ROMFORD racing manager Mark Arkell praised and thanked trackstaff, trainers and their staff for their efforts after the London Road venue overcame low temperatures to complete the heats of the Coral Silver Maiden and Coral Essex Vase on Friday – and Arkell is now looking forward to this week’s semi-finals.

Arkell said: “It was a fantastic effort given it was bitterly cold – and still the track ran normal. We finished racing in minus six temperatures so credit to all the racing, track and paddock team getting racing on and delivering a spectacle.

“Fair play also to the trainers to make it to the track, especially the likes of Jimmy Fenwick who set off from the north east at 11am to race.

“We’re looking okay forecast-wise moving forward. This time last year we had to abandon on semi-final night and reschedule the three semi-finals to the Monday afternoon. Temperatures have eased somewhat and we’re looking forward to Friday now.

“Most of the heats went to form and lots of the fancied runners made it through, so we’re hoping to build on what was a great start to the Coral Essex Vase, in particular. We had some exciting races and top-class performances over 575m.”

Star of the show in the Category One event was New Destiny who kept alive hopes of a clean sweep of the major Romford 575m competitions after winning heat two as part of a brilliant Mark Wallis-trained hat-trick on the night.

Winner of the Coral Coronation Cup and Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes in 2024, it was a seventh straight success at the track for New Destiny as a first-bend lead set up a five-and-a-half length success over Ballymac Lineout (Jimmy Fenwick) in 34.67sec (normal), the fastest heat time.

Wallis also won the very next heat with recent intake Scammer who impressed in just his third UK start as a show of early pace also paved the way for a runaway success, the October 22 whelp crossing the line five and a half lengths clear of Baywatch Bullet (Belinda Green) in 34.94sec (normal).

Mad For Sterling later completed the Wallis hat-trick in the Essex Vase heats with a brilliant off-the-pace victory at the expense of longtime leader Aayamza Sydney (John Mullins), last year’s runner-up.

Swooping close home, Mad For Sterling won by a length from the Gold Collar champion in 35.14sec (normal).

Team Wallis actually had the favourite in heat one in the form of Fabulous Sonique. However, it was Lively Lauren who kicked off the Essex Vase with a game off-the-front effort as a slick exit soon saw Matt Dartnall’s bowling along in front for a one-and-three-quarter lengths success over Elite Albert (David Mullins) in 35.09sec (normal).

The other heats were won by Nathan Hunt’s Oaks runner-up Icemans Girl, who came through a battle with Brigadir Brindle (David Mullins), scoring a narrow success in heat four in 35.28sec, and another Oaks finalist Droopys Eunice who raced away early in heats six to score for Maxine Locke from Newinn Cloud (Mark Wallis) in 34.94sec.

Trap draw for Friday’s Coral Essex Vase semi-finals:

First semi: 1 Icemans Girl, 2 Baywatch Bullet, 3 Golden Palace, 4 Aayamza Sydney, 5 Newinn Cloud (m), 6 Allowdale Cazoo (w).

Second semi: 1 Droopys Eunice, 2 Fabulous Sonique, 3 Jeopardy Jasmine, 4 Ballymac Lineout, 5 Mad For Sterling (m), 6 Brigadir Brindle (w).

Third semi: 1 New Destiny, 2 Untold Paanga, 3 Elite Albert, 4 Lively Lauren, 5 Ballymac Camilla (m), 6 Scammer (m).