t know how she will get on from there as she has never been from trap three before. It could be a bit of a problem.”
Savana Cleo is generally available at 9/2 to make it a hat-trick of wins tonight.
