Problems at Romford as 575m traps cause chaos

Romford lost three races over the 575-metre trip on Friday

  PICTURE: STEVE NASH  

ROMFORD's all-open programme on Friday night was delayed
some 30 minutes due to a problem with the starting traps.
The action got under way with a 225m Sprint for which Jim Reynolds' Hercules (5-2) muscled his way to the front at the first bend and cleared trouble to record an easy 5 1/2L success in 13.60sec.

There was a further delay when thesame traps failed to open for the 575m Maiden Stayers (race four) which was eventually won by Alison Ingram's Hawks Wonder (5-1) who made all in 35.39sec.

There were even further problems with the traps in the 9.06 where, after Ballantine Molly produced a big run to apparently win, the race was declared void because the traps opened early.

Course and distance specialist Sequential went to post for the 400m Bitches contest at 9.24 (off at 9.51) but the odds-on jollymissed her break and, despite a valiant effort, failed to peg back Keith Allsop's Slick Seamist (9-4) who recorded 24.11sec.

Paul Young's 12-1 chance Jewel Magic impressed when landing a 400m Standard in 24.10sec.

Yet again the traps caused problems in the 9.56 when this time they opened late causing another void race.  The decision was then made not to run the 10.26 - another event due to be started from those 575m boxes.

The meeting concluded with Jim Daly's Head Iton Tom (2-1F) making all of the running to beat the staying-on Rough Lass in the 750-metre Marathon.