Walker to give Waterford master class
Nothing could make up for the anguish of being nabbed on the line in a pulsating climax to the premier classic, but there is plenty of kudos and the not inconsiderable sum of €13,000 to be earned.
The Tom O’Neill-trained dog broke well in last weekend’s semi-final but he seemed to lose a little ground racing into the turn. Somehow, he managed to turn unscathed and he turned his position into an ultimately quite impressive victory.
It’ll be very disappointing if he cannot get the better of Leger runner-up Varra Captain in the early stages and, if he does so, he will be set for a huge run.
With one obvious exception, Puppy Derby winner Sparta Maestro has as much talent as any greyhound in the country but he will need a sharp break from the outside if he’s to avoid being impeded by the very fast starting Piercestown Con. If he does not master that rival on the run-up, he may struggle to find a way past as that one takes a wide course down the back.
It’s for that reason that Piercestown Sand, litter brother to Piercestown Con, rates the danger to Dream Walker.
A Derby semi-finalist, where he finished fourth in the same heat as Dream Walker was third, he has run this track well on both outings in this stake and, if he can slip around behind his comrade, he will put it up to all his rivals.
However, Dream Walker has more early pace than he showed last weekend, can seal a run along the rails and is taken to make his all-round speed gain the day for owner John Egan.
The news that Milldean Panther had, effectively, scared off all potential rivals in the National Puppy Stake was hardly surprising, and the subsequent decision to leave him off until next year would appear to be the right one. He’s as good a prospect as most of us have ever witnessed and his return will be well worth waiting for.
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