Romford best bets: Hawk can swoop to success in opener as Civility Counts looks confident

David Metcalf | September 23, 2016

Underground Hawk drawn to deliver

An excellent 13-race Open card at Romford takes centre stage on Racing Post Greyhound TV tonight (Sky 468, Freesat 250) and T1 Underground Hawk looks to hold leading claims of landing the Visit Coral.co.uk Maidens which gets proceedings underway at 19:31.

Paul Young’s son of Ace Hi Rumble made an impressive debut in a A3 over course and distance when quickly away and making all to score by five lengths in a time of 24.31.

That reads very well in the context of this contest and, although well beaten in three subsequent outings, Underground Hawk has endured rough passages on each occasion.

The last two of those have come from Trap 2 and the switch back to the red jacket which he wore when victorious is a huge plus.

A reproduction of his 3.80 sectional should be good enough to see him boss the inside, and if doing so Underground Hawk is going to be hard to catch if getting loose on the bunny.

Civility Counts can collect on debut

T2 Civility Counts had some very useful form to his name in Ireland and can make a winning debut for trainer Phil Simmonds in the Romforddogs.com Maidens (20:02).

The son of Definite Opinion made the semi finals of this year’s Laurels at Cork and went on to win the consolation race for that competition.

He has moved really well in two recent trials at the track, clocking identical splits of 3.88 but finding 2 1/2 lengths in time.

Civility Counts best trial time of 24.17 is better than what his rivals have achieved and he is blessed with plenty of early pace.

If getting turning the first bend in front he could prove a cut-above the opposition.

Rambo ready to rock again in Puppy Cup

T2 Toolmaker Rambo has made a very bright start to his career and rates a solid bet to land the first semi-final of the Romford Puppy Cup (20:50).

Paul Young’s charge has won two of his three starts at the track and is 2-2 when sporting the blue jacket.

He has stacks of early pace when timing it right at the lids, as he showed last week when flashing out to make all and beat Dark Recruit by a length.

The son of Aero Majestic once again looks drawn for action between two dogs which will struggle to match his pace to the bend and this looks a great opportunity for Rambo to register another trap-to-line success.

Dark Recruit fancied to shine

In the third semi-final of the Romford Puppy Cup (21:24), T1 Dark Recruit looks decent value following an eye-catching effort seven days ago.

David Pruh’s youngster was forced to check at a vital stage before running on strongly to go down by diminishing length to Toolmaker Rambo.

It was a cracking effort given how the race panned out and Dark Recruit looks nicely housed on the inside of a slow starter in Trap 2 to turn in a handy pitch of even lead the at the first bend.

His sectional last week was 3/4 of a length quicker than his kennelmate Kooga Klammer who runs tonight from Trap 3 and he can make the benefit of being on the inside of that rival pay.