Romford best bets: Torpedo drawn to sink Coral Essex Vase rivals

Torpedo set for blast off in Coral Essex Vase semis

The semi-finals of the Coral Essex Vase are the feature on a 13-race mixed card at Romford tonight on Racing Post Greyhound TV (Sky 468, Freesat 250) and T5 Bubbly Torpdeo rates the standout bet in the third at 21:24.

Paul Young’s charge has a tremendous strike rate at the track having won four of his eight starts.

The son of Razldazl George was particularly impressive in the last of those earlier in the month when producing a slick 13.56 sectional to make all and slam Illseeyouagain by 4 1/2 lengths in a time of 35.50.

Bubbly Torpedo was then given a three-week break and shaped as if needing the run in last week’s heats when showing early pace to dispute until being unable to find any extra on the run in to finish a 1 1/4 length third.

That should have put him spot on for this and with T4 Swabys Millward sure to be cutting in at the first bend he looks ideally housed in the orange jacket, in which he is 1-1 at the track, to flash out and make all.

Alfies Diamond value in opening semi

T1 Roswell Romanov is odds-on to win the opening semi of the Coral Essex Vase (20:50) but T4 Alfies Diamond looks worth a wager at the odds on offer to cause and upset.

Patrick Janssen’s charge opened his account over course and distance when showing bags of early pace before running on strongly to score by 1 1/3 lengths.

He has since gone on to bolt up 6 3/4 lengths at Harlow, when very quickly away, and looked an unlucky loser last week when encountering all sorts of trouble before finishing a 1 1/4 length runner-up to Roswell Roxanne.

The son of Droopys Scolari looks a stayer going places and with Roswell Romanov having a real pacy sort on his immediate outside in the shape of T2 Newlawn Peter there is a possibility of scrimmaging on the inside.

If that proves to be the case then Alfies Diamond looks nicely housed to capitalise and put his early toe to good use to turn in a handy pitch before kicking in the turbo mid-race.

Hansel can prove too Swift for rivals

T4 Swift Hansel ran a blinder when runner-up in last week’s heats and looks cracking value to go one better in the second semi-final of the Coral Essex Vase (21:06).

Anneliese Thompson’s dog ran on strongly to go down by a fast diminishing to head to the re-opposing T5 Oakfield Caesar who got a flying start.

Ceasar produced a sectional that was 3 1/2 lengths quicker than the selection, so in the circumstances it was a terrific run from Swift Hansel given it was his first run at the venue.

The son of Godsend is entitled to come on a bundler for that sighter, and being the sole middle seed he look to have a great draw between three railers and two early paced wide dogs.

He should get acres of space to operate and a clear run to the bend, and if turning handy in a good pitch Swift Hansel is going to be very hard to contain in the latter stages of the contest.