Grosvenor Square was passed at the two-furlong pole, from where 11-4 joint-favourites Illinois and Jan Brueghel took control.
And it was Jan Brueghel, partnered by former Ballydoyle apprentice Sean Levey, who ultimately stayed on the strongest to get home by a neck and stretch his unbeaten record to four.
There was drama in terms of the minor honours, as Deira Mile went past the post in third and Sunway was fourth home, but those placings were reversed following a stewards’ inquiry.
Levey, who won the 1000 Guineas on Billesdon Brook in 2018 and this year’s Irish 2,000 Guineas with Rosallion, said: “You’ll take any Classic, any Classic at this stage. Another one on my belt.
“Absolute privilege to get the ride from Aidan and the team. He looks like a very nice horse, he gives me the impression he could be a Gold Cup horse next year maybe, but I’m sure they will find a nice place for him to go next.
Derrick Smith and Sean Levey with St Leger hero Jan Brueghel (Mike Egerton/PA).
“I think he’s just a baby, he’s only a young thing. He ran in snatches a little bit down the back, but I got what I needed from him.
“I thought he might stop if I challenged too early. I always knew I would head him (Illinois) when I needed to.”
Levey, who joined O’Brien as a 17-year-old before moving to England in 2011, added: “No doubt he (O’Brien) has been very good to me. I’ve got him a winner and he’s been happy to use me and give an opportunity like today.”
Co-owner Derrick Smith said: “It’s a great result for us and Illinois has lost nothing in defeat.
“I love this race and it has been a special race for me. We used to sponsor it with Ladbrokes, my son (Paul Smith) won it with Kingston Hill and I’ve seen my colours carried to victory several times with Capri, Kew Gardens, Continuous.
Jan Brueghel just edges out stablemate Illinois (Mike Egerton/PA).
“It means a lot to the Smith family this race, so I was always coming here today.
“I think if they’d gone quicker, Illinois might have done it, but I could see Seanie (Levey) was always going well.
“The winner is unbeaten and didn’t even run until May 25, it’s incredible. Sean said he’s still babyish and has a lot to learn.”
O’Brien was at Leopardstown, where he told Racing TV: “It was a great race and I’m delighted; the three of them ran great races.
“Jan Brueghel, after only having three runs, he was very babyish the last day but we thought he had come forward a lot. We knew it was going to be a big call to go and do it and he doesn’t do much (once he hits the front).
“Illinois also ran a great race and Sean Levey gave the winner a great ride. I’m delighted and it was a great run.”
Wayne Lordan had no excuses on Illinois, stating: “My lad galloped all the way to the line but the winner just kept going better.
“The winner is an improving colt but I couldn’t fault my lad.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/4b55b860-2e7a-43a6-96e1-bc96973ed012.jpg7101420Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-09-14 14:58:132024-09-14 16:30:17Jan Brueghel digs deep to give O’Brien an eighth St Leger
The St Leger is the oldest of the five British flat racing Classics, as well as the longest in trip at Doncaster racecourse.
Run over a distance of 1m6f and for 3 year-olds only this contest is targeted by horses that ran in that season’s Great Voltigeur, with 9 of the last 22 winners having ran in that York race before winning this, while in recent years with seen 9 winning favourites in the last 22 runnings.
Look out for John Gosden-trained horses as this powerful Newmarket stable has won the race four times in the last 22 years, while top Irish handler – Aidan O’Brien has saddled the winner of the St Leger seven times, including 4 of the last 11 seasons with Leading Light, Capri, Kew Gardens and last year with Continuous.
Also note any Godolphin-owned entries as they these famous blue silks have won the final English Classic of the season a staggering seven times.
Here at GEEGEEZ we've got all the key stats ahead of the 2024 renewal.
19/22 – Placed in the top 3 last time out
19/22 – Had 2 or 3 previous career wins
19/22 – Had never raced at Doncaster before
18/22 – Placed favourites
18/22 – Returned 8/1 or shorter in the betting
17/22 – Had won a Group race before
17/22 – Had won over at least 1m3f before
15/22 – Had 4 or 5 previous runs that season
14/22 – Had never raced over 1m6f or further before
13/22 – Winning distance of 1 length or more
13/22 – Drawn in stall 5 or higher
13/22 – Won last time out
13/22 – Officially rated 109 to 115
9/22 – Winning favourites (1 joint)
9/22 – Ran in the Great Voltigeur last time out (3 won it)
6/22 – Trained by Aidan O’Brien
4/22 – Trained by John Gosden
4/22 – Ridden by Frankie Dettori (6 wins in total)
4/22 – Won by a Godolphin-owned horse (7 wins in total)
3/22 – Ran in the Gordon Stakes last time out (2 won it)
3/22 – Ridden by William Buick
3/22 – Ridden by Ryan Moore
2/22 – Ridden by Andrea Atzeni
2/22 – Winners from stall 1
Godolphin have won the race 7 times
Aidan O’Brien has trained 7 winners of the race
The average winning SP in the last 22 years is 6/1
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Aidan O’Brien holds all the aces as Illinois, Jan Brueghel and Grosvenor Square bid to give him an eighth victory in the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.
