Greyhound St Leger Betting: Play the Joker and oppose Lenson

Events / Darrell Williams / 30 September 2008 / Leave a Comment

Darrell Williams thinks the luck of the Irish can shine through when the St Leger gets underway at Wimbledon.

The St Leger, without hesitation the most important six-bend competition of the year, doesn't kick off until a week on Saturday, but the anticipation is already building particularly with the confirmed participation of at least one leading Irish candidate.

The record books show that while the Irish record in the Derby in recent years has been excellent, no Irish-trained dog has ever won the Leger. But all that might be about to change with Ladbrokes 600 winner College Causeway already confirmed as a runner and a decision on the Irish Derby winner Shelbourne Aston expected this week.

But it's College Causeway that interests me. Pat Buckley's dog has already been backed in recent days and it's not hard to see why. His 2008 CV doesn't only boast an unbeaten run in the Ladbrokes 600 at Shelbourne (remember the 600 refers to yards, so it's 549m in British terms) but also an Irish Derby semi-final appearance. Indeed he had been unbeaten in the first four rounds before a troubled run put paid to his outright claims.

A winner of 14 of his last 20 starts, he was also fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes in July, while any stamina issues can be answered via his runaway ten length win in a 750 yard Thurles competition in the spring. That trip incidentally equates to 686m, in excess of the Leger distance these days at Wimbledon of 668m.

Given his confirmed participation I'd advise backing him immediately, as the price is likely to shorten further particularly if Shelbourne Aston doesn't make the gig. Naturally everything is crossed that he does as the presence of a Derby winner - don't forget he also won the Irish Champion Stakes - would add even more prestige to the Classic.

His running style, recall how he got up on the line in the Irish Derby final, suggests six bends is his optimum trip, and a good victory in the heats of the Sunderland Grand Prix over 640m further supports that theory.

Up to this stage I haven't even mentioned the ante-post favourite and narrowly beaten runner-up last year in Lenson Joker. Tony Collett has enjoyed an incredible season, with Joker responsible for a huge part of it.

Unbeaten since the Derby quarter-finals, he has since won the Cesarewitch, Grand Prix and Champion Stakes, and is currently on a run of 11 successive victories. Last week's win at Yarmouth however was hard earned, and while it was no surprise that a small wrist problem was later reported, he has been at his peak for some time now and at the odds I'm inclined to look elsewhere.

That said, of course, his Wimbledon record, alongside his catalogue of big race wins is excellent, and after last year's near miss no one would begrudge him the top honours this time.

A quick trawl through the list of recent Leger winners suggests that the marathon dogs should not to be ignored, with Spiridon Louis (last year) and Roxholme Girl both successful. They were also both TV Trophy winners, all of which suggests Flying Winner should be considered.

Chris Lund's bitch won this year's race, held at Doncaster, by more than ten lengths - one of 16 wins (from 19) this season. That tally also includes the six-bend Regency at Hove, one of ten races (from 12 tries) she has won at trips of 700m or less in 2008.

On that form and given the impressive record of marathon dogs in the race I'd recommend her as a saver ante-post, although it might just be worth holding fire until her participation is confirmed. Off the track since a surprise defeat at Nottingham in August, she was forced to miss the Yorkshire Leger, but a Doncaster trial last year suggests she's back on track and will hopefully line up on Saturday week.