Young takes three on The Box Seat with Taberner and Wiley getting two

Young with Romford trio of winners

It was the Paul Young show at Romford on Wednesday night with Bombay Buck finding his trapping boots again in no uncertain fashion. He had been behind the re-opposing Bacon Burrger the week prior but off the back of a 3.68 split, he routed his field by seven lengths in what was the best 400m time of the night by quite a margin. 

Vahbelle had a wider draw than she is used to in a 575m contest, donning the black jacket having sported the red in each off her last five starts. She pinged out from the middle and those inside her who generally have some decent pace to the bend were simply not able to live with her. She was picked up a week ago but there was no danger of her coming back to the field this time. 

Another six-bend winner from the front for Young was Bluey Bullet. He has been a solid performer over four bends for connections for a fair time now, although his winning record is perhaps not as strong as it should be for one of his ability. This was his first start over six bends and allowed him a rare chance to get on the bunny. 

There was also a double on the night for Martyn Wiley with Come On Sheileen scoring at the shortest odds of any winner on the night at 2/5. A 3.75 split saw her more than a length in front of her nearest pursuer as they crossed the line for the first time to make it five wins in her last six starts.  

Not Now Alan only had A5 and A3 wins on the card ahead of an ambitious tilt at the Arc Scurry Gold Cup where he made the semis, having finished runner-up to eventual competition winner Avarua Lake in the opening round. He was holding on a bit late in the day here back up to 400m, but did enough to land his first open race success. 

The last seven months have really seen Ballymac Suntan come alive for Paul Burr. She was a mid-grader for much of 2025 over four bends but got up late on last night over 575m to pick up open race win number four, including one over that 400m distance. She was 7/41 last year, with A5 the top level she scored at. Since the start of April this year she has gone 10/25 with those four open victories.

Michelle Brown took the other open race winner on the card with Calypso Blaze. A former inmate of Burr, this was his second start since moving kennel, showing the best early pace to the bend and gaining just enough to hold off the late challenge of Young's Jimmyjimmyjimmy. 

Dunstall double for Taberner

Dunstall Park's first set of opens on The Box Seat saw a double for Richie Taberner. Moanteen Hatton was runner-up to his kennelmate Adelinesfirstdog in the BetGoodwin Steel City Cup final on his most recent outing and got home in a tight finish to pick up Da Don who had set the pace. 

Aero Clipper was the opening leg of the double in a bitches contest, coming away best from her berth on the inside and never seeing another rival. She had not managed to get her head in front since an A4 at Monmore in June but she made the final of the BGBF Puppy Cup at this track in July, so this venue clearly suits her well.  

A sole open sprint on the night saw a win for Maxine Locke's Turnthemagicon. A missed break cost him in the semis of the Scurry but he broke much better on this occasion. When he comes away, he produces efforts up there with some of the best in the country over two bends but his lack of consistency has cost him in races where trapping is everything.

There was a winning return to action from Sams Magic who had not been seen in race company since the middle of July. She had been given plenty of trials by Nathan Hunt, and although she was briefly led up on the run to the bend, her early pace soon saw her in control of proceedings. The cavalry closed late on but she had done more than enough running to maintain her lead. 

Phil Milner got on the scoresheet with The Other Chief who had no issues stepping back in trip having made the final of the Stewards Cup over 590m at Star Pelaw. He had a perfect second hare to chase down in Robert Hall's Da Rocky who had run a superb first two bends to steal a march on his rivals. The winner used his superior middle pace to close and there felt an air of inevitability that he would triumph come the third bend.

The big surprise on the card came in the first open as Wicky Rodge made all of the running for Gerry Ballentine at 12/1. There were some smart pups in opposition, but the local runner got the jump on them from the inside draw. It was his first career success at the 12th time of asking, perfect timing for connections.