Nine entries have been received for the 1m6f Betfred St Leger (G1) at Doncaster this Saturday, the final Classic of the season worth £396,000 to the winner, including Royal Ascot winner Desert Hero for The King and Queen.
The King George V Stakes winner gave His Majesty the King a first Royal Ascot winner since he inherited the royal silks. He then took another step forward from that success when he followed up in the Gordon Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival last time out. As he steps up to 1m6f for the very first time, he will be partnered by a man who already knows what it takes to win this contest in Tom Marquand.
Marquand said: “He ticks all the boxes of what you want from a Leger horse. It’s 1m6f but he has speed, he stays, he relaxes right and he’s with the right team, so fingers crossed we get a good draw and the right trip around.”
John Gosden is searching for a sixth win in this contest, having won the race for the first time with Shantou in 1996 and most recently with Logician in 2019. John will be looking to win the race for the first time since he has held a dual-license with son Thady.
Gregory, currently 5/2 favourite with sponsors Betfred, lost his unbeaten record when only third to Continuous in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month, but Gosden remains positive about the chances of the Wathnan Racing-owned colt.
Gosden said: “He went a little quick early. When I saw the early fractions, I thought ‘we’ve just gone inside 12 seconds for a furlong’. You’re not going to do those fractions over the first three furlongs and finish your race. It was obvious where the winner came from, he was 20-lengths out the back. He actually ran a very good race and when Frankie put his hands down he galloped out well to the line.”
He added: “I’m very pleased with him at this stage, he seems in great order and very content in himself. He’s got a great mind and he is a pretty laid-back character. I trained both the mother and father and he’s inherited all their good traits of their mental attitude towards racing.”
Gregory will be joined by Middle Earth, who has been supplemented for the race by owners Qatar Racing, following his impressive victory in the Melrose Handicap at York.
Gosden said: “Middle Earth ran a lovely race in the Melrose and I’m really happy with him. He has a very strong likelihood all being well with his bloods and scopes to be supplemented. I think Oisin (Murphy) was very impressed with him. He hit the line strong. Qatar Racing have won the race before and I think their game to go. It’s the last Classic of the year and it’s three-year-old’s over a trip. He’s proven he stays the trip which let me tell you, the 1m6f and the yards tests the tactical speed and the stamina. He looks like he should be able to answer those two calls.”
Arrest, sent off favourite for the Betfred Derby in June, could also line up after he got back to winning ways with an impressive victory in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, although Gosden confirmed that his participation would be dependent on the state of the ground at Doncaster.
“We’re very pleased with Arrest, he took his race very well at Newbury. He’s in top order but I think if it’s good-to-firm at Doncaster I think you’ll find him heading to Paris for the Prix Chaudenay rather than Doncaster. He’s a lovely horse but he rolls his knee and he’ll enjoy more what I call the autumn ground.”
The Aidan O’Brien-trained Continous is one of four entries in the race for Ballydoyle who have also engaged Alexandropoulis, Tower Of London and Denmark.
O’Brien, who recently recorded his 4,000th career winner as a trainer said: “Continous is very well. He came out of the race (Great Voltigeur Stakes) very well. He’s a horse that has class and you can take your time with over one-mile-and-six furlongs.”
He added: “Tower Of London just got beat at Newmarket. He will get the trip, he’s a brother to Capri. He handles good ground and we’re very happy with him. Alexandroupolis was second in a Derby Trial and then suffered a setback. We’ve always liked him and think he’s come forward plenty from his last run but will probably come forward more after this.”
The Simon & Ed Crisford-trained Chesspiece finished just a neck behind Desert Hero when the pair met on the Sussex Downs at the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Connections of the ultra-consistent three-year-old will be hoping the Glasgow Stakes (Listed) winner will be a major player on that form.
Ahead of the start of the four-day meeting, Doncaster Clerk of the Course, Paul Barker issued an update on ground conditions.
Barker said: “We are currently good on the straight course and good, good to soft in places on the round course. We had a few thundery showers over the weekend, but are sunny today, with the potential of some more showers tonight and tomorrow.
Racing on Thursday and Friday are set fair, with some showers forecast Friday evening, into Saturday."
Betfred will sponsor the St Leger this year for the very first time. Mark Pearson, Head of Media at Betfred, said: “Although only nine go forward at this entry stage, it is a stellar cast that has remained for Betfred St Leger honours this Saturday. With eleven Betfred St Leger wins between them, it is hardly surprising that Aidan O’Brien and John and Thady Gosden dominate both the entries and market for this year’s renewal. Gregory remains the favourite at 5/2 as he bids to give Frankie Dettori a seventh Betfred St Leger on a final classic ride for the Italian.”
He continued: “His supplemented stablemate, Melrose winner Middle Earth, is 6/1. Aidan O’Brien is also bidding for a seventh Betfred St Leger and his Great Voltigeur winner Continuous is shortest of his quartet at 3/1. A win for either of those would be a fantastic story, so too would a Royal winner if Desert Hero, 5/1 with Betfred, win for Their Majesties The King and Queen, a first classic success in those famous silks for 46 years when Dunfermline won this very race.”
Latest Betfred St Leger odds: 5/2f Gregory, 3/1 Continuous, 5/1 Desert Hero, 6/1 Arrest, Middle Earth, 12/1 Chesspiece, 14/1 Tower Of London, 33/1 Alexandroupolis, Denmark.
