Roger Varian is hoping Royal Ascot winner Eldar Eldarov can provide the yard with a second victory in the Cazoo St Leger on Saturday.
Varian, who won the race with Kingston Hill in 2014, said “We’re delighted with Eldar Eldarov. He seems in great condition. He’s had a very smooth training schedule over the last six weeks or so. Since he ran in Paris everything has gone well. His works been good and he looks incredibly well in his coat and condition. One more strong workout this week ahead of the St Leger will hopefully go as well as we hope and we’re looking forward to running him.”
Eldar Eldarov has been lightly raced in his career thus far with just four starts to his name, and was last seen finishing fourth in the Grand Prix De Paris (Group1) at Longchamp in July. Varian, however, is not concerned that the lengthy gap between races will be a problem.
Varian said “He only had the one start as a two-year-old and he was just a bit slow to come to hand this spring. He’d won so well at Nottingham in October we’d hoped to get him to a Derby trial, and that just didn’t happen as he was slow coming out of the winter. He took a while to thrive. He ran in a novice race at Newcastle towards the end of May where he won under a penalty, then he went onto Royal Ascot and won the Queen’s Vase. The Queen’s Vase was a tough race; from there he went to Paris. It was during a really hot week, I think the temperature recorded was thirty six degrees when they were racing in Paris. To travel out there and travel back in extreme temperatures and have quite a tough race we felt he didn’t need to race at Glorious Goodwood. I felt going to York would come a bit close to the Leger. I was happy that we could train him into the St Leger off a reasonable gap and I think he goes well fresh.”
Eldar Eldarov has already provided the Varian yard with big race success this season, having won a thrilling race in the Queens Vase (Group 2) at Royal Ascot over a mile-and- six-furlongs. A return to that trip on Saturday, having run over two furlongs shorter at Longchamp, is sure to suit the son of Dubawi.
Varian Said “We were confident he would run very well heading into Ascot. We saw him as one of our strong chances for the week, but Royal Ascot is such a tough place I suppose you’re never too confident. We thought he’d relish the trip, which he did, and we thought he’d run very well. It was a very close finish and you always feel a bit sorry for the second in those circumstances, but we were delighted to win. I thought his run in the Grand Prix de Paris was a fair performance, I don’t think he disgraced himself. I’m not sure whether he was at his best or whether he showed that day he was a real staying horse. He’d won over one-mile-and-six-furlongs at Ascot and looked as though he needed every yard of it but over the mile-and-a-half at Longchamp the ground was very quick; it was a speed test over a trip. He was only just getting going as they crossed the line, I don’t think he disgraced himself, he ran fine, he just showed us he isn’t that type of horse. I’d love the ground to be good, good to soft or even just a bit of juice in the ground would bring out the best in him.”
Eldar Eldarov will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Kingston Hill, who provided Varian with his first classic success when winning the St Leger in 2014. Kingston Hill was sent off the 9/4 favourite that day and went on to win by a length and a quarter. It is a day Varian looks back on with fond memories.
Varian said “It seems a long time ago that Kingston Hill won the St Leger. You say eight years, and eight years doesn’t sound long but it feels a long time ago. I just remember relief that day. Although we look back on it with joy, I was relieved. He was a strong favourite. I’m not sure there was pressure as such but there was internal pressure to win that race and you don’t go into classic races too often with a favourite. I was delighted to see Kingston Hill win for connections, Paul Smith, and his family. For us to notch a classic winner very early in our training career was good to have on the CV so that was a great day. It was very special day and he was a special horse.”
Despite Varian hoping Eldar Eldarov can match Kingston Hills success he does not see many similarities between the two horses.
“I would say Kingston Hill and Eldar Eldarov are a bit different to each other. Kingston Hill was a great big solid, improving horse. He ran second in a Derby and fourth in an Eclipse. He really brought group one form into the race and was a deserving favourite. Eldar Eldarov has been a bit more unfurnished in the early part of his career and he’s just starting to flourish now. Kingston Hill didn’t race past three, but I would hope Eldar Eldarov will be better as a four-year-old and even better as a five-year-old. I just hope he’s the type of horse who’s only just starting out on his career. I think he’s worthy of his place in the St Leger line-up. I think the Queen’s Vase has been a true St Leger trial over the last eight or nine years. On that day he demonstrated a lot of battling qualities, and a lot of strength and stamina. Those are the sort of qualities you need, and should play to his strengths on Saturday.
“It would be great to win another Cazoo St Leger. We love winning big races, we love competing in the big races. They’re very special and the classics are a notch above. It’s a very important day for the yard and it would be wonderful to win another one.”
Photo Credit: Grossick Racing Photography
