Krone back for Legends outing with sights on repeat win

A remarkable achievement for the pint-sized 49-year-old Hall of Fame rider whose professional career was cruelly curtailed by injury nearly a decade ago, the American hopes to make it two out of two in the charity race that features a field of distinguished ex-riders, including Mick Kinane of Sea The Stars fame.

This popular race – now firmly established as the traditional curtain-raiser to the four-day Ladbrokes St Leger Festival – is a major fundraiser for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund and Jack Berry’s continuing quest to build a dedicated facility for stricken riders in Malton.

Princess Anne, the charity’s patron, will be in attendance today where the auction prizes, in aid of both The House That Jack Built and the Northern Racing College, will include the saddle used by Lester Piggott when he won his first race aboard The Chase in 1948.

It is indicative of the cause’s importance that Krone, the first female jockey to win a Triple Crown race in the USA when Colonial Affair landed the 1993 Belmont Stakes, has been persuaded to come out of retirement once again.

Buoyed by her winning reception 12 months ago, she partners Richard Fahey’s Sunnyside Tom and cannot wait for the race that will have added poignancy following last week’s death of John Oaksey, the IJF’s founder and inspiration.

“I love being in England but it’s just a shame about the weather,” said Krone, who was also the first female rider to win a Breeders’ Cup when Halfbridled conquered Santa Anita in 2003.

“My mother-in-law is nearly 80 and when I left she said ‘good luck and go and win it’ and when I told her that as I won it last year I didn’t think I’d be so lucky again, she said I shouldn’t be going if I didn’t want to win it.

“We had a similar race to this back home a few years ago with the likes of Gary Stevens and Chris McCarron taking part, a lot of the Hall Of Fame jockeys, and it was great for us all to get together for charity.

“Whenever you take part in something like this, you have a couple of breezes just to get the feeling of being back on a horse again and all the training makes your muscles hurt.

“It’s really worth it, though, when you see the kids’ faces at the Northern Racing College or when you see Jack’s House. What we’re doing doesn’t seem such a big thing at all.

“To turn out in something like this makes me feel really honoured. I might find it tougher to win this year what with Mick Kinane in there. I’ve met him a few times and we’ve already had a catch up. He’s such a gentleman.

“I was asking him about what he misses most since he retired and he said it’s simply riding a thoroughbred – there is no feeling like racing.”

Krone’s love of racing comes despite her career being blighted by injury. She suffered a double back fracture in 2003, before bouncing back to win the Breeders’ Cup.

Weeks after that landmark win, one of 3,704 successes, she suffererd rib injuries and muscle tears in her back that proved career-ending. At just 4ft 10ins, she decided to put her family first, giving birth to a daughter in 2005.

“I’m here for nine days and I’m hoping to take in a few sights. Most of all I want to get down to Newmarket to visit Frankel, I really can’t wait for that,” she added. “Just to be involved in something like this really is an honour and to be asked back was great, I couldn’t turn them down.

Michelangelo is likely to wear blinkers for the first time in the Ladbrokes St Leger on Saturday.

John Gosden fitted Arctic Cosmos with the same headgear when he landed the Town Moor Classic two years ago and the trainer is set to repeat the trick this weekend.

“I think Michelangelo would be a strong possibility (to wear blinkers) for the same reason as Arctic Cosmos,” said the trainer.

“He’s a very genuine horse but he’s quite dreamy and lacks focus. I’ve popped them on him, William was happy with them on, just to give him focus.”

Michelangelo is set to be joined by pacemaker Dartford, as well as his Great Voltigeur Stakes-winning stablemate Thought Worthy.

Gosden is seeking to not only foil Camelot’s quest for the Triple Crown, but also to complete a hat-trick in the race after Masked Marvel’s triumph 12 months ago.

Though some enclosures are already sold out for Saturday, there are tickets still available for the Grandstand and Family Enclosure. Log onto the track’s website for further details.

Meanwhile the Queen’s Royal Ascot winner Estimate heads a field of nine for the DFS Park Hill Stakes over the full St Leger course tomorrow.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly took the Queen’s Vase at the Royal meeting and was third behind another contender, Wild Coco, at Glorious Goodwood last month.

It will be a rare ride in the Royal silks for champion jockey Paul Hanagan who replaces the injured Ryan Moore in the saddle.

Mark Johnston’s dual Group One winner Jukebox Jury has been retired.

The six-year-old dead-heated with Duncan in last year’s Irish 
St Leger for the Middleham trainer, but he has not run since finishing 20th in the Melbourne Cup last November when he sustained an injury.

Owner Alan Spence’s son Mike tweeted: “Jukebox Jury has been retired after suffering another setback.

“Horse of a lifetime. Two G1s, Four G2s and a G3. Hopefully he can find somewhere nice at stud for his retirement.”