Successful with Continuous 12 months ago, the master of Ballydoyle has taken home the trophy for the world’s oldest Classic three times in the last 10 years.
Illinois is attempting to do what Leading Light (2013) and Kew Gardens (2018) have done in the past and follow up victory in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot with Classic glory on Town Moor.
Last seen finishing a neck second to stablemate Los Angeles at York, he will be partnered by Wayne Lordan – who having twice won the 1000 Guineas on a Ballydoyle second string, now gets first pick with Ryan Moore required at Leopardstown.
O’Brien told the sponsors: “We’re very happy with him. We always thought he’d stay, he won at Ascot over a mile and six and he ran very well in the Voltigeur which we felt was a lovely trial for him.
“Wayne rode him that day and was very happy with him. Nice ground is important to him, he’s closely related to an Arc winner (Danedream) so he has a lot of class, we think and hope the Leger will suit him well. We would have run him in the Derby, but City Of Troy was there. We’ve had the Leger in mind for a long time for him.”
Another rider picking up a big-race opportunity for O’Brien is Sean Levey who spent his formative years based with the Tipperary handler and has excelled this season for his primary boss Richard Hannon aboard Rosallion.
He has already steered Lake Victoria to Group-level success for Ballydoyle this season and now partners the unbeaten Jan Brueghel, who showed plenty of fight to grind out victory over Andrew Balding’s Nashville Derby hero Bellum Justum at Goodwood last month.
Jan Brueghel (left) winning the John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)
O’Brien said: “He was very green the last day at Goodwood when the track didn’t really suit him, which can happen, but he got the trip well despite being the first off the bridle.
“We think he has improved a good bit since Goodwood. The form has worked out, it was a tough race for him but he dealt with it and was on top at the line. A long straight will suit him.”
The final piece of the O’Brien jigsaw is Grosvenor Square, an emphatic winner of the Irish St Leger Trial, and with stamina assured, he could attempt to put his rivals to the sword from the front.
“He could be very different, a difficult horse to deal with if you are riding against him,” added O’Brien.
“If you let him go he might not come back and if you let him go he might kill you. He’s unbelievable, he has an awful lot of stamina, a very high cruising speed and very genuine. He’s a very rare horse and I think he’s very exciting for people to watch.
“He will make the Leger a very tough race, I think people will want to watch him from everywhere because he wears his heart on his sleeve. We always felt making the running would suit him but he was too weak to do it earlier in the season.”
The sole filly in the field is also the only Classic winner heading to post, as Ralph Beckett’s Irish Oaks heroine You Got To Me lines up against the colts having been supplemented at a cost of £50,000.
It was ironically her effort when narrowly beaten in the Yorkshire Oaks that convinced connections to consider this contest and with her handler happy with both conditions in South Yorkshire and the filly’s well-being, the decision was made to roll the dice.
You Got To Me (left) winning the Irish Oaks (Niall Carson/PA)
“All things considered it seemed the right move and it was all to down to the filly’s well-being really. Ralph gave that the thumbs up just before supplementation time,” said Alex Elliott, racing adviser to Valmont, who own the filly in partnership with Newsells Park Stud.
“We go there with solid chance of hitting the board I think and if she could be placed or better in another Classic then all power to her.
“After the Curragh, Hector (Crouch, jockey) and Ralph felt they had a good handle on her moving forward and it looked that way at York. It was just about a career best at York.
“She’s had quite a long year, but if Ralph is happy and thinks she’s happy then we’re all for having a go. Hopefully the ground will hold and we’re all really looking forward to it.”
Deira Mile in action in the Derby (Bradley Collyer/PA)
Deira Mile was fourth behind City Of Troy in the Derby, but Owen Burrows has always felt staying would be his forte and the son of Camelot now has the chance to prove his handler right.
