Wimbledon Racing / Darrell Williams / 02 November 2007 / Leave a comment

Darrell Williams looks back on a great St Leger meeting...

With the Derby, Oaks, and St Leger amongst its crown jewels, Wimbledon receives substantially more Sky Sports coverage than any other track, and if last Tuesday's Leger card is any guide, it's no bad thing. And it wasn't just Spiridon Louis' amazing last gasp victory in the stayers' classic - surely enough to secure him the Greyhound of the Year title - that had racegoers and TV viewers on the edge of their seats. The Leger win, mind you, was pretty special, and while I had him marked down as a dog 'sure to keep qualifying' and 'overpriced at double figures' in my previews, like many others, I under-estimated just what an incredible greyhound he has become. To drop back from marathons and compete in top class six bend company is one thing, but to actually lift the crown and in such a red hot renewal demanded a very special performance.

But Spiridon Louis wasn't the only one to stun the crowd. Rio Quando laid down an early claim for next year's Derby, clocking a mind blowing 27.36 for the 460m, the fastest time of the year, and just 4 spots outside the track record. Given that he has only just stepped into Open race company - although he has already clocked a fast time at Walthamstow and perhaps just as significantly hails from the shrewd Danny Riordan yard - you can understand why some punters (including yours truly) were tempted enough to have a small antepost tickle.

While Foulden Special was unable to justify my confidence in the Leger after an unlucky elimination in the semi-finals, stakes were returned with interest when he got up to win going away in the 688m race. Derek Knight now intends to send him over eight bends which can only bring about further improvement and he remains one to keep on the right side of.

Broadway Sizzler did her Oaks hopes no harm when comfortably accounting for likely rival Jazz Hurricane in the bitches' race. I'll look at the Classic, which begins in early December, in a few weeks time, but prices are already up and at this early stage I'd have to say that Blonde Jeannie, a quarter-finalist in the Derby, looks a shade over-priced.

One final postscript from Tuesday was a reminder of how well Seamus Cahill does when the cameras are at Wimbledon. The former local handler sent out another double, courtesy of winning machines Milldean Buster and Noirs Ted, and I'd be surprised if any handler has a better strike rate for the TV-covered Wimbledon meetings.

Three grade one races head up the weekend cards at Wimbledon with Pigalle Lady looking the best bet in the S1 on Saturday at 10.15. While unable to make any impact in the Leger, she has run well in defeat in two subsequent top grade races behind Craggyman and Well Park Lady, but faces nothing of that calibre here.

Pine Classic should take the H1 hurdle race on Friday (8.45) if able to poach an early lead down the inside, having accounted for most of her rivals last week. Shelbourne Magic makes some appeal on the outside - he was H1 back in the summer - and could prove the forecast link. The A1 on the same night (9.30) looks weak and might be best left to Vadinka, who can outstay a mainly early paced field.

Tags: leger, oaks, rio quando, spiridon louis, wimbledon