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St Ledger Preview

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The final Classic of the season the St Leger was first run in 1776 and returns to its spiritual home at Town Moor Doncaster later in the month following much needed renovations to the course which necessitated the race being held at York last year when Sixties Icon ran out a comfortable winner for Jeremy Noseda and Frankie Dettori.

Some will argue that the race has lost a little of its prestige in recent years as connections of many of the leading middle distance three-year-old colts revert to 10f post Epsom as they seek the Holy Grail of Group 1 success back at that trip which adds considerable value to the colt at stud, especially with regard to the American market.

This years Ladbrokes St Ledger takes place on Saturday 15th September

Favourites (or joint favs) have won eight of the last 10 runnings of the oldest Classic in the world with the superpowers Godolphin and Coolmore having won three apiece during the period, and it is with the latter that we begin our search for the Ladbrokes St Leger winner of 2007.

It looks as if Coolmore will be represented in the race by Honolulu who finished an excellent second behind Purple Moon in the Ebor at York last month. With doubts surrounding the participation of Derby third Aqaleem, through injury, and Irish Derby winner Soldier Of Fortune, who looks likely to wait for the Arc, it hardly looks a vintage renewal of the race. Honolulu didn’t have the best of runs at York and, whilst he could hardly be considered an unlucky loser, deserves to be rated closer to the progressive Cumani inmate. Honolulu looks like making into a Cup horse next year (as long as he avoids Yeats) and the 9/4 on offer at www.betdirect.net may seem big come Saturday week.

The Gt Voltigeur also at York’s Ebor meeting is generally considered the premier Leger trial and this year’s winner Lucarno (4/1 with www.betdirect.net) is another must for the short-list. My one concern with John Gosden’s hope is that he travels so well in his races that he looks as if he would benefit from a drop back in trip on occasions, and I am unconvinced that he is crying out for a mile-and-three-quarters.

Mahler (7/1 with betdirect) was behind Lucarno at York but I think he can reverse the form at Doncaster as he looks sure to appreciate the step back up in trip. A facile winner of the 2m Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot previously he was done for toe at York but looks sure to make the final Classic a real test of stamina.

Aqaleem has the best form on offer having finished third in the Epsom Derby before meeting trouble in running when an unlucky loser in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood. He has had an interrupted preparation for the race, however, and should not be backed until his participation is confirmed. Owner Hamdan Al Maktoum has never had much luck in the race and it would be a surprise to me if he went to post. As a son of Derby winner Sinndar he would not want soft ground.

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