Evening everyone...thought we should have some insight and build up in to Saturdays big race and Britains oldest classic. A year ago the Triple Crown-seeking Camelot was all the rage for the world's oldest Classic, but he suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Godolphin's Encke. (drug cheat) O'Brien seeks a fourth win in this classic whilst Gosden his fifth and Saeed Bin Suroor his sixth. All have representatives lining up. This season's renewal has a far more open look to it to me, with Excess Knowledge and Galileo Rock seeminly the ones a lot want to be on at this time. There is a question mark over the ground,as the weather is very changeable. I like the look of Talent. The only filly in the race, likely cut in the ground come race time and a horse that really looks like she will stay this distance, I really think she is a cracking each way bet at 16/1 having won the Oaks. Fillies also have a very good record in the race although the last one to win it was User Friendly back in 1992. Ralph Beckett primed Look Here to finish 3rd to Conduit in 2008 so will have gained valuable experience from that and I thought that was a pretty hot St Leger. Lets here some views on this race... Here are the runners courtesy of Sporting Life:- Cap O'Rushes His measure now looks to have been found after his accidental understudy fourth in the Irish Derby, when performing as pacemaker to the disappointing Libertarian. His turn of foot sealed a muddling Gordon Stakes but he underperformed on fast ground in the Great Voltigeur. He would need rain and might stay, but isn't good enough. Excess Knowledge He shaped like the best horse in the steadily-run Gordon Stakes, having not handled the track and been inconvenienced several times in running. Yet he ran Cap O'Rushes to a head in second on the line. Prior to that he was an excellent third against decent older horses over an inadequate trip. Lightly raced and open to more improvement, he boasts stamina and quality on both sides of his pedigree. A lot to like. Eye Of The Storm Unsighted since finishing second in the Sandown Classic Trial back in April - when signaling he wasn't then among Aidan O'Brien's first division of classic contenders - until beaten at Galway on Monday evening. Stamina should not be an issue, but appears an unlikely runner now. Feel Like Dancing He's progressing and his latest victory, when initially outpaced but staying on to win the Bahrain Trophy, indicated that he'd be well suited to Doncaster's galloping terrain and long straight. He needs to improve, however, but the extra furlong and a half will help. Foundry It was a belated start to his season but Aidan O'Brien couldn't have hoped for much better than Foundry's excellent second to Telescope in the Great Voltigeur on the colt's second-ever start. His pedigree doesn't shout 14 furlongs but is not bereft of encouragement either and he certainly got 12 furlongs thoroughly at York. He may not want the ground too fast. He's learning fast and a big danger to all if getting suitable conditions. Galileo Rock Since finishing strongly when third in the Sandown Classic Trial, hinting that he would have won in another half-furlong, this horse has had St Leger stamped all over him. He only enhanced that claim with an excellent, if well positioned, third in the Derby and resilient second in the Irish Derby, a race in which the other key representatives of the Epsom form badly underperformed. Rested since, this half-brother to the marathon stayer Saddler's Rock is back to win the race he was born for. Great Hall Withdrawn, perhaps prematurely, due to the rain that fell in the hours prior to the Melrose, Great Hall instead takes a large step up in grade here. He comfortably accounted for Debdebdeb and Hawk High last time out, but they were comfortably accounted for in the Melrose, too, so he will need to improve markedly again. The headgear he was due to wear at York is likely to be applied and that's a positive, as it should help him travel better in the early stages. Not a forlorn hope. Havana Beat A forlorn hope. (Sorry, Havana Beat fans: the gag was too tempting. He keeps finding trouble in running but is going looking for it in Group One class.) Leading Light Well ridden but still dominant in the Queen's Vase, conceding 3lb all round as well as winning, and not seen since. The drop in trip by a furlong and a half should be surmountable but more is required. Libertarian Gone missing since bombing in the Irish Derby, but it might be that the busy campaign he needed to prove himself worthy of a Classic shot was exactly what undid him at the Curragh. There is some encouragement for this step up in trip on pedigree and run style. The flat, galloping track will also suit him ideally. A big player if he can bounce back for his new yard. London Bridge Seriously likeable but not good enough. Ralston Road Stop. Beating. This. Horse's. Head. Against. A. Brick. Wall. Secret Number He's already outstayed his pedigree with a keeping-on third in the Great Voltigeur. Prior to that he met interference and may have been racing on a part of a track that was disadvantaged on the Wednesday at Goodwood. He's steadily improving but probably not quickly enough. Don't worry if he sweats on the day - he's done that before and run well. Talent Were it not for a shockingly poor run in the Irish Oaks, this filly might well be favourite for the St Leger. She hails from a family of classy and thorough stayers. She was progressive going into the Oaks and won that strongly-run Epsom classic by dint of her stamina. Trainer Ralph Beckett has said he could find no explanation for her poor showing at the Curragh. She worked unspectacularly to this uninitiated eye at Kempton last week, but it might well have been no more than was asked or expected. Forgive her one off-day and you must fear her.
