Better Call Caul: St Leger semifinal time at Limerick
Only 12 remain in the hunt for Limerick's end-of-season classic, the St Leger. We saw some mild shocks and surprise eliminations in the quarterfinals at the weekend, but nonetheless we're left with two intriguing semifinals this Saturday night. As has been the norm in big Irish finals over the past couple of years, the ladies are well represented. Let us look at both semifinals.
2022 St Leger semifinal draws
Semifinal 1
- Bockos Crystal
- Midfield Damo
- Trinity Junior
- Drombeg Ten
- Bobsleigh Dream
- Mustang Jet
I was sweet on Trinity Junior last week and I still feel he is a dog with a big chance in the competition. He went up well last week after missing the start and got to the front off the second bend, however the writing was on the wall when the strong finishing Bobsleigh Dream turned so close to him. He still emerged with real credit and with a decent start this weekend he could lead up again. Bockos Crystal can go up well from box one, but the early pace will be a battle between Trinity Junior, Drombeg Ten and the much-improved Mustang Jet. Mustang Jet went well in the early rounds of this year's Irish Derby, he returned after a slight layoff and looks better than ever. He is unbeaten in the competition thus far an has an ideal draw out in six. Bobsleigh Dream was a fine winner last week but faces a nightmare draw in five, she may struggle for racing room around the opening bends. Drombeg Ten is another with fine early pace on his day but must lead to be seen at his best. Midfield Deano is another who never runs a bad race but will need luck early on. I have not given up on Trinity Junior just yet and think there is better to come. At a decent price I will side with Trinity Junior to recoup last weeks losses at the expense of Mustang Jet and Bockos Crystal.
Selection: Trinity Junior
Semifinal 2
- Ballymac Run
- Romeo Magico
- Wi Can Dream
- Ballymac Whispa
- Kilcolgan Zeus
- Annagh Bailey
English Derby champion Romeo Magico will be looking to book his place in another major final. He ran well last week behind Ballymac Run who reopposes this weekend, but for me he just seems to be three or four lengths of his absolute best at present. The afore mentioned Ballymac Run is improving with each outing and was an ultra-impressive winner last weekend. She recently won the Puppy Oaks at Shelbourne Park and has taken this step up into all aged company in her stride. She is well drawn in one this Saturday and will be extremely hard to keep out of the top three. Her kennel companion Ballymac Whispa is possibly the biggest finisher over the standard trip in Ireland at the moment, she can find herself in impossible situations entering the back straight, but she possesses incredible pace and comes home with a real finishing kick. Wi Can Dream is very capable on his day and will try to make all. He is a better dog at boxes than Romeo Magico and only has Ballymac Run to contend with in the early pace department. He has a few lengths to find on Ballymac Run on last weeks running but has a good draw to operate from this weekend. Annagh Bailey has yet to win a round but, like Mustang Jet in the previous heat he has returned a better dog since his elimination from the Irish Derby. Kilcolgan Zeus has run well to get this far and may struggle in this heat. I will side with Wi Can Dream to make all for trainer Patrick Guilfoyle, but all eyes will be on Ballymac Whispa at halfway. If she is close. Watch out!
Selection: Wi Can Dream
National Puppy Final at Shelbourne Park
The IGOBF National Puppy Stake Final is the main attraction on Shelbourne's Saturday night card. Up The Style and Boylesports Vic currently head the market at $2.75. Up The Style has once again been drawn in box six and is sure to have a major say in the outcome if she repeats last weeks run. Rathdown Molly in box five is no slouch early and may cause the joint favorite some hassle on the run to the corner although she may edge inwards as they approach the bend. Boylesports Vic for me faces a tricky draw in box two between the Romeo pair of Romeo Kodi and Romeo Turbo. Ballymac Johnjo in four is a puppy with real promise but needs to fly from boxes if he is to land a blow. It is a tricky race betting wise but slight preference will be for Up The Style
Derby runner-up back of track
Ballymac Finn who was runner up in this years Irish Greyhound Derby when bidding to become the youngest ever winner was back to winning ways at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night when taking the final of the Talking Dogs Open 525 for owner/trainer Liam Dowling. The final was a red-hot event featuring this years beaten derby finalist Callaway Pro Am who was forced to check when making good ground into the third bend. The early paced Serene Ace was for once led to the corner and that put pay to his chance. Ballymac Finn took it up passing halfway and ran out a facile winner in a smart 28:23 on a track that may have been running on the slow side.
The annual Winter Racing Festival is due to be run at Shelbourne Park on the 29th and 30th of December. Always one of the highlights on the Irish Racing calendar it will feature numerous one-off races over a variety of distances with most of the feature races on the second night worth over A$16,000. A big pot for racing in this part of the world.
Friday night lights at Oxford
Over at Oxford the action gets underway at 18:33 with the first round of the Challenge Cup over 640m. Former record holder for the distance Frostys Ten goes in trap six in the opener but he has been handed a tough assignment. Gizmo Smasher has been running in red hot company over four bends in the last few weeks and has winning form over this trip. The race is full of fast finishing types, but I feel Gizmo Smasher may be away and gone around the tight Oxford circuit, Droopys Garden and Frosty Ten will be coming home late and fast but they may have plenty of traffic in front of them at halfway. Antigua Sugar has won her last three starts by a combined twenty-seven lengths and is impossible to oppose in the 18:48. Muxton Lottie is another bitch in form, she was an excellent winner of a trial stake around here when making all in a slick 40:08. If she can slip the field early, she will be impossible to peg back. Havana Lover broke the track record for the distance here last week and will be a very short price to go in again form an ideal drawn in six, Make It God in three looks her main danger in the 19:44.
Weekend's best bets
Limerick Saturday
Greyhound
Trinity Junior
Bet Type
Win
Stake
2 units
*Odds correct at time of publication
Oxford Friday
Greyhound
Gizmo Smasher
Bet Type
Win
Stake
2 units
*Odds correct at time of publication