Friday night doubles for Locke, Hunt and Blackbird

Romford doubles for Locke and Hunt

It was a relatively quiet night at Romford after the excitement of a week ago but Headford Sarah made it an enjoyable one for Maxine Locke, adding to her two wins in the Guys & Dolls. She produced the quickest 400m time of the evening, making it five open race wins now over the distance. 

Newinn Jolie had got the double started earlier on in the evening. She made the semis of the Arc Stayers event at Dunstall, looking the type who was going to do better up in trip ahead of that 660m event. She was getting off the mark at the third time of asking over 575m, doing things the hard way and not getting to the front until very late in the day.

The closing race of the night saw Mad For Cash add another win to her Romford record, winning half of her 14 starts over the 575m distance. She is well capable of doing things both form the front and behind, the latter used last night, getting to the lead heading towards the fifth bend after a canny bit of trackcraft saw her avoid trouble at the opening turn.

Cascabel had kicked off the double for Hunt, beating a pair of rivals at 1/3. He won as he should've done given the circumstances but there are still very few miles on the clock, so the chances are that there is going to be better to come from him.

For the second week on the bounce, there was a win for Brindle Bully. David Mullins's wide runner roared back last week to a smart success and quickly doubled up with a quick 3.61 split setting him on his way to a decent 23.80 success. 

There are plenty of exciting youngsters about at the moment and that is a comment that can be levelled at Paul Young's Gudhand Ben. He is unbeaten in three starts since joining Young, absolutely running riot by seven and a half lengths. He has speed to burn in the early stages and that should see him picking up plenty more contests.

Sharon Saberton got in on the winning act with Tinks Jester who was another to make every yard of the running over 400m. He has done his winning in bunches so far in his career, adding to an A4 success at his home track of Harlow last time out. It would not be a surprise to see him go in again next time as well.

The first open on the card went to Martyn Wiley and Headford Eimear. A semi-finalist in the Silver Salver last month, she is still a couple of weeks shy of her second birthday. Successful now in five of her nine starts at this track as she worked her way up from A5, this was her breakthrough open race win.

The big surprise for punters on the evening was the victory for Stormy Bluey at 25/1 for Ricky Holloway. It was a messy contest at pretty much every bend, the winner picking things up at the fifth turn, with little to cover the first three home at the line. 

A Blackbird brace at Sunderland 

Dean Blackbird picked up half of the four opens at Sunderland, with the quickest of the 450m winners on the night coming from the biggest priced winner as Anglesey Exile caused a 33/1 shock from the inside draw. An A2 winner at the track the time before, he showed the best pace to the bend, turned in front and that avoided the trouble behind. 

Milstone Mo added a second winner for Blackbird, getting herself to the front as the field turned for home but then having to hold off a strong late challenge from Tom Heilbron's Slinky Dog Dash. It was just her second start since joining the kennel.

Heilbron had better luck with Five Ofa Kind who got up late in the day to land Heilbron a tricast in the reverse order of what was expected by the market. The winner was a 10/1 chance but had been running more than well enough of late, with wins at this track and at Sheffield in June.

The other open on the card went to Mark Bulmer whose Swift Kylie landed the sprint on the card. She was quickest to rise, gaining her lead early before coming home a couple of lengths clear of her nearest rival.