Nice piece Captain. It looks an incredibly open event and,as you state,the ground conditions will as always be crucial. I intend to wait until Saturday before committing to anything.I don't think there will be any less value on the morning of the race compared to today.
It would be advisable to leave the St Leger alone until the morning of the race unless you want to secure good ante post odds about a mudlark that may shorten as fast ground horses defect. The favourite Galileo Rock may be diverted to the Irish St Leger or may end up not running anywhere at all because of soft ground. The weather forecast suggests that a band of rain is coming off the Atlantic, across Ireland and across Britain. That would mean that if they run Galileo Rock at either of its possible engagements the ground will be against it. With the question marks against most of the possibles it is an open race this year and on the probable going all I will be doing is watching.
Just had a look at the card and this, to me, looks like a poor St Leger. Assuming ground of good to soft or softer I'm going for Talent at 12/1. Foundry looks interesting but at 11/2, and only having had 2 runs, those odds do not appeal. Libertarian should run a big race
A little quiz question.....which horse finished second in the Lincoln, carrying only 6st 7lbs, but went on to win the St Leger?
PELEID finished second in the Ebor before winning the St Leger but I dont know the answer to your teaser Tam
Good morning, Stick. Wasn't Peleid ridden by Eddie Hide for Elsey? A bit of a surprise winner, if I remember correctly.
Morning all...no idea Tamerlo to your question.... I do know that if Talent wins it would be a nice story for jim crowley though who sat on the wrong horse in the oaks! Must have been a real sickener that! Talents great grandmother Bireme won the oaks too but could not run in the st leger due to an injury sustained on Dick Herns gallops. She never raced again...Maybe Talent will be able to gain some compensation for such bad luck. i am pleased the rain has come and have had a decent bet on Talent at 16s. E.W.. Took ante post NRNB. (which is kind of funny bearing in mind my views on ante post betting... still NRNB gives assurances)
Captain, good morning. Ah, Dick Hern, he knew all about "real stayers!" I particularly remember the 1965 St Leger. Lester Piggott said he would have beaten Sea Bird (riding Meadow Court) in the Derby if they'd gone another furlong. The most ridiculous statement ever made by a jockey! Anyhow, Meadow Court was heavy odds on for the Leger,and the going was really desperate- fetlock deep and the worst I ever saw in the race. I was in my last year at grammar school and my friend, Rob,was a Joe Mercer fanatic. Joe was riding Dick Hern's Provoke who'd won the Melrose Handicap at York, and Rob reckoned Provoke would see off the favourite and gallop him into the ground. Sure enough, Provoke powered well clear of Meadow Court at 28/1, and Rob got pissed for a week on his winnings. Happy days. How I miss the great stayers! Any of Dick Hern's Leger winners would make a mockery of recent poor quality Leger fields. PS. Re. quiz question (clue). How unbelievable that one of the greatest horses ever to set foot on turf lost the Lincoln carrying only 6st 7 lbs! But it was well before our time- 6 years before even my father was born.
Was he ridden by Frederick Allsopp (the only jockey I know to ride at a boys weight) but was late 1890's
