2026 Coral Golden Sprint Ante-post preview

Coral Golden Sprint ante-post preview

The Coral Golden Sprint kicks off on Friday night at Romford, with a strong field heading to the 400m traps. All odds from the sponsors.

The opening heat kicks off the competition with a bang as the ante-post favourite goes in trap four. She pinged around in a trial last week after a fine return to action at Sunderland. Droopys Will was just a length and a half behind a track record equaling run at the weekend, while connections of Roanna Mamba will feel aggrieved that they have a middle seed not a rails and both could cause the favourite an issue if she is not absolutely on her game at the traps.  

4/7 Slingshot Poppy

4/1 Roanna Mamba

7/1 Droopys Will

10/1 Bacon Burrger, Tally Ho Socks, Tip Top Nitro

Brindle Bully has hit a rich vein of form since coming back to this track. He made a Category One final in both 2024 and 2025, and a repeat of his 23.57 win here on February 20 would give him strong claims of making it to another. Da Don has been flying around Nottingham of late but lacks a look while Swift Hostile, who set a new track record for the sprint at Sheffield in January, has not been as sharp on his travels to this point, albeit from very limited evidence.

7/4 Brindle Bully, Da Don

7/2 Swift Hostile

7/1 Razldazl Myway

8/1 Blackburnmybullet

20/1 Charlie Loves Me

This is a competitive heat where most of the connections will feel like they have a chance to progress. Ballintee Roxy heads the market despite not having been seen in competitive action in four months. She stepped up on her form when sent sprinting in the autumn, though she has not set the track alight in trials here. Both Jacktavern Don and Cronody Zuma are more than capable her on their day 

15/8 Ballintee Roxy 

3/1 Cronody Zuma, Jacktavern Don

4/1 Sehnsa Amigo

8/1 Alan The First

12/1 Dick Turpin

This could be a real burn-up to the opening bend which could require a fair slice of luck for whichever of these gets around in front. Newinn Souly won the Guys and Dolls here back in October but he has Piemans Goalie to clear early on. Slingshot Gazza is more than capable of burning to the bend a lot quicker than his 3.85 split in a trial but he has the red-hot Silver Bucks to clear on his inside. A tough heat which again, looks wide open.

6/4 Piemans Goalie

3/1 Slingshot Gazza

10/3 Newinn Souly

5/1 Silver Bucks

8/1 Funky Adz

12/1 Broadway Steel

This is probably the most competitive heat with barely four points covering them in the betting. Flashing Fender arrives without a look at Romford. That was not an issue to him at Sheffield in January, flying around there off an excellent split, so there is hope that he is capable of making it work. There is plenty of pace surrounding him which is going to make for a tricker task. Jacko is still in the 'could be anything' bracket which makes him dangerous, while Avarua Zlatan is a big price given the form in the book.

15/8 Flashing Fender

7/2 Bombay Buck

4/1 Uncle Ed

9/2 Jacko

6/1 Avarua Zlatan, Obi Kenoby

Bockos Buster is well versed with these competitions but he showed just how tough things can be at Romford when missing the break last week. He was only a length and a quarter in front of Crossfield Enzo when they met in a trial stake for the Winter Derby at Monmore so Richard Rees's runner must be in the mix. Tomahawk should not be underestimated, he has been in winning form at Suffolk Downs in decent times of late. 

10/11 Bockos Buster

4/1 Crossfield Enzo, Pro Parker

13/2 Yahoo Mareike

7/1 Tomahawk

20/1 Stradeen Spirit

Ante-post selections

It looks a wide-open renewal this year, despite it being 15/8 the field with Slingshot Poppy as the hot favourite. Plenty of luck is going to be required, as with all Romford competitions there is bundles of early speed across the heats and the smallest mistake can mean the end of the road.

Slingshot Gazza 20/1

Perhaps a little bit overlooked given his kennelmate heading the market, but Slingshot Gazza has the natural speed to be a weapon around Romford. He is in a heat where he is going to have to be on his toes, so a slice of luck is required for him but his sprinting wins at Newcastle and Sunderland show just how quick he is when he times things right.

Avarua Zlatan 80/1

Although Avarua Zlatan has landed in one of the more competitive heats, there is plenty to like about his chances. He was a Ladbrokes Gold Cup finalist last year as well as making the decider of the Time Sprint Trophy on Derby final night. Beaten just a length by his speedy kennelmate Avarua Lake in a recent trial at Hove, he was runner-up here last week on his first run in three months. Hopefully he can sharpen up enough for that to outrun his ante-post odds.