“There’s only five Classics each year, so they’re hard to win. I was fifth in the Guineas and fourth in the Derby, so hopefully we can go a few places better on Saturday,” said Burrows.
“It’s always good to have a runner in a Classic and if he could reproduce his fourth in the Derby then I think he will have an each-way chance.
“Staying looked his strong point in the Derby and he had to make plenty of ground up so I think the move up in trip will suit him.
Trainer Owen Burrows is dreaming of Classic glory (Mike Egerton/PA)
“It was a messy race at Windsor and only over a mile, three and a half. So I’m hoping this trip will suit him more. It wasn’t the end of the world to get beat and he has taken a nice step forward at home.
“It would have been a long wait to not run from the Derby and the Leger and he would have had to go and have a racecourse gallop somewhere, so I’m much happier to have got a run under his belt. Fingers crossed that has done the job and we go there with a nice each-way shout I hope.”
It would be fitting in the week Burrows’ mentor Sir Michael Stoute announced his impending retirement if he could follow in his footsteps and lift the St Leger trophy aloft.
Burrows added: “I was working for Sir Michael when he won it with Conduit. The only thing is it took him about 20 attempts to win it, so I hope it doesn’t take me that many! That was a good day and if we could get our name on the trophy it’d be great.”
David Menuisier will saddle Sunway in the St Leger (Simon Marper/PA)
Also bidding to honour their former boss is David Menuisier who spent time with John Dunlop before forging his own successful training career and after a year of near misses in the top contests, will saddle Sunway.
Speaking before this British Champions Series race, he said: “It would mean the world to me to win a Classic, and especially the St Leger, as it’s the oldest Classic and is the representation of what I really love – those nice, middle-distance staying races. Also it’s a race my old boss John Dunlop won a few times, with Moon Madness, Silver Patriarch and Millenary.
“I’m trying not to think about it. We try not to get ahead of ourselves, as we’ve burned our fingers before and it will be hard to win, with Aidan sending some proper horses, and a filly (You Got To Me) who could be good too, but it’s a challenge we are keen to grasp.
“He’s had a mini break (since Ascot) and a bit of a chance to grow into himself, and I’d like to think he’s in the best possible shape. I think if anything the extra distance could be a plus, although he’s not really bred for it.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/276576495-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2024-09-13 13:44:512024-09-14 06:20:08Illinois leading O’Brien’s team for glory in world’s oldest Classic
Frankie Dettori will don the Juddmonte silks when he makes his final British Classic appearance aboard Arrest in Doncaster’s Betfred St Leger.
The Italian has won the Town Moor showpiece six times throughout his career and struck in the colours of the Abdullah family with Logician in 2019.
Dettori was expected to partner his Royal Ascot winner Gregory in his last shot at Classic glory, but made a late switch to the John and Thady Gosden-trained stablemate after a wet week in South Yorkshire.
And it could be somewhat fitting that he bows out for connections who have provided him with some of the biggest victories in his career.
Jockey Frankie Dettori linked up Arrest to win the Chester Vase earlier in the season (David Davies/PA)
“Any time Frankie is on board is great and I suppose the association he has had with Juddmonte over the years has been so strong and we’ve had so many big days together that we can hopefully dream of another on Saturday,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for the owner.
“It would be special and it’s a hot race, it’s certainly hard to dismiss much in the race. They are all of a similar level and it’s definitely quality over quantity.”
The race offers Arrest the chance for Classic redemption having fluffed his lines when sent off favourite in the hands of Dettori in his final Derby at Epsom earlier in the summer.
However, connections believe they made the wrong decision to run the son of Frankel on quick ground during the height of summer and are hopeful their high-class colt will stay the stamina-sapping one-mile-six-furlong trip in his preferred ground.
Frankie Dettori after placing 10th in the Derby aboard Arrest (Victoria Jones/PA)
Mahon added: “In fairness to the horse, his record is pretty solid and we made two bad calls with the horse running him on good to firm ground at Epsom and Ascot. To be fair they were two big races and big meetings and we just made the wrong call and we’ve learned from that.
“We know he likes an ease in the ground and if you forget those two runs, then his record is pretty outstanding.
“It’s like everything, until you try it, you don’t know 100 per cent (if Arrest will stay). But it didn’t look like he was stopping at the end of the Geoffrey Freer, so you would have to think he will be fine over it. Over a mile and five and a half at Newbury he looked comfortable enough, so we just have to be hopeful he gets the extra furlong.”
Arrest is one of three for the Gosdens alongside Gregory and Middle Earth as the Clarehaven team seeks a second British Classic of the campaign.
