William Hill St Leger: Quotes from connections and Man On The Spot tip
Views from connections and a selection from tipster Man On The Spot ahead of the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster.
3.35 Doncaster - William Hill St Leger Stakes
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Views from connections
John Gosden on Logician: "He has been in great form since York. He is very much a work in progress and didn't start racing until late in life.
"I thought back in May he might be a Leger horse. He won a maiden down at Newbury, then a novice over a mile and a quarter at the July course and then a 0-90 handicap back at Newbury, when it was the first time Frankie rode him. He has come a long way in a short time.
"He stepped up again in the Great Voltigeur, and we were very happy with him. He's fine on top of the ground, there's no doubt he's a better horse on good, easy side of good, but that might go for a few others.
"He came to us pretty late, and I think giving him that time has benefited him. He is a nice horse to be around. He is a very relaxed character and has a lovely, long loping stride. I think the nice, long straight at Doncaster should suit him well.
"You always know you going into uncharted territories with a young horse like him. It is not like he has won a trial over a mile and three-quarters. He gives me the signs, as he is very relaxed, that he will stay well. I think it is a solid renewal. You have a horse in there that won the March Stakes and stayed on well. That was a race I watched carefully, because we were second in it (with Promissory).
"It will probably be an end-to-end gallop, and that is not a bad thing as it thins the field out. You can get trouble in running, and I remember a couple of horses that have been unlucky not to win there. I will leave all that to Frankie and the horse - they don't need any instructions. When you see the horses that are still rolling between the two-furlong marker and the one, that will tell us what kind of quality Leger it is."
Aidan O'Brien on Sir Dragonet, Il Paradiso and Western Australia: "Sir Dragonet is a horse that has plenty of class. He was just ready to start back at the Curragh. He got a little bit tired, which he was entitled to do. I was being very careful and gentle with him.
"He has never run anything less than a mile and a half, other than the last day over a mile and a quarter. We started him at a mile and a half and we think there is a good chance he will get the trip.
"I don't think he is ground dependent. He only ran on soft ground before Epsom, and that was good ground, and he came out of that perfect. There is no doubt his best run was his Epsom run.
"Il Paradiso stays very well and looks like a horse that will get a Gold Cup trip - he looks like he will get two and a half miles. I think he will be happy enough. He doesn't mind being ridden forward. You would be riding him like you are sure that he will stay and the other (Sir Dragonet) you will be taking your time with a little, I'd imagine."
Mark Johnston Sir Ron Priestley and Nayef Road: "He (Sir Ron Priestley) has got a lot to find, and it would have to be a career-best, but he deserves to be there. He has done nearly everything right in the lower grades, with the exception of Royal Ascot. Now he has got to step up to the big one.
"I never underestimate the Leger, because I've run some top horses in it and they have been beaten. We know he gets the trip, so we have no doubts about him there. Most of them in there will be getting the trip - they are class horses, so they should do. He stays the trip very well and is a genuine horse."
Andrew Balding on Dashing Willoughby: "He has run well at Newmarket on Goodwood on fast ground so he doesn't have to have it soft. He's run to a fair level all year and been really consistent, so I'd hope he'd run well."
Man On The Spot tip
LOGICIAN looks a worthy favourite for the final classic of the season. Still unbeaten, the grey won the best trial for this - the Great Voltigeur - at York without being asked a serious question. Nayef Road was a long way behind and will struggle to get any nearer over this longer trip. Three of the eight runners are trained at Ballydoyle with Chester Vase winner Sir Dragonet looking the pick ahead of Il Paradiso and Western Australia, despite a modest effort in a Group 3 at the Curragh after a break. Technician was only sixth behind Nayef Road in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood but appreciated the step up in trip in a Group 3 at Newbury and has each-way claims along with the tough Sir Ron Priestley. Dashing Willoughby won the Queen’s Vase and was fifth in the Goodwood Cup so stamina won’t be an issue but he may not have the pace of some of his rivals on the forecast quick going.
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