Galileo Rock and Libertarian weighing up St Leger chances

The uncertainty ahead of the final Classic of 2013 came on a day when The Lark’s victory in the DFS Park Hill Stakes was overshadowed by Hayley Turner’s sickening fall when her mount Seal Of Approval clipped heels with another horse and crashed to the ground.

She is not thought to have suffered any serious injuries from an appalling-looking accident which drew sharp gasps from the grandstand.

Turner, who only resumed race-riding recently after breaking her ankle, was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary for treatment, though this was later described as a “precautionary” measure.

As for the St Leger, Galileo Rock – placed in both the English and Irish Derbies – is among 11 declarations for a wide open renewal.

However, he still holds an entry in Sunday’s Irish St Leger and trainer David Wachman says no final decision will be made until tonight because of the rain-softened ground.

“I want very much to run Galileo Rock in the Ladbrokes 
St Leger at Doncaster because of its prestige, prize money and the fact it is confined to three-year-olds,” he said.

The most significant of yesterday’s three withdrawals was the defection of John Gosden’s Feel Like Dancing which leaves his in-form stable jockey William Buick free to retain the ride on Libertarian for Godolphin.

This is a huge plus. As well as winning the 2010 and 2011 
St Legers in his first two rides in the race, the Northern Racing College graduate partnered Libertarian to Dante success at York and his fast finishing second in the Epsom Derby, pipping the aforementioned Galileo Rock on the line.

Libertarian was still trained at Leyburn by Karl and Elaine Burke when he was unplaced in the Irish Derby and tomorrow will be his first run under Godolphin’s Charlie Appleby, the novice trainer chosen to restore the organisation’s reputation after Mahmood Al Zarooni was banned for doping horses with performance-enhancing drugs.

“He was a horse that came on our radar after his Dante win,” Sheikh Mohammed’s racing manager Simon Crisford told the Yorkshire Post.

“We were talking to his then owner (Hubert Strecker) before the Derby and were in negotiation at that time.

“He’s had a hard campaign – three top races like the Dante, Epsom Derby and Irish Derby – may have taken their toll on a horse who did not run as a two-year-old because of his immaturity.

“He’s had a break and come back into training, but the jury is still out. Like Karl said before Epsom, he doesn’t show much on the gallops. There’s nothing physically wrong but I am telling everyone what I can see. There are questions that he has to answer.”

As well as Libertarian, Godolphin will be represented by Cap O’Rushes, the mount of last year’s St Leger winning jockey Mickael Barzalona, and Secret Number whose jockey Silvestre de Sousa was previously based in Thirsk before he joined Sheikh Mohammed’s roster of riders.

In other jockey bookings, top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien – who is seeking a fourth St Leger – confirmed that his son Joseph rides Queen’s Vase winner Leading Light while the lightly-raced Foundry is to be partnered by former champion jockey Ryan Moore.

With Galileo Rock’s participation in the balance, Leading Light or Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Excess Knowledge are the market leaders.

Yet the biggest St Leger clue yesterday was The Lark’s win in the Park Hill Stakes – she could only finish third in the Epsom Oaks to Talent, the only filly lining up in tomorrow’s Classic.

“In the Oaks she was a bit unlucky – she got trapped. It’s good she has shown what she is capable of,” said trainer Michael Bell. Whereas The Lark was a popular winner, the deafening silence which accompanied Morning Post’s 100-1 shock win in the Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes told its own story. The addition of first-time blinkers brought with it extraordinary improvement as Paul Mulrennan tacked across to the far rail on the outsider from Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan’s yard.

Owner Matt Morgan, who had placed a £10 each-way bet on his charge, said: “The horse is named after my father, Ivan, who passed away 15 years ago. He was a postman, and Morning Post has delivered.”

Wind Fire’s form imbues Brown with optomism

DAVID Brown has high hopes Wind Fire can prove up to the task in the Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster today.

The American-bred filly, owned by Qatar Racing, has been a good servant to her Rotherham trainer with a handful of classy performances.

As well as winning the Listed St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury, she has been placed in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and York’s Lowther Stakes.

“She’s a five- or six-furlong horse, she can do either. The ground’s a bit easier but I think it was a bit easier than good when she won at Newbury,” said Brown.

“She’s in great form and has never done anything but go forward and I’m expecting her to run well. The Flying Childers would be a good race for her to win. Let’s hope she can do it. I’m looking forward to running her.”

Olly Stevens is concerned about the rain-softened ground for his Windsor Castle winner Extortionist, but expects Green Door to be suited by the conditions.

Meanwhile Times Up will attempt to become part of an elite list of horses to win successive renewals of the Speedy Services Doncaster Cup.

His victory 12 months ago was one of the last in the stellar career of veteran trainer John Dunlop and his son Ed is now responsible for Times Up.

Two moderate performances at Sandown and Ascot caused Times Up to be given a break, and he made a far better fist of attempting to retain the Lonsdale Cup at York last month, finishing third to high-class pair Ahzeemah and Simenon.

“It sounds bizarre as we’re in September now but it feels almost like this is his second run of the season,” said Dunlop junior.

“He had some problems but he ran well at York and he looks in very good form. He has won races on fast ground and softer ground, the only thing he wouldn’t want is if it went too soft.”

This two-and-a-quarter-mile Group Two is even older than the St Leger itself but it is one race to have eluded Godolphin over the years.

They run Colour Vision, last year’s Ascot Gold Cup hero, who was only seventh in last year’s heat.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: “He has been training well but we would like to have seen the ground quicker as it will turn into a real test.”