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Dogs to follow from the Betfair Trainers' Championship

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Jonathan Hobbs highlights the best future punts from last week's top meeting

This year's Betfair Trainers' Championship at Wimbledon ranked with the best of them all. It had top-class racing with plenty of clues for the future, a tight finish between the defending champion and a well-backed contender and its fair share of hard-luck stories.

Mark Wallis had a dreadful night and didn't deserve what befell the likes of Centaur Decree and Butterbridge Ali, but it looked so different as the traps rose for the first leg and his Eye Onthe Veto popped out well before losing his position in the dash to the turn.

John Mullins also had a what-could-have-been night, taking just two points from the first two legs before the likes of the brilliant Toosey Blue and the outstanding Blonde Jeannie elevated him to third place.

Barrie Draper's team was going great guns to halfway and was always on the heels on the leaders, while Elaine Parker Tristar Hawk ran a stormer over six bends, as did the unlucky Mako Magic in the first.

But the night belonged to Seamus Cahill and Charlie Lister, whose team served up a thriller. Cahill's Heavy Weather was gallant in importantly picking up third place in his race, but Blonde Jeannie breaking in front of Ninja Jamie clinched it for the Stow handler.

And it's the final leg where we start our review in terms of finding future winners. The Mullins winner here was simply awesome, Blonde Jeannie confirming she is a great Oaks champion. But Ninja Jamie's star is still in the ascendancy.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it was an awfully tough race for a dog having only his fourth race, and punters who forced him down so short in the market did so in the belief that he was a superstar. They weren't far wrong, as Lister's two-year-old lost nothing in defeat after a rough ride. But credit must also be given to Cahill's Kilkenny Lonjack who held him off to line behind Blonde Jeannie. The winner, second and third were brilliant in my eyes.

Big Brett Coal wore down Tristar Hawk over six bends to push Cahill in front before the final leg, but the latter looks a really nice dog upped in trip. Lightly-raced and lightly-travelled, he gave the favourite a real fright.

Rossacredibility had Derby type written all over him with a fluent 480m win. He showed terrific pace up and that sort of speed will serve him well in the early rounds of the Classic, and did not look the 'short runner' tag he seemed to be landed with in Ireland.

Directors Chair looked desperately unlucky in division b of the 480m race. He broke too well and in such high class couldn't hold his position, but he should have a decent 2008, while Farloe Reason and winner Toosey Blue continue to look well above-average and among the leading Derby players just now.

I would give Farloe Spiderman another chance over six bends. He was making his move to contest the lead off the second bend only to be taken out by Heavy Weather, although the winner Sonic Sensation is also open to improvement for his first run after a lay-off.

Lethal Freddie beat Missed A Train on merit in the puppy race and the winner has plenty of speed, but the runner-up was chopped off at the turn and recovered well to finish second and should pay to follow.
Indeed, both should.

Thai Girl, the sprint winner, is on fire at present, while Affleck Elite might just be the one to take out of the opening four-bender. He did not have the clearest of runs, but showed pace and will derive benefit from the run after a spell off.