Causeway Wimbledon bound for St Leger
COLLEGE CAUSEWAY is 6-1 with the sponsor for the William Hill St Leger after the Irish superstar was yesterday confirmed an intended runner in the Wimbledon stayers’ Classic next month.
Mounting speculation suggested that trainer Pat Buckley was contemplating a challenge with the Ladbrokes 600 winner, last seen when exiting the Paddy Power Irish Derby at the semi-final stage after a troubled run, and that has proven to be the case.
The Leger distance of 668m is well in excess of the trips over which College Causeway has been starring in Ireland in recent month, the highlight of which was the dramatic late surge which saw him win that Ladbrokes 600 title in May.
However, it should be remembered that he won both heat and final of a Novice 750 yards Stake at Thurles back in February with ever-extending substantial winning margins.
The dog was laid up briefly following his Irish Derbysemi-final defeat but he has responded quickly to treatment and Buckley reports him as “bouncing". The trainer added: “He’s absolutely mad in himself and really wanting to get back into action.
“I think Wimbledon would suit him well and the three quick runs wouldn’t worry me as he recovers very quickly from his races.”
Buckley plans to kennel the dog with Keith Allsop in Leicester for the duration of the St Leger bid but he does not envisage bringing any other runner with him.
The College Causeway news was the most positive item ahead of the Leger with question marks of one sort or another about the three greyhounds ahead of him in the Hills’ market.
Lenson Joker, the 2-1 favourite, is expected to make the competition but is recovering from a slightly jarred wrist sustained in extending his winning sequence to 11 at Yarmouth on Tuesday, while Irish Derby winner Shelbourne Aston has alternative competitions in Ireland open to him and Flying Winner has been on the easy list.
Bubbly Totti, the Yorkshire St Leger winner and fifth in on the Hills’ list at 10-1, has his Leger warm-up ina 640m open at Newcastle tomorrow having clocked a smart 28.70sec in a 480m trial there on Wednesday.
*The £13,000 William Hill St Leger closes to entries at noon on October 7 with first round heats four days later. Second round is on October 17, semis on October 21 and the Sky Sports-televised final on Tuesday, October 28.
ST LEGER
William Hill: 2 Lenson Joker, 3 Shelbourne Aston, 5 Flying Winner, 6 College Causeway, 10 Bubbly Totti, 16 Barnfield Loreto, 20 Ballymac Weeshie, Butterbridge Ali, Romeo Turbo, Wise Maldini, 25 Barnfield Slippy, Commander Chief, Directors Chair, Swift Jade, 33 bar.
