Having picked up a 12th Champion Trainer title in 2021, Mark Wallis has sent an impressive team to Romford on Friday night in the quest for number 13! He holds a very strong hand on the card.
Wallis Got More Socks For Christmas
Antigua Socks proved to be an excellent buy for the Wallis kennel, winning 10 open races over this 400m trip at Romford through 2021. Capable from any of the inner three traps, he has a tidy draw as the sole railer at 20.54.
He showed his jealous side here before Christmas, leading up but headed by the re-opposing Ayle Blake at the three-quarters mark, he dug in and got his way back to the front.
Pear For Sweet Taste of Success
Sporting the striped jacket over 575m has seen Sweet Pear win three of her four starts here from trap 6. The only time that the Wallis-trained hound was turned over was when she got badly hampered and knocked over last time.
She was only a length off the leaders at the fifth bend on that occasion and given her strong running style, could easily have made it 4/4. The 18.58 is a solid field but she can come out on top.
Rail is the Real McCoy
October is the last time that Rail McCoy has been seen in competitive action for Wallis. He was in flying form over this 400m back in the summer, showing superb pace to the opening turn.
Recent trials suggest that he is ready to get back racing again, with his early pace looking a big help in the 21.12 where there are plenty of similar types. His class can see him through.
A Smurfs Win to Make Rivals Blue
A Derby finalist in 2020 and an Olympic finalist just before Christmas, the six bend debut of Smurfs Machine at 19.56 is one of the highlights of the card.
The Seamus Cahill-trained star takes a step down the ladder back into maiden company for this assignment which makes it the easiest race that he has run in for a long time and he can take full advantage.
Evans to Calculate Another Win
Droopys Addition is a standing dish at this track, a slick winner from this same trap 2 slot before Christmas. A rock-solid, consistent performer, Gemma Evans’s hound is an easy one to enjoy in full flow.
He runs in the 21.42, the final race on the card, and he can send punters home happy with another 575m success to add to an already bulging career resume.