CHARLIE Lister has been under the weather this week. Suffering from a cold, he missed the traditional Greyhound Derby lunch on Wednesday but that will have suited the legendary trainer as he likes to keep his cards close to his chest.

Lister, who is based at North Clifton near Newark, has the scars and the trophies to show for his 30-odd years involved with greyhound racing.

He has battled his way through the hard times to train four English Greyhound Derby winners.

His courage and skill have helped him to a string of victories around most of Britain and Ireland's dog tracks.

Some Picture started the English Derby ball rolling in 1997, Rapid Ranger then won the race two years running in 2000 and 2001 and Farloe Verdict scampered home in 2003 at the generous odds of 12-1.

He has two dogs, Fear Zafonic and Farloe Reason, in tonight's £100,000 Blue Square Greyhound Derby at Wimbledon.

Lister's calm exterior rarely, if ever, gives anything away. His thoughts are between him and his dogs but tonight he stands on the threshold of history if either dog takes the Blue Riband.

Leslie Reynolds trained the winner of the race five times back in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

"It was easier to win the Derby back then than it is now," said Lister. "It was different back then, there wasn't so many heats leading up the final.

"There are 140-odd dogs now starting out and they have to battle their way through a lot of heats."

Lister will travel his dogs down to Wimbledon this morning, happy with the draw they have been give in the final.

"We got the traps we wanted," he said. "Fear Zafonic is all right in trap one. He's a bang railer and always wanted trap one.

"He is a much better dog in trap one and it will be the first time he's had it in this event.

"I know he is good enough to win if he comes away. I've always said that.

"The other dog seems all right in trap three but you still need to have that bit of luck in the final."

He insists there is not a lot to chose between Fear Zafonic and Farloe Reason.

Lister said: "They both go there with big chances and whichever one handles the occasion best, will probably run the best race."

Even though he has won the race four times before, Lister finds it difficult to compare his winners to this year's challengers.

He said: "It's hard to compare dogs, they are both goodish dogs. When you go into a race like the Derby, there is a big roar when the hare comes round the Derby turn. Some dogs are okay and some dogs just can't handle it.

"You just have to have that bit of luck and hope that things go okay."

The bookies definitely fear a victory for Fear Zafonic. Ladbrokes' Richard Harkness said: "Fear Zafonic is a liability and a pretty bad one as he is a popular dog and was the outright favourite from the start of our betting."