Tag Archive for: St Leger Festival

St Leger dreams dashed for Lazy Griff team

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Owners Middleham Park Racing have been left “gutted” after Lazy Griff was cruelly ruled out of the Betfred St Leger following a setback.

The Charlie Johnston-trained colt has been a standout performer for his connections this term and was due to head to Doncaster with leading claims after placed efforts in both the Derby at Epsom and the Irish equivalent.

He was as short as 4-1 second favourite behind Aidan O’Brien’s Scandinavia for the world’s oldest Classic next Saturday, with his team now having to turn their attentions to next season with the injury set to keep Lazy Griff out of action for the rest of the current campaign.

Mike Prince of owners Middleham Park Racing said: “He’s met with a setback. He was due to do his last piece of work before the Leger on Saturday but he’s now out for the rest of the season.

“He should be fine to come back next season but it is a bit gutting to get so close to heading to the Leger, where on paper he looked to have a really great chance.

“The syndicate are really gutted and they were all set to head to Doncaster next Saturday, but these things happen and are set to test us.

“It’s one of those things and hopefully we can get him back for next season. We’ll probably look to campaign him in those long-distance races and cup races, he is certainly of that level. Although everyone is a bit flat and disappointed at the moment.”

Leger Legends riders to this year include Derby and Aintree heroes

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Derby winner Adam Kirby, a Grand National hero in Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden and a former Cheltenham Festival regular in Denis O’Regan are among the names involved in this year’s Leger Legends race at Doncaster next Sunday.

First run in 2010, the likes of Sir Anthony McCoy, Kieren Fallon, Mick Kinane, Julie Krone, Barry Geraghty, Richard Johnson and Richard Hughes have all taken part down the years.

This year Kirby, who won the Derby as recently as 2021 on Adayar, and Madden, successful at Aintree on Numbersixvalverde in 2006, will be part of the proceedings along with the likes of Jimmy Quinn and Franny Norton.

Andrew Thornton, part of the organising committee, said: “We’ve got a Derby winner in Adam Kirby, Jimmy Quinn, Franny Norton – the King of Chester – Greg Cheyne – the South African who has ridden at the Shergar Cup, has been a leading South African jockey and is heavily involved with William Haggas and  Adrian Nicholls.

“We’ve then got Gary Bardwell again, Sammy-Jo Bell who will be trying to win it for what seems the 28th time! Shelly Birkett and Gary Bartley who rode Hawkeyethenoo for Jim Goldie.

“Then we have Alan Johns who won his last race, Denis O’Regan, who has ridden a winner on every jumps track in the UK and Ireland, I think he’s the only jockey to have done so, Jimmy McCarthy, (Niall) Slippers Madden who won the Grand National on Numbersixvalverde and Dean Gallagher.

“Dean of course is a work rider for Aidan O’Brien so we’ve had to tell him he won’t be going as fast as he does in a morning!

“Jody McGarvey, a dual Grade One-winning rider is coming over and Andrew Tinkler, who is another now associated with William Haggas, is also having a go.

“We’ll be having the usual lunch when everybody gets together and there’s also going to be an online auction selling memorabilia.

“We’re raising money for some equipment called Arca-Ex which is a non-invasive treatment of the spinal cord via electrical stimulation to help improve hand and arm movement.

“It hasn’t been patented over here yet, it has been in America, but it will hopefully give people hope who have had spinal injuries. If we can be a leading force behind this in something for jockeys, it might give them some hope. Anything is worth a try.”

Mark Johnston remembers Doncaster delights with Double Trigger

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Doncaster’s St Leger meeting will always spark memories of Double Trigger, despite him just coming up short in the Classic.

The achievements of Mark Johnston’s exceptional stayer are still lauded to this day on Town Moor, with the triple Doncaster Cup hero immortalised in statue form overlooking the parade ring around which he would once swagger.

