Ed Dunlop's Red Verdon set for York test ahead of tilt at St Leger

Red Verdon will be aimed at the St Leger at Doncaster in the autumn after his honourable run at Saint-Cloud on Thursday.
Red Verdon wins the Choice Teachers Handicap at Haydock Park in May this year. Picture: Tim Goode/PARed Verdon wins the Choice Teachers Handicap at Haydock Park in May this year. Picture: Tim Goode/PA
Red Verdon wins the Choice Teachers Handicap at Haydock Park in May this year. Picture: Tim Goode/PA

Ed Dunlop’s colt was supplemented for the Grand Prix de Paris – he was also added to the line-up for the Derby and its Irish equivalent – and was only beaten a length-and-a-quarter into second by surprise winner Mont Ormel.

All roads now lead towards the St Leger on September 10 – the final Classic of the domestic Flat season – but Red Verdon is likely to first run in the Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes at York next month.

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Dunlop said: “We were planning to sit in the middle but we ended up last and he took off from a long way back.

“In fairness, it looked like it was still going to be enough to win, and then he just flattened out a little. He hasn’t won a Group One yet, but, the way he’s going, he will win a Group One.

“We will put him away now and train him for the St Leger.

“We will probably go for the Voltigeur. We’ve finally outdone the supplementary fee and he’s beginning to prove that he deserves to be in this company.

“He made up a lot of ground and we’d have liked to win, but he’s getting closer.”

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Another horse who will appear among Tuesday’s entries for Britain’s oldest Classic is Harrison.

Mick Channon’s colt finished third in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket last time, indicating that the step up to the extended mile-and-three-quarter trip should be well within his compass.

Channon said: “I was very pleased with his run at Newmarket and I have always thought he is a horse who will improve as the season goes on. He is in the Great Voltigeur at York on August 17 but we could go straight to Doncaster with him.”

Royal Ascot heroine Even Song is all the rage to provide Aidan O’Brien with a fifth victory in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh.

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Epsom heroine Alexandrova provided the Ballydoyle maestro with his first triumph in the mile-and-a-half Classic a decade ago and he went on to win the next two renewals with the brilliant filly Peeping Fawn and Moonstone.

Like O’Brien’s most recent victor, Bracelet (2014), Even Song is bidding to follow up success in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot and the trainer said: “She’s in good form. She had a little rest after Ascot and we’ve been happy with her since.”

Even Song is the chief hope among four runners for O’Brien, with Munster Oaks winner Pretty Perfect and Epsom Oaks fourth and sixth Somehow and Seventh Heaven also in contention.

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