Kieran Shoemark takes the ride on Gregory, who although tasting defeat for the first time in the Great Voltigeur, showed his liking for this trip when winning the Queen’s Vase at the Royal meeting before that.
Gregory (left) won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot (John Walton/PA)
“He’s got a great mind and he is a pretty laid-back character,” said John Gosden.
“I trained both the mother and father and he’s inherited all the good traits of their mental attitude towards racing.
“We gave him all the time he required and he’s done nothing but shine this year. I think he’ll enjoy the distance, although we are perfectly aware it looks like being a vintage St Leger.”
Middle Earth was supplemented into the contest by owners Qatar Racing having proven his class in York’s Melrose Stakes and the mount of Oisin Murphy ticks plenty of boxes despite stepping up markedly in class.
Gosden added: “He’s proven he stays the trip, which let me tell you, the one mile, six furlongs and a few yards, it is a long straight, it tests the tactical speed and the stamina. He looks like he should be able to answer those two calls.
“If you’d won a handicap in the style he did at York, that was a tougher race than some of the trials. If you’ve got the right horse at the right time and he handles the ground, then he has every right to be there.”
While the Gosdens field a team of three, there will be four from Aidan O’Brien’s all-conquering Ballydoyle string, including Continuous who lowered the colours of Gregory at York last month.
He is the mount of Ryan Moore and is joined by Bahrain Trophy runner-up Tower Of London, Alexandroupolis and Denmark as the handler searches for his sixth win the race.
O’Brien said: “Continuous is very well. He came out of York very well. He’s a horse that has class and you can take your time with over a mile and six (furlongs).
“Tower Of London just got beat at Newmarket. He will get the trip, he’s a brother to Capri. He handles good ground and we’re very happy with him.
“Alexandroupolis was second in a Derby Trial and then suffered a setback. We’ve always liked him and think he’s come forward plenty from his last run, but will probably come forward more after this.”
Godolphin are no strangers to success in this contest and their hopes are carried by Simon and Ed Crisford’s Chesspiece, who was only a neck behind the reopposing Desert Hero in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood and will relish the extra two furlongs.
“It’s a big day and he’s done well progressing this season,” said Ed Crisford.
“It’s a tough race, the St Leger, and there’s some good horses in it and he has a few lengths to make up on those higher-rated horses, but he wants every yard of the trip and it looks like being suitable ground for him.
“If he can improve a little bit, I’m sure he will be in the mix.”
Chesspiece (blue) finishing second to Desert Hero at Goodwood (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Chesspiece’s training team recently celebrated their first Group One success when landing the Prix Morny and now look to quickly follow up in one of the oldest races on the calendar.
Crisford added: “It’s exciting to be a part of the Leger, it is always a great race and to have a horse with a bit of a squeak is great.
“You will have to really stay well in the Leger – I think our fella will stay well and I think with the softer conditions, it will be a grinding sort of race. He’s there with a chance for sure.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Melrose Stakes winner Middle Earth will be a supplementary entry for the final British Classic of the season, the Betfred St Leger at Doncaster.
The Qatar Racing-owned Roaring Lion colt took the staying handicap in impressive style at York on the final day of the Ebor meeting.
He was also a winner on his previous outing when taking a mile-and-a-half novice event at Newmarket and was second on his two prior runs over lesser trips.
Ahead of the York win he was not a part of the Leger entry list, but the Knavesmire performance has inspired connections to pay the £50,000 needed to secure him a place in the field for the world’s oldest Classic.
The Gosden yard could therefore be well-stocked for the Classic, with Juddmonte’s Arrest, Queen’s Vase winner Gregory and Lion’s Pride – who beat Middle Earth at Kempton – all holding entries at present.
Thady Gosden said of Middle Earth: “He’s progressed well throughout the year, he’s always looked like a nice staying colt in the making.
Middle Earth after winning the Melrose Handicap (Molly Hunter/PA)
“Of course he won the Melrose, which is an impressive handicap, in good style.
“He’s got plenty of size and scope, he’s a horse that’s taken time to mature, as many three-year-olds do.
“It’s a fortunate position to be in, to have a few horse who could take up starting positions in the St Leger.”
https://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/6c25029f-fd41-48d1-8d44-afb9fd762eef-scaled.jpg12802560Geegeez Newshttps://www.geegeez.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/geegeez_banner_new_170x78.pngGeegeez News2023-08-30 16:19:432023-08-30 16:19:43Middle Earth will be supplemented for the St Leger
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