And 30 years on from capping a phenomenal year by winning his first of three staying prizes in South Yorkshire, Johnston remembers fondly one of the undoubted greats of his era.

Double Trigger was a star for Mark Johnston
Double Trigger was a star for Mark Johnston (John Giles/PA)

“In 1995 we felt there was nothing that could touch him over those trips in the UK so we went there full of confidence,” said Johnston of his first Doncaster Cup success, which came in a season he had already claimed the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and its Goodwood equivalent.

“The ironic thing was he wasn’t champion stayer that year which was down to the way it was calculated and Strategic Choice was actually given it.

“Nowadays he would have been comfortably champion stayer as he had won all the Cup races that year and all the British two-mile and above Group races that season. It was very much his heyday.”

It was always going to be a difficult task for Double Trigger to recreate the halcyon summer of 1995 in the subsequent years, but the popular North Yorkshire-trained gelding with the famous white blaze would always reserve his best for his beloved Goodwood and the faithful on Town Moor.

He would win both events three times in total, bowing out in style when following up a final Goodwood Cup triumph with a fitting farewell in front of a vociferous home crowd who urged their hero on to one last victory and a day Johnston will never forget.

The statue of Double Trigger at Doncaster
The statue of Double Trigger at Doncaster (Nigel French/PA)

Johnston said: “His very last run was in the Doncaster Cup and we had started to have the odd soundness niggle so we had decided beforehand that might be his last run. It was great to bow out on top.

“I remember they had two different paddock sheets ready, one in case he won and one in case something else won and it was sponsored by the train company (GNER) who went and named a train after him.

“It was great times and of course Doncaster built a statue of him which is obviously still there.

“He won the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup in his last two starts and that was pretty special.”

Double Trigger would appear five times at Doncaster in his career and it was a year before establishing himself as a member of the staying elite that he would attempt to end Johnston’s quest for a victory in the St Leger.

Trainer Mark Johnston hopes to see son Charlie win the St Leger
Trainer Mark Johnston hopes to see son Charlie win the St Leger (Mike Egerton/PA)

He would ultimately finish third to Moonax in his Classic tilt, with Johnston also going on to end his career without holding the world’s oldest Classic trophy aloft, and the family curse in the Leger has struck again with son Charlie being forced to rule out Lazy Griff this year.

“I suppose one of the things that is often forgotten about Double Trigger is he finished third in the St Leger and people often think of him as a two-mile horse and an older horse but he was top-class as a three-year-old as well,” explained Johnston.

“I never won the Leger and it is a race that I would loved to have won and it will always be a frustration to me that I never managed it.”

Steve Cauthen recalls Triple Crown glory on Oh So Sharp

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It may be 40 years since Oh So Sharp sauntered to St Leger victory at Doncaster, but Steve Cauthen still remembers clearly the year the horse he calls “the best filly I ever rode” entered the legend of racing history.

1985 would be the last time the Triple Crown was achieved in Britain and Cauthen would be centre stage aboard Sir Henry Cecil’s all-conquering daughter of Kris, who not only was the catalyst of the American’s desire to step into the Warren Place hotseat, but helped cement one of the great trainer-jockey relationships of their era.

Cauthen would win the St Leger three times alongside Cecil during their golden spell in the mid to late 1980s, but it was Oh So Sharp’s fabled victory on Town Moor that stands head and shoulders above the rest.

“She was the best filly I ever rode and I rode a load of good ones too,” said Cauthen.

“I won the Leger three times and they were all good horses. As a jockey you love winning Classics, they are the history-making races, especially when you rode a filly like Oh So Sharp – winning it on her was ultra-special, and winning the Triple Crown hasn’t been done for a long time by a colt or a filly.

“I rode Indian Skimmer, Cormorant Wood, Diminuendo, In The Grove – a whole bunch of them – and a couple of them had their flashes of brilliance, but Oh So Sharp was simply the best and should never have got beaten.

