TENPIN landed a popular local success for David Mullins in Friday’s Coral Romford Puppy Final on a night when four GBGB Category One companions graced the card at the Essex venue – with the two major finals won by members of the Mullins family.

John Mullins later won the Coral Champion Stakes, after younger brother David had sent out Tenpin to win the Romford Puppy Cup – the December 2018 son of Romeo Recruit and Droopys Sarafina ensuring his rivals saw red as he paced up and made full use of the rails pitch to scoot clear and land the £10,000 by two lengths in 23.71sec (+20).

It was local one-two-three, with Bubbly Bollinger (Paul Young) chasing home the winner, in front of the Yvonne Gaskin-trained Black Hill Boy who had broken in front and was actually ahead as the field hit the first bend, although couldn’t get across rivals inside him and was forced to rise a bump.

Slipping into pole position courtesy of a good burst of early pace, and being able to take the shortest route round, Tenpin was soon in command and went away to add to two previous wins in the famous competition for David Mullins following Living Jewel (2003) and Vamoose (2004). Mullins admitted the draw was key.

“He’s a really nice dog, but sometimes draws win races and certainly the red-box helped him tonight,” he said. “This was only his fifth race and, like all the entries in a really good event, will improve. I’m just delighted for his owners. They’re young owners, Michael and Robert’s (Olley) father had dogs with me a while back.”

Owned by Kane Messenger and Michael and Robert Olley, Tenpin heads for a trial at Central Park next week ahead of the upcoming Brinkleys Poet At Stud Young Guns, a brand new event. “It’s been good to see these puppy events being put on – there’s one at Sheffield too – and it’s important for the pups around now,” added Mullins.

Mark Arkell, Romford racing manager, said: “Well done to David and his team. Winning the Puppy Cup for the third time is a great achievement and it helped make it a memorable night for the Mullins family after Smallmead later won the Champion Stakes.

“As for the Puppy Cup, I thought it was an evenly matched final and, when that’s the case, it’s about fine margin – and the draw helped Tenpin. But we had six very fast pups in the final and I’m sure all will win plenty of races moving forward.

“I was actually disappointed with the original entry, not so much the quality, but a lack of numbers – it was unusual. But it gave an opportunity to some local runners and, one of those was Yvonne’s (Gaskin) Black Hill Boy. He’s a dog with lots of early pace and won his semi-final off the front really well. Then, in Friday’s final he was actually about a half a length in front at the bend, but just couldn’t get round the field.

“He finished a good third in the end, behind Paul’s Bubbly Bollinger. So it was a 1-2-3 for the Romford trainers, but that shouldn’t detract from what Mark Wallis, Jimmy Fenwick and Steve Anderson achieved with their finalists – especially Jimmy and Steve.

“They’d made the journey down from the north-east for three rounds of the Puppy Cup. That’s great commitment and I know Jimmy was hopeful of winning the event – just as his parents had in the 1970s. That would have been some double! Maybe next year?

“I thought the card from start to finish was fantastic. Lockdown obviously forced our hand trying to make sure these events took place, which is why we’re having double-headers – and taking on the Coral Guys and Dolls has been great.

“It’s only for one year – it’ll be going back to Crayford next year as the Ladbrokes Guys & Dolls – but the trainers here at Romford have really gone for it. We had a good entry of both dogs and bitches and we’ve got a great final on Friday.

“Maybe it’s a format we might try here down the line – of course at another time of year so not clashing with Crayford competition which is a Category One. We’ll see.”

Results: www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=366059&raceId=672971