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Champion Stakes and Guys And Dolls underway at Romford

Romford on Friday night saw the opening round heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes and the Coral Guys And Dolls

Matt Newman

04 Oct 2025

Gary The Arb winning his Champion Stakes first round heat

A Champion Stakes hat-trick for Mark Wallis

Romford has been a hugely successful hunting ground for New Destiny in her career and Friday night was no different, running riot in her Champion Stakes heat as she started the defence of her title in style. No time was recorded but as is regularly the case with her, the visual evidence was all that was needed.

Kilmore Dancer has taken well to the step up in trip, getting the better of solid yardstick Untold Paanga on the run to the opening turn in their heat before turning the screw. He produced a decent 35.43 on just his fourth outing over six bends, one of which came in the final of the Time Greyhound Nutrition 3 Steps To Victory.

The Wallis hat-trick was completed in the final heat by Newinn Cloud. He had to work hard to get to the front in a race of changing fortunes on the front end. His time of 26.01 reflected the come from behind nature of the success.

Officially, the quickest heat winner was Belinda Green's Gary The Arb. He is another who has had a huge amount of success over this 575m trip, a 13.38 split sending him miles clear before producing a winning time of 34.95. In 14 starts over course and trip, he has produced 10 wins with half of those wins in sub 35 second times.

One of the most interesting runners on the card was Roy Peckham's Tiffield Tarquin who stepped up to six bends for the first time. A dog with huge four bend pace, he saw things out well to score in 35.25. There is a sub 35 second run in him in the future which will be required against some of these rivals.

The other heat was won by Droopys Alldeway for Paul Young. He has only had 10 starts in his life, winning both over 575m. His winning time was 35.68 with the going on the slow side throughout the evening.

Tiffield Tarquin

Tiffield Tarquin on his way to victory in the opening heat of the Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes Photo: © Steve Nash

New Destiny winning her heat Photo: © Steve Nash

Droopys Alldeway (t3) lived up to his name from the front in winning his heat Photo: © Steve Nash

Kilmore Dancer winning his Champion Stakes heat Photo: © Steve Nash

Newinn Cloiud (t5) gets up late on to deny Kevins Rocket (t2) Photo: © Steve Nash

Uncle Ed takes early control of the Guys & Dolls

A Crayford staple has been transferred to its new home and saw an impressive heat winner in the Guys side of the competition from Uncle Ed. Paul Young's dog has the early gears required for this test with his 23.83 setting a strong standard given that none of the other five heat winners managed to break 24.10.

Pro Parker has a real affinity for the London Road venue and added another success in his heat for Michelle Brown. His 3.69 split was the quickest of any of the heats, picking up a 24.14 success, his 12th in open race company at the track and 14th there overall.

The final Guys heat went the way of Ted On Fire for John Mullins. Still a puppy, he has progressed well, winning eight of his 14 starts so far in his young career. He managed to see off the late challenge of recent East Anglian Derby finalist Brindle Bully.

On the Dolls side, just 13 spots covered the three heats. Quickest of the winners was Bacon Roll for Paul Burr. She is a standing dish over this 400m distance and will sport the same white jacket in the next round.

Gemma Evans kicked the night off with a winner which arrived in the shape of Without Time. She was the outsider of the five runner field but she popped out in front and after a little bit of scrimmaging behind, she was never going to be picked up, landing the money in 24.17.

It was Nathan Hunt's Bretons Girl who rounded out the winners with a 24.24 performance. She was also quickly in control following a slick exit, winning at the fifth time of asking in open race company at the track.