Before Rob’s weekly round-up we thought we would update you with a progress report from London Road. It is six weeks today until the official re-opening of the new grandstand, and work is continuing all over the site.
New car park ready to be laid
Front already done
Internal work on schedule
After a one week hiatus your favourite column is back. Romford as ever host their traditional open fare tonight with fourteen races from 6.27pm. There are several greyhounds making their Romford and six bend debuts tonight and true to form yours truly has found out more about some of them.
Headford Danny trained by local handler Phil Simmonds has only raced three times and has already reached a final. The son of Tullymurry Act and HeadfordMaura started his career in the first round heats of the recent Henlow puppy Derby where he reached the final. In that final the October ’17 whelp finished last after finding trouble at the second bend. The winner of that competition was none other than Bockos Doomie who looks very much one for the future.
Tonight Danny competes in a maiden race over 400 metres at 7.03pm. Before heading to Henlow he had two trials over C&D clocking calculated times of 24.80 and 24.33. The second trial showed vast improvement and after race experience at Henlow further improvement can be expected.
Phil said: “He is making his race debut at Romford but had trialled there times around there. The aim is for the puppy cup which starts in September. We will see what he does. He is a nice dog and is coming on leaps and bounds. The object tonight is to get him ready for the puppy cup and back in the swing of things at Romford. If he does win tonight we will gratefully take it.
“He definitely has class and does have some early boot. He was unlucky in the final at Henlow where he had a bad draw [trap 4]. I would prefer him from trap one tonight but trap two should be okay. To win tonight you probably need around a time of 24.20. If taking to the track again he is capable of doing a time.”
Skybet make Headford Danny a 5/4 shot to win on his Romford debut.
On all of his eleven runners tonight and who has a chance Phil said: “Rackitup Bruce is in great form and could go well tonight. Bang on Annie in the maiden final is also in great form and has a chance. Pro Pearl in trap six in the last has chances as well.”
Herecomesdanny will be looking to make it a double for ‘Danny’ backers tonight. Trained by Peterborough’s Paul Crowson the son of Piercetown Sand and Piercestown Lucy makes his Romford and six bend debut tonight in a maiden stayers race at 8.06pm. The July ’17 whelp has only had one race on these shores and that was at home track Peterborough over 435 metres in an A4 graded affair. After finding a lot of trouble at the first bend he finished second. After that race he has been put straight over six bends. In Ireland he had ten races at Enniscorthy winning over 480 and 526 metres in graded company. Six bends is where his future could lie and may not be a maiden stayer for long.
Paul said: “I don’t know myself if he stays. I think he will stay 500 metres but I’m not sure about 575 metres. We will find out on Friday.
“I don’t think he is a short distance dog. Let’s put it that way. If you watch his 435 metre race last week at Peterborough he was twenty lengths behind the winner and finished only seven lengths behind. He finished well in front of the others and was running on.
“I bought him on his run in Ireland. We will see if he can reproduce that. That particular run was up there with the better ones. He is no where near his peak yet at this stage and is one for the future. I won’t be disappointed if he turns out as good as his kennel mate (Rahyvira Flash).”
Skybet make him a 8/1 shot to win over six bends at the first time of asking.
Teecee Dame trained by Harlow’s David Puddy makes her Romford debut tonight in the second heat of the Doug Tyler Summer Cup over 575 metres at 8.38pm. Although 575 metres is the furthest distance of her career so far the daughter of Superior Product and Kildallon Suzi has won over six bends.
That win came last Saturday at Crayford over 540 metres. Those who watch Racing Post TV would have seen the December ’16 whelp romp home by 7 3/4 lengths after being backed into a 5/4 jolly. Clearly longer trips suit her and if taking to Romford could soon be doubling her win tally to two.
David on her said: “She will get further than 575 metres. She will definitely get 575 metres tonight. She does lack a little bit of early though. She won at Crayford after stumbling from the traps and found a gap on the rails. She did what she had to do and it was not a bad time.
“She looks like she might be a nice sort and is up to the class tonight if getting a run and with a bit of luck. Hopefully she will come away and we can see what she can do. She has run well at tracks first time up so hopefully takes to Romford tonight. She is a railer and needs to be on the inside so trap one is good for her.”
Bet365 make her a 16/1 outsider to follow up her win at Crayford last week.
Piemans Noelle attempts his furthest distance to date with a run over 575 metres tonight in a maiden stayers affair in the lucky last at 9.56pm. Trained by local handler David Mullins the August ’17 whelp has run over six bends at Crayford over 540 metres finishing third and last.
The daughter of Sparta Maestro and Allowdale Nokia has won over 500 metres at Nottingham though and in those Crayford races found trouble in running both times. She has shown she has early by winning over 400 metres at Romford in A1 graded company and at open race level. When winning her open she clocked 24.37 which is not bad going. If able to get tonight’s trip she may not be a maiden stayer for long.
Head of the Piemans Racing Club, Jim Parker said: “We hope she gets the trip. It can take a couple of runs to take to the distance. Rough Star who is running tonight is a good example of that.
“Hopefully she will go well. If she doesn’t do it tonight we will try again next week in a maiden competition over 575 metres. She is almost out of her puppy stage and is down to run again at Nottingham on Monday in a puppy race while she can. The breeder always said she would be a stayer and is a bitch with a future. She is a nice bitch.
“Trap two should be fine for her and has done her best trapping from trap three although a railer.”
Ladbrokes make Piemans Noelle 4/1 to win over 575 metres tonight at the first time of asking.
