Friday night will witness a showdown between two titans of the marathon circuit at Romford... once more!
Rumoured to be worth £3000 to the winner, it's likely that the odds difference between the two will not be as wide as the 2/11 and 7/2 offered back in November '23. During that encounter, it seemed certain at the 7th bend that Bubbly Inferno was poised to surge ahead and claim victory, but her quirks, coupled with Taylor's formidable stamina, prevented her from doing so, ultimately resulting in a 2-length defeat.
However, this time around, both greyhounds are in slightly different form. Ballymac Taylor displayed strength in two trial stakes and the first round of the TV Trophy at Oxford last month, breaking the track record on two occasions. Although she rightfully started as the 4/5 favourite for the marathon showpiece, victory eluded her.
Following Taylor's customary strong start, she turned third behind kennelmate Garfiney Blaze and the highly respected Alright Patricia. While she appeared poised for victory on the first lap, Bubbly Inferno surged ahead at the 7th bend. As they entered the home straight, Taylor couldn't muster a response, and Inferno clinched victory by 1 1/4 lengths – breaking Taylor’s track record in the process. The quirks that may have appeared in November seemed absent, leaving one to wonder if Taylor, in her current form, would have secured victory that night.
Questions, however, remain valid. While Bubbly Inferno won her TV Trophy heat by a narrow margin, her time was significantly slower than her performance in the final. There's a lingering uncertainty of whether she can replicate her success.
Since the final, Ballymac Taylor has returned to action. Last Saturday morning at Monmore, she faced off against a field including former TV Trophy finalist Savana Jazz. While she maintained a 2-length lead over Jazz in the final and a 1-length lead in a trial stake two weeks prior, she was caught and overtaken by Jazz in the final stretch, ultimately losing by 1 1/2 lengths. This unexpected outcome has left Taylor's backers with more questions than answers.
Bubbly Inferno hasn’t competed since then, but she did clock 35.68 in a 575m trial last Friday at Romford, a respectable time for a greyhound that performs better under race conditions.
In conclusion, we're poised for another thrilling match race. Ballymac Taylor is likely to take the lead once more, with Bubbly Inferno in close pursuit. Will Taylor hold her ground for a second time? Will Inferno surge past her as she did two weeks ago?
Find out at Romford Stadium, London Road, on Friday 5th April.