TREATY TO SIGN, SEAL AND DELIVER BACK-TO-BACK ST.LEGER SUCCESSES

Peter Farrell

It promises to be a special occasion at Limerick Greyhound Stadium later tonight as the final of the 2024 Willwego.com Irish St. Leger takes centre stage and Clonbrien Treaty will bid to retain his crown when he heads to traps as the favourite in the €30,000 to the winner decider.

Kindly sponsored by Willwego.com, their generous sponsorship was rewarded with an incredible entry for this year’s Classic and the final itself oozes quality with many of the Country’s most talented stars lining out in the feature.

A LOOK AT THE FINALISTS

T1 - JAYTEE CRAZE (Owner: Lee Craze & John Turner - Trainer: Paul Hennessy)

Powerhouse tracker that came into this event with a sensational 27.89 preparation trial, which outlined his incredible ability and his solid credentials as an outright player for Classic glory. Won his opening round assignment in superb fashion as he breezed past one of Ireland's fastest in Faypoint Harvey and he followed that up with a battling performance to beat kennel companion Barefoot On Fire in 29.43. The son of Ballymac Cashout has phenomenal speed from the halfway mark and he is perfectly housed in red to produce something special for his connections. Early sectionals suggest he will have the rails to himself in the opening exchanges and a clear passage could be all that’s required for ‘Craze’ to give Paul Hennessy a fifth Leger success.

T2 - COOLAVANNY OTTO (Owner: James & Nathan Corden - Trainer: Pat Buckley)

The Juvenile Classic runner-up and Race of Champions winner around Tralee. The son of Droopys Sydney and Westwind Jet has some incredible clocks to his name, most notably a 28.04 debut victory and a 29.38 spin for the 550-yards. Perhaps we haven’t seen the best of ‘Otto’ around Limerick, especially in the earlier rounds, however, he ran a huge race in defeat last weekend to close rapidly on Ventry Faith in the closing yards. That performance suggested he is coming to the boil nicely and he is well drawn in blue to get involved with one of his sharper exits. Bidding to give Pat Buckley a fourth Leger success after wins for Never Give Up, Paradise Silva and Bobsleigh Dream, this tracker will be a danger to all if turning within three lengths of the leader.

T3 - MIAMI KING (Owner: T. Howard & David Lawrence - Trainer: Garry Dempsey)

The artist formerly known as Tahina Bossman and this tracker always looked like a star from his first outing at Lifford in April 2023. Astutely purchased, the son of Ballymac Vic and Newline Mo has gone from strength to strength since and came into the Leger with two outstanding trial spins of 29.50 and 29.30 respectively. ‘King’ was unbeaten in the classic up until the quarter final stages and he ran a superb race to qualify after early traffic last time out. Another who will be powering from the halfway mark, if he can trap a little sharper from three he can have a massive say, however, that will be required in a race where there is little margin for error.

T4 - BAREFOOT ON FIRE (Owner: Bryan & Kathleen Murphy - Trainer: Paul Hennessy)

The second of the Paul Hennessy representatives but certainly not seen as the second string. The son of Grangeview Ten and Jaytee Osprey has been reinvented since early July and he booked his ticket for the Leger when winning his trial stake at his leisure, while posting 29.54 in the process. Landed his quarter final assignment when reeling in Clonbrien Treaty and has been there or thereabouts in every round, which is enough to suggest the decider will prove no different. Indeed, early sectionals suggest that he will turn second behind the jolly later tonight and this being the case, he will certainly be breathing down the neck of the favourite in the closing yards. Must negotiate a tricky draw in four but does represent value at 8/1 in places.

T5 - VENTRY FAITH (Owner: Padraig O’Murchu - Trainer: Owen McKenna)

Celebrating his second birthday this month, ‘Faith’ is the youngster of the line-up and will be stepping out for just the eleventh time in the €30,000 decider. The son of Droopys Sydney and Ballycowen Lucy arrived at Limerick with some fine form around Shelbourne Park, however, few would have predicted such a meteoric rise throughout this event. McKenna’s charge showed all sorts of speed in the opening heats without winning, however, produced a trap-to-line display in the semis to win comfortably in a rapid time of 29.47, which was a half length quicker than Clonbrien Treaty off a slower start. A repeat performance will be required tonight if he is to seal a hat-trick of Leger wins for his trainer, however, he will need to contend with what looks a horrid draw in five if he is to cause a minor upset. A puppy with a bright future nonetheless, it would not be a massive shock if he continued to raise the bar given his inexperience.

