Aidan O'Brien dominates Doncaster's St Leger field

IRISH Derby winner Capri is set to lead the William Hill St Leger challenge of top trainer Aidan O'Brien.
Trainer Aidan O' Brien,  with his jockey son Joseph. Picture: Julian Herbert/PATrainer Aidan O' Brien,  with his jockey son Joseph. Picture: Julian Herbert/PA
Trainer Aidan O' Brien, with his jockey son Joseph. Picture: Julian Herbert/PA

The Ballydoyle maestro, who has already won the world’s oldest Classic on four occasions, is responsible for six of the 13 runners declared for Saturday’s showpiece at Doncaster.

Yet the pick appears to be Capri who has not raced since beating John Gosden’s Cracksman – the subsequent winner of York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes and possible Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe contender – in Ireland’s Derby at The Curragh in June.

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Capri missed his intended Leger prep race, the Great Voltigeur as O’Brien said the colt’s “scope wasn’t 100 per cent” – but the trainer now appears happy with the horse’s well-being.

“He seems to be in good form – so far, so good,” he added.

Even though O’Brien is responsible for nearly half the field, with his son Joseph also saddling Rekindling, the British challenge is a strong one.

Favourite is Crystal Ocean who provided Sir Michael Stoute with a 10th win in Goodwood’s Gordon Stakes last month. However soft ground would be a negative for champion jockey Jim Crowley’s mount.

John Gosden looks to win the St Leger for a fifth time with Stradivarius, who lowered the colours of Ascot Gold Cup hero Big Orange at Goodwood. Frankie Dettori is set to ride.

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And it would be remiss to discount Roger Varian’s Defoe – jockey Andrea Atzeni has a formidable big race record at Doncaster. As well as the last four runnings of the Group One Racing Post Trophy, he landed the St Leger in 2014 and 2015.

Of the outsiders, Andrew Balding’s Count Octave – the mount of Oisin Murphy – was only beaten a neck when the aforementioned Stradivarius won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot earlier in the season.

Seventy-year-old George Duffield – who won the St Leger 25 years ago on User Friendly – will ride Malton trainer Brian Ellison’s Soldier Blue in tomorrow’s Legends race at Doncaster.

The annual race sees retired riders compete and raise funds for both the Injured Jockeys Fund and Doncaster’s Northern Racing College. Former jump jockey Brian Harding–- synonymous with 1998 Queen Mother Champion Chase hero One Man – is among the debutants.

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Kevin Ryan is mystified by sable star Brando’s bitterly disappointing showing in the Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

The five-year-old never figured under jockey Tom Eaves and the Hambleton trainer said: “He’s fine. For whatever reason he just didn’t turn up.

“He had a bad experience at that course a few years ago when he won a handicap there, he burst a blood vessel, whether that was the case, he just didn’t seem himself.

“He’s home safe and sound and that’s the main thing.

Connections of Massaat are keen to have another crack at Ribchester in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot next month.

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The classy Massaat was third to Ribchester when Richard Fahey’s standard-bearer won the Prix du Moulin on Sunday at Chantilly - the Yorkshire horse’s fourth Group One triumph.

His trainer Owen Burrows feels a rematch at the Berkshire track may suit his charge. He said: “He ran a solid enough race against the best older miler around.

“Jim (Crowley, jockey) said Ascot would suit him better,” said Burrows.

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