Romford kicks off an incredible weekend for open-race fans with the heats of the Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes over 575m.
With major events at Central Park, Perry Barr and Sheffield also beginning, it really is a superb few days for greyhound enthusiasts with a number of major names going for gold - and Romford starts the ball rolling with not one but two competitions starting.
Aside from the Champion Stakes, six heats of the Coral Silver Standard, a Category Two, also grace the 12-race card at the Essex Vase - building up, of course, to the second Gone To The Dogs - Live! broadcast on finals night on Friday, October 18.
Tonight's action is once again on the Premier Greyhound Racing service and Davo You Go (6.37) can make rivals see red in the opening Coral Silver Standard heat. Nathan Hunt's runner can blast to the bend and a best of 23.65sec stands out.
Up-and-coming Brindle Bully (6.53) is one of the star names on show and March On Freddie's brother, also trained by David Mullins, is tough to look beyond in heat two - albeit is priced accordingly. He landed the hat-trick last week and has been clocking flying times.
Not So Slow (7.11) ran in the match race against Links Maverick last week and, not disgraced then, can utilise his sprinter's speed to dominate in heat three and remains a dog with a great strike-rate who can make every post a winner tonight.
Other Silver Standard selections are Droopys Bucko (7.27), an improving and well-drawn sort of Maxine Locke's, Gemma Evans' Yarmouth Derby semi-finalist Millbank Boiler (7.44) and another Nathan Hunt runner in Cunnigar Yousir (8.01) over Kila Detail - just.
The Premier Greyhound Racing Champion Stakes begins with an appearance from New Destiny (8.19) in heat one - and outright honours surely beckon for Mark Wallis's bitch.
The Coronation Cup winner has a peach draw inside and will relish the return to 575m after some cracking efforts alongside the likes of Barntick Bear and Avongate Venus at Towcester. She is tough to oppose in the opening heat - take Princess Athena for the forecast.
The Wallis team could be on the mark in heat two with Fabulous Sonique (8.36). Beaten when last at Romford, she has since bolted home at Towcester in a fast time and has a cracking overall record over this C&D. Newcastle's Syds Smurph can chase her home.
John Mullins looks set to dominate heat three courtesy of his big Yarmouth winner Littlers Nuke and Aayamza Sydney (8.54). The Birmingham Cup finalist ran second in the Essex Vase earlier this year and this return to 575m can see him strike gold.
Similarly, Belinda Green could dominate heat four given the Hove trainer has both the back-up-in-trip Gary The Arb (9.11), who looks well drawn inside, and Beaming Panther. Preference is for the former given a plum red-jacket draw.
Other Champion Stakes votes go to Seamus Cahill's Never Say No (9.28), who could break swiftly from the midfield and is a C&D winner already, and Michelle Brown's Golden Palace (9.46) who ran an eye-catching race behind Fabulous Sonique at Towcester.