T6 - CLONBRIEN TREATY (Owner: James & Muireann Murphy - Trainer: Graham Holland)

The defending champion and a worthy favourite heading into the decider. The 2023 Con & Annie Kirby Memorial winner, the 2023 Willwego.com Irish St. Leger winner and the 2024 Bresbet Easter Cup winner is an absolute monster when it comes to claiming silverware and it will take a special effort to prevent Graham Holland’s charge from retaining his crown later tonight. A Limerick specialist, he bounced back to his very best when blitzing his rivals last weekend to win in 29.50 and he looks a certain leader, barring incident, from his favoured trap six tonight. Likely to build a healthy lead early on, his petrol gauge will be flickering with twenty-five yards to go and therein could be the only glimmer of hope for his rivals. The strapping blue has already amassed over €140,000 in prizemoney and he looks set to make a bold bid to increase that figure substantially later tonight

Verdict - Clonbrien Treaty is a worthy favourite and indeed the 11/8 on offer in places still looks value based on the big likelihood that he will lead around the outside. His semi final performance was a thing of beauty and he looks cherry-ripe heading into the decider, which is ominous for his rivals. Jaytee Craze has a plumb draw in red and sectionals suggest he will lead both Coolavanny Otto and Miami King on the inside, which could see him turn second. The question thereafter will be how close he is to Clonbrien Treaty given his strong running attributes in the closing stages. Barefoot On Fire is another who has good claims despite a poor draw in four. He too has a ping start in his locker and is running out of his skin at present for Bryan and Kathleen Murphy. The striking fawn may well be the outsider in betting terms, however, he is more than capable of landing a scalp if turning handy and gets the vote to be in the mix come the business end. Selection - 6-1-4

*****

CON MURPHY BOOKMAKERS A1 SEMI FINAL ACTION

The semi finals of the €3,800 to the winner Con Murphy Bookmakers 525 serves as the supporting act on the card and the opening semi can see Ballymac Murty come out on top.

Trained by Jack Kennelly for the Dream-To-Share-Synd, Ballymac Murty made it back-to-back wins last weekend when posting 28.45 and although this particular semi includes two other heat winner’s from last week, the son of Ballymac Cashout gets the nod to maintain his unbeaten status in the competition. Drawn in four, he will likely turn handy based on early sectionals and that is all that should be required for him to pick up the pieces late on. Starson Frankie is a likely leader in five, while Bambis Lady, Sing Hallelujah and Carrigmore Freya will likely lead the charge for the qualifying places in behind.

Despite having his colours lowered last weekend by Ballymac Murty, Barefoot Awesome can bounce back to winning ways in the second semi final. A first round winner in 28.75, the son of Good Cody has fine pace throughout and will benefit from a plumb draw in trap one. Of his main rivals, Grouchos Finn ran well last weekend to score, while both Cul Na Braithre and Voyage Stanley caught the eye with strong finishes in their last outings.

ALL ABOUT BRUNO

There is €1,000 on offer in the final of the Limerick & Clare GOBA A3 525 and it’s difficult to look past Cloonturk Bruno after an emphatic victory in the semis.

On that occasion, Cloonturk Bruno, owned by the Tigue-Family-Synd, dominated from the outset to win by over six lengths in 28.66 and anything close to a repeat performance should see him land the spoils. Of his rivals, Pilot Scheme came from off-the-pace to win his semi final assignment and although he has plenty to find in respect of the clock, should be best of the rest for Denis Crowley in two.

DERBY CHAMP IN ACTION

In what is a top-class undercard, The Other Kobe is one of the star names involved in the Willwego.com AAO 525 but the son of Ballymac Best faces strong opposition if he is to bounce back to winning ways. Now trained by Graham Holland, the Derby champ will go off favourite and is drawn to take one of his customary ping starts from three, however, on this occasion the vote goes to the in-form Tribal Syd in six. The Dundalk International runner-up, trained by Murt Leahy, is running out of his skin at present and his recent clocks of 28.05 and 29.32 (550) indicate he heads into the €2,000 one-off event at the peak of his powers.

The Open Bitch 525 is another red-hot contest and Bockos Crystal should take plenty of beating if back to her best. The classy brindle has been one of the fastest in training for some time and despite now classed as a veteran, still retains plenty of ability. Drawn in five, she would have too much for her rivals if on-song and gets the vote to deliver despite a potentially tricky draw. Rivals include Ballymac Wendy, who moved well last time out at HQ, while Unanimous Roxy looked a bit special at Enniscorthy and could take off for Pat Bckley when donning the white jacket.

Race nine is the Willwego.com AAO 600 and Ower Cracker looks the one to beat. Pat Buckley’s tracker clocked an exceptional 32.14 when winning a 600-yard stake at Shelbourne in his last outing and he is proven around Limerick having performed brilliantly in the Kirby earlier this year. Drawn in four, the son of Deerjet Sydney has fine early speed and if getting loose, could build up a healthy lead on this field. Of his rivals, Extra Gain finished like a train in the Leger semis last weekend to narrowly miss out on making the decider. The strapping blue looks tailor-made for this trip and can emerge a massive threat to Ower Cracker.