Four for Young at Romford on Friday night

Romford four-timer for Young

Paul Young got to the 150 open race winner mark for the year at Hove on Thursday night and promptly added another four at Romford on Friday to continue his best year in terms of volume since 2017 when the kennel sent out 175 open winners. 

Underground Navy continued her unbeaten start to life over 750m, quickly in control over the eight-bend trip once more and running out a very comfortable six-length winner. She tied her own fourth fastest of the year in the process, now boasting three of the top seven times from those three runs. 

There was a double for the Underground prefix with Underground Matt continuing to bang in the wins over 575m. He too was picking up a third straight success, digging deep to hold off his kennelmate Bubbly Holly who was a persistent challenger to him from the fourth bend. 

There was a return to winning ways for Bombay Buck who showed the best turn of early pace to grab the lead heading to the first bend. He had been behind Brindle Bully when they have been clashing of late but getting on the bunny this time just saw the result reversed. A short head split the pair as David Mullins's runner was just chopped off at the third bend when challenging. 

The final race of the night brought up the four-timer for Young as Vahbelle was another to make all of the running. She had not got her head in front since April, stepping up in trip to six bends for the first time in her career here. The clock was stopped in 35.22, making for a very promising debut over the distance. 

Maxine Locke had a double on the evening led off by Ballymac Abia in the opening contest of the card. The March 25 whelp was making her debut, the only puppy in the lineup. That was no issue for her, professional from the traps, she pulled away to land the money by three and a half lengths. 

Once more it was away and gone tactics that proved to be the key to success as Skidroe Lady made every yard to bring up the Locke double. She has not had a lot of opportunities for one of her age but this was a fourth open race success from her in just 11 starts at the level and her third over this 400m trip.

There was a win for Katie O'Flaherty as Stormy Pat backed up an A1 win from last time out to make it four wins from his last five starts. He has always been one to win his starts with smart early gears, with this being his second success at open race level. His other 16 wins have come from A7 all the way up to top grade.

Dave Lee got in on the act with a success from Ontherun Jamie. Runner-up to a smart type in Goldstar Connie a week back, he showed the best middle gears to get the race won down the back. He is a 2025 pup who is progressing nicely backing up a pair of graded successes with his second open race victory.

The big surprise on the card in terms of starting price was the win of Ballymac Suntan. She was sent off at 10/1 in her 575m contest, another to have the race won with a turn of early pace. Favourite Coonough Laura found plenty of trouble in behind them as Paul Burr's winner scampered clear.

There was a great battle as Brother Patrick just got the better of Miami Sapphire to land a win for Seamus Cahill. The winner had led into the opening bend but Paul Young's runner-up nipped up the inside to pick up the running. Credit to the winner who loomed back up around the final two turns to get his head in front right on the line. 

Bernie Doyle picked up a success from Links Viper who took a while to find her form after arriving from Tom Heilbron. He dropped from A4 in February to A7 in May before getting his head in front for Doyle but has worked his way though with a success at each level up to an including A1 in a 13 race spell before making the breakthrough at open race level. 

Makeit Again went back-to-back for Frank Gray to land the maiden final after picking up her heat last week. She led home the right runner in second as Hamza Summers who had picked up the other heat chased her across the line. 

Vialli stars in Sunderland sprint

At Sunderland there was a win for Stuart Tighe's Vialli in a sprint contest, picking up a smart win having not been as quick to stride as a couple of his rivals. The kennel have done well with their sprinters in the last year and he has the stamina to take wins over four bends as well as the speed to win over two. 

The quickest of the 450m winners on the card was also the biggest priced winner in the shape of Mark Bulmer's Hollyhill King at 16/1. Up against Bockos Buster, the winner showed the best pace to the bend as the favourite fluffed his start (by his high standards), and was always fighting an uphill battle from there. 

Jimmy Fenwick got in on the act with Elegant Shadow who landed short odds of 1/4 with a minimum of fuss by five lengths. It was a third straight win over track and trip from the daughter of Ballymac Best who is one of the most consistent trappers in the north east, continuing to win her races with that early pace. 

There was a tight finish in a sprint contest as Yvonne Bell's Swift Oriel just got up late on to grab the win. A neck covered the first three across the line, with the winner and runner-up bumping on the run-in which almost let in the running on pup Shalefield Cunha who finished in third. 

Another tight finish saw Tom Heilbron's Links Jester pick up his kennelmate Toddys Wolf late in the piece. Four lengths down into the third bend, it looked an unlikely success for him, even turning for home a couple of lengths behind. He challenged around the outside of his wide-running kennelmate but that didn't stop him powering home to score.