Jockey Jim Crowley delighted at St Leger ride on Crystal Ocean

After finishing third to Mark Johnston’s subsequently ill-fated Permian in both the Dante Stakes at York and in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, Sir Michael Stoute’s colt emerged as a leading contender for the season’s final Classic when landing the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood last month. Crowley is being rewarded after partnering the Stoute-trained Ulysses to Group One successes in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown and then York’s Juddmonte International.

Crystal Ocean was ridden at York and Ascot by Andrea Atzeni, who looks set to ride the Roger Varian-trained Defoe at Doncaster.

Ryan Moore steered Stoute’s charge to his Goodwood victory, but he will almost certainly be claimed to ride instead for Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore on Town Moor.

“I’m very happy. I rode the horse this morning, he went really well and I was very impressed,” said Crowley.

“I’ve been lucky enough to pick up a couple of nice rides for Sir Michael this year and I’m looking forward to riding this horse at Doncaster.”

However soft ground means Limato is “very doubtful” for the 32Red Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

The five-year-old has struck twice at Group One level, having landed both the July Cup at Newmarket and the Prix de la Foret at Chantilly last season.

He has failed to add to his tally this term, but showed promising form of old when chasing home Harry Angel in this year’s July Cup.

“It is very doubtful he’ll run at Haydock. He’s in good form, but I think the ground will be too soft and there’s more rain forecast,” said pessimistic trainer Henry Candy.

Limato also holds an entry in the Garrowby Stakes at York on Sunday,.

But, Candy added: “Unfortunately, I think the same applies to York on Sunday, which is a shame, as that would have been a nice race for him as he didn’t have a penalty in that.”

Meanwhile, officials at Haydock have brought the Sprint Cup forward so the race can be run on the freshest possible ground.

The feature event was originally scheduled to be run as the sixth race at 4.10pm, but will instead take place at 2.25pm.

Talaayeb could go for the Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster on Saturday, September 16 following her success at York’s Ebor meeting.

The three-year-old filly, trained by Owen Burrows, is reported to have recovered well from her victory in the Group Three City of York Stakes and connections are now giving consideration to the seven-furlong contest on Town Moor.

“You’ll possibly see her in the Park Stakes at Doncaster,” said Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

“We’ll see how she is, but, touch-wood, Owen seems happy with her. She’s come out of her race really well.”

Two of the leading racing journalists of recent years are remembered at Thirsk’s Ladies Day meeting on Saturday with the unveiling of commemorative benches outside the weighing room at the North Yorkshire track.

Ray Gilpin, the former Northern correspondent of the Racing Post and Tom O’Ryan, whose career took him from jockey to race-reader for Raceform to journalist and latterly presenter for Racing UK, both made huge contributions to racing in the county.