Two St Legers take place tomorrow with ten set to face the starter in the English version at 3.20 while eight go to post in the Irish equivalent twenty five minutes later.
Doncaster plays host to the 233rd running of the world's oldest Classic horse race; tradition has it that the first born child on the day of the race is granted life membership of the track on reaching the age of sixteen. Racing may well have tradition aplenty but, as today's Daily Telegraph reports, all is far from rosy in racing's garden. On paper Rewilding looks to have this renewal at his mercy and has been priced up accordingly - this evening the layers go 8/1 bar the Godolphin hotpot. A couple of quick stats - six favourites have obliged in the last decade while only six fillies have won the race since the war, the last to do so being User Friendly in 1992. Having said that the last six Oaks winners have finished in the places so Snow Fairy may make some appeal as an each-way wager (8/1) although connections admit they don't know whether she'll stay the trip and are unlikely to let their charge take her chance should heavy ran arrive before the off. James Given's Dandino is progressive but I'm not really inclined to get involved; if I relent I'll consider Sir Michael Stoute's Total Command each-way at 33/1. [How often do you seen one at that price for this trainer? Well, twice in the last month actually!] The Sadler's Wells colt didn't appear to stay the trip when third in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and is forgiven his ninth in the Voltigeur behind Rewilding as the trainer reported his charge had suffered from a skin and joint infection before York and as a consequence needed the outing.
The Irish St Leger at the Curragh looks a more competitive affair with several layers going 9/4 each of two Profound Beauty and Sans Frontieres. John Dunlop's bay gelding Tactic (8/1) beat the first-named over course and distance at the end of June but has since disappointed in the Goodwood Cup and current stable form is poor. Jeremy Noseda expects a big run from Sans Frontieres who looked good winning the Geoffrey Freer on soft ground at Newbury last time out; connections will consider a tilt at the Melbourne Cup if all goes well here. In a trappy-looking race, I side with Dermot Weld's Profound Beauty.
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I didn't play in the Doncaster Leger and considerd myself lucky as 12/1 chance Arctic Cosmos came home an impressive winner.
At the Curragh Pat Smullen gave selection Profound Beauty (5/2) every chance with a great ride, getting to the front just before the furlong pole but his mount had no answer to Sans Frontieres (13/8f). The winner was worth a lot more than the bare three quarters of a length recorded in the form book.
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