[b]There was a shock at Doncaster in the big Betfair-sponsored stayers' race, says The Lord, who rounds up all the other stories from the sport in his weekly column.[/b]
It all happened at Doncaster on Saturday when the heats of the [b]Betfair Yorkshire St Leger[/b] drew a bumper crowd to the Stainforth track for some excellent racing.
Biggest shock of all was the elimination of ante-post favourite [b]Droopys Bradley[/b], who never looked at ease around a circuit he was visiting for the first time. But the Wimbledon St Leger champion will be back, possibly over six bends again on Oaks final night at Plough Lane.
New favourite at Doncaster is fastest heat winner [b]He Went Whoosh[/b], who chased home Droopys Bradley at Wimbledon, but who this time managed to blaze a trail from...
[b]The cream of the canine staying talent goes to Doncaster on Saturday for the first heats of the Betfair-sponsored St Leger.[/b]
The countdown is underway to the [b]Betfair Yorkshire St Leger[/b].
The £8,000 to the winner event kicks off at [b]Doncaster[/b] on Saturday with four heats over 661m and has attracted a stellar field, including Wimbledon St Leger champion Droopys Bradley.
Indeed, Paul Donovan's dog tops what must the best entry for a 24-dog six-bend event there has been for a long time. It's a Who's Who of staying talent and each of Saturday's four eliminators is choc-full of serious staying [b]canine talent[/b].
The first three in each of the heats qualify for the semi-finals on Friday, November 12, with the final live on [b]Sky Sports[/b] on Tuesday, November...
[b]The first heats of the Betfair-sponsored competition get under way on Saturday, but before you have a bet be sure to read our man's rating on all the Doncaster runners here.[/b]
[b]Ballymac Rumble[/b] (Chris Allsopp): impressive runs over short six-bend trips, and the type to make them all go if blazing a trail. But 661m at Doncaster takes some getting. One to get stuck into for the heats, maybe? But it could get very tough.
The Lord's rating: 13
[b]Blue Bee[/b] (Matt Dartnall): member of a great litter (Farleys Blitz, Totti etc) and has proved she gets the trip having won over 695m at Hove. Will try and slip her field at some point, and certainly has a touch of class. But not the type to get involved in a rough race.
The Lord's rating: 11
[b]Bodell Clare[/b] (Hazel Kemp):...
[b]Droopys Bradley[/b] has the staying world at his paws after a demolition job on his St Leger final rivals at Wimbledon on Tuesday - and the [b]Betfair-sponsored Yorkshire St Leger[/b] could be on the cards. The Paul Donovan-trained flyer ran over six bends for the first time in the heats of the St Leger and never looked back and, for good measure, broke his own track record in the decider, live on Sky.
Doncaster and the Betfair-backed event next month could be on his agenda, but chances are he will also return to Wimbledon for a race on Oaks final night.
The sport as a whole is still reeling from the career-ending injury to Derby favourite [b]Rayvin Giovanni[/b] at Wimbledon on Tuesday,Seamus Cahill's three-time puppy competition winner was returning to the south-west London venue...