Clonbrien Treaty eyes history in third consecutive Irish St. Leger final

Clonbrien Treaty eyes history in third consecutive Irish St. Leger final 

Some greyhounds win races. A few win titles and once in a blue moon, a dog like Clonbrien Treaty comes along. 

This Saturday night at Limerick Greyhound Stadium, the near four-year-old star will stand where no dog has stood before - on the verge of a third straight Irish St. Leger crown.  

Trained by Graham Holland, Treaty lines up in this weekend's €30,000 Callaway Pro Am @ Stud Irish St. Leger Final aiming to do what no greyhound has done before. He first claimed the crown in 2023, defended it in 2024 with a record-breaking final run and now stands on the brink of a truly remarkable treble. 

"He's in great form and really enjoying his racing again,” said Holland this week. 

“Last year he had that gracilis injury which put him out of the Irish Derby and we thought we might never see him race again. He came back to reach the semi-finals of the Easter Cup before he stood at stud for a while, but when the opportunity came to bring him back, that spark was still there.” 

Holland admits he had a few nerves in the semi-finals: “He was in trap four last week and I wasn’t sure how he’d cope, but he ran as straight as ever. It’s a tough final on Saturday but Treaty’s always loved Limerick, that’s a big help." 

Treaty began his career in February 2023 with a second-placed finish in an ON1 Stake at Shelbourne Park. It took him six starts to get his first win but it came in the perfect timing with a dominant 28.31 quarter-final performance in the prestigious Con & Annie Kirby Memorial at Limerick. He went on to win the semi-final in 28.15 and the final in a thrilling 28.08 run.  

That breakthrough set the tone. He reached the final of the National Produce Stakes at Clonmel later that year, missing the break on the night. He made it to the quarter-finals of the BoyleSports Irish Derby and finished the year on a high with his first Irish St. Leger title - going unbeaten from start to finish. 

In 2024, Treaty returned to Shelbourne to win the Bresbet Easter Cup before heading to Towcester for the English Derby. The track didn’t suit him, but he still made it to the third round before bowing out of the competition.  

His fourth Classic win came in the final of the 2024 Irish St. Leger, where he made history by clocking the fastest ever recorded time in a St. Leger final in 29.28 seconds. The last greyhound to win back-to-back St. Leger titles was Time Up Please in 1971-72.  

He then tore his gracilis muscle before the start of the 2024 Boylesports Irish Derby. It was a question of whether he would return to racing or not, but he came back to record a fast 18.33 trial at Limerick for the 350-yard trip and later reached the 2025 Easter Cup semi-final. His owners then decided to retire him to stud. Videos from Riverside Kennels' social media announcing his retirement went viral - his farewell video clocked 65,000 views, showing that Treaty’s appeal stretched far beyond the track. 

After a quiet time at stud, it was Graham’s idea to bring him back for a crack at the 2025 Irish St. Leger and his owners were very excited. He returned with a 17.40 trial at Curraheen Park and his 'Guess Who’s Back' return video surpassed 75,000 views on social media, so it was clear fans were excited to see him return to racing.  

Since the start of this year’s St. Leger, he’s been showing that trademark early pace once again, with his standout performance coming in the quarter-finals when he clocked a slick 29.58. That said, his semi-final effort was just as impressive - especially after missing the break.  

At his kennel, he’s adored. “He’s incredibly intelligent,” say the Riverside team. 

“He always knows exactly where his kennel is. While most dogs are busy trying to swipe treats, he just trots back to his bed every single time.” 

“Despite his calm nature, he’s a creature of routine - always sleeping on the right side of his bed, no matter who his kennelmate is. At the moment, he lives with Sambo (Cheap Sandwiches), and they couldn’t be better suited to one another – the two most laidback dogs in the kennel! Their kennel must have the most Classic wins of any in the entire kennel block!” 

It's clear that he’s a star both on the track and off it. As he lines up once again at Limerick, Clonbrien Treaty adds another chapter to what has already been an exceptional career.  

Four Classic wins. A back-to-back St. Leger champion. Whether he wins or not this Saturday, his place in the history books is already cemented. But for fans, owners and the team at Riverside Kennels, one more fairytale ending wouldn’t go amiss.