St Leger Final Betting Preview: Bubbly Totti trading as though he's home and hosed

Sky Previews / Darrell Williams / 28 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

Defeat for Bubbly Totti is hard to enviasge but if anyone can beat him it's Midway Skipper, says Darrell Williams as he looks ahead to Tuesday night's St Leger final.

The elimination of Lenson Joker in the semi-final has sadly denied us the re-match between Tony Collett's Greyhound of the Year candidate and his second round conqueror Bubbly Totti in Tuesday's St Leger final, one of eight live races on Sky Sports.

For those who followed the advice of this column in making Ted Soppitt's runner the main ante post selection - with fellow finalist Midway Skipper also put forward for good measure - things could hardly have worked out better with 'Totti' now trading as if he's already home and hosed!

It's hard to argue with that assessment after the Scottish Derby runner-up clocked the fastest time of the year in beating Midway Skipper in his semi-final, and more so from what appeared a far from ideal position around the first two turns. The fact he has trap six, by virtue of being the only seeded runner, and is outside slow starting Midway Skipper, whose card is littered with 'rails' comments, is just yet another angle in the favourite's favour, for whom defeat is very hard to envisage.

Those chasing the forecast are steered towards Midway Skipper, whose strong running style could prove to her advantage. Twice behind 'Totti' in the preliminaries, she can actually boost a win against her rival in a heat of the Yorkshire Leger, although was once again behind him in that Doncaster final. The other alternative for the forecast, and I'd recommend a small saver, is Irish raider Droopys Arsene, whose early pace might just be good enough to clear his neighbours on the inside. His Irish card reads well, including a third place in the valuable Corn Cuchulain final at Harolds Cross.

The rest of the card looks competitive, and even in the races where I fancy a few of the shorter ones there appear dangers or questions to be answered, and it may turn out to be a good night for layers of the favourites.

Hotdog Jack should win the hurdle race (8.15), but he disappointed on his last start here for no apparent reason, and while a couple of subsequent wins at Romford support his claims, he was also an early casualty in the Irish National last week. That said the opposition looks highly beatable and he really should win.

Those who saw Droopys Kez, our ante post pick for the Northern Puppy Derby, hack up in the final the other week, will be all over him in the 7.40, and after a solid trial he should take the beating, but at the likely short odds I'd also save on Mountjoy Gold, who looks drawn to lead down the fence.

I've an inkling that Droopys Curbs' early pace might set him up for victory in the stayers' heat (8.35). Admittedly he's up against three dogs that competed in the Leger, but Carbarns Tom, ran below par last week, and Shelbourne Tiger has a rotten draw. Dean Childs' runner has some fair times for four bends on his card and wasn't disgraced when previously tried over a distance.

Having missed Tyrur Hestor when he won at Belle Vue, I want to be with him, and he rates the most likely winner of the 8.50, but if Alston Masala is a price I'd probably have a small cover on him as well. Runner-up in the Produce, he runs Wimbledon well having finished fourth in the Puppy Derby.

Seamies Gambler may prove too strong in the marathon (9.10) with the 872m trip just about ideal - he's won four of his last five races beyond 800m - and can outstay Genesis Alix. The 9.25 is a cracker, but I fancy at least four of them, although if forced I'd go with Derby finalist Lenson Express, whose strength may again prove the key ingredient.