Here Comes Joe Out Of National Derby

HERE COMES JOE has been scratched from tonight's Group 1 Ladbrokes National Derby Final (520m) at Wentworth Park.

A devastated Joe Estephan told the Greyhound Recorder that he was left with no option but to withdraw Here Comes Joe from the group 1 showpiece after suffering what appears to be a spider bite on Thursday morning.

Amazingly, race favourite Simon Told Helen was scratched earlier in the week after a spider bite incident at the weekend.

"My vet said it was either a spider or a big ant; it's got him on the toe and it swelled up quite bad," said a dejected Estephan.

"We iced it all yesterday and last night hoping that it would improve by this morning but it hasn't so I was left with no choice but to scratch him.

"It's very upsetting; I've been looking forward to this day but the dog is going to be okay, that's the main thing. His time will come." 

Here Comes Joe joins Simon Told Helen, Aston Sapporo and Zipping Vernon as scratchings in tonight's Derby, leaving just the six runners to contest the $75,000 to-the-winner final.

Winner at five of his seven starts, Here Comes Joe is the first and only greyhound 65-year-old Estephan has trained.