“She was why I wanted the job at Henry’s having seen her win the Fillies’ Mile and I thought she looked exceptional, but I didn’t know just how exceptional she would turn out.

“She had character and could be feisty when she wanted to be but she had all the right attributes and the desire to win and she knew she was good which the best ones do – she’d walk around with an air about her.”

Oh So Sharp had already displayed her dazzling turn of foot to win the 1000 Guineas and nimble athleticism to blitz the opposition in the Oaks, before injury to Cecil and Cauthen’s Derby hero Slip Anchor opened the door for a Doncaster date with racing destiny.

Narrowly touched off in both the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes and at York when taking on the colts, it was fears of a long season beginning to take its toll rather than any nagging stamina doubts that was causing trepidation for those in close quarters prior to her bid for immortality.

Committed for home early, Oh So Sharp showcased the desire for victory Cauthen always knew lay inside his star mount, securing glory by a quarter of a length but more importantly sealing her place in racing folklore.

Cauthen said: “I always thought she would be fine at the trip and there was never much doubt about her stamina and never any doubt at all about her talent. It was just whether she was over the top a little bit as it had been a long year and she had run in everything and not missed many dances.

“We were hoping we still had her just about where she needed to be and I think she might actually have been over the top but she was still good enough.

“Her class helped her and she actually won really easily. She was always one of those fillies who once she would hit the front she wouldn’t overdo herself and the only time she had really run through the line was the Oaks. The rest of the time she was happy to just dillydally along.

“But she did have a big, long stride and her will to win was second to none – she always had desire and loved a fight.”

Oh So Sharp’s St Leger triumph not only made her the first fillies’ Triple Crown winner since Meld some 30 years previous, but also saw Cauthen pocket four of the season’s five Classics during his debut year as stable jockey to Cecil.

Reflecting on the remarkable journey with Sheikh Mohammed’s filly four decades ago, Cauthen added: “She had so much talent and the ability to accelerate and I will never forget that last 50 yards going up the hill at the finish of the Guineas.

“She was never travelling but when she met that rising ground and dug in she started to go and I don’t think anyone in the stands thought she had won because it was quick the way she finally came to life.

“I thought I might have just got there and as it turned out it was a micro millimetre between first and second, it was so close.

“Then the way she beat Triptych in the Oaks was special. Triptych would win eight or nine Group Ones and she beat her that day like she was tied to a post and she was such a grand filly.”

Oh So Sharp’s exploits not only hallmark the Kentucky Kid’s time in Britain, but have stood the test of time, with Cauthen remaining the only jockey to win the Triple Crown on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Meld did it 30 years before Oh So Sharp and Nijinsky of course did it as well, but in 70 years they are the only horses to win a Triple Crown in Britain and those types of horses are few and far between so I’m glad she still holds that accolade,” said Cauthen.

“Henry loved her and I loved her and when she got us off to a great start you could only dream she would win a Triple Crown, but she did and it’s something that hasn’t been done since and wasn’t done for many years before that, so she was special and such a lovely filly to be around.

“I was blessed to ride two Triple Crown winners and I consider Affirmed the best colt I ever rode and Oh So Sharp the best filly because they were horses who could do it all.”

Lazy Griff team waiting on St Leger jockey plans

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Owners Middleham Park Racing will have to play the waiting game before firming up jockey plans for Betfred St Leger chance Lazy Griff, with hopes William Buick might be available to ride at Doncaster.

Christophe Soumillon rode Charlie Johnston’s star three-year-old to win a French Group Three last year and was also aboard when he finished second in the Derby at Epsom, but with Ryan Moore sidelined by a leg injury, the Belgian jockey has been called up by Aidan O’Brien for the Irish Champions Festival on the same weekend.

Two-time champion jockey Buick partnered Lazy Griff when he finished third in the Irish Derby last time out, but on what will be a hectic weekend on the racing calendar in Ireland, Canada and the UK, Middleham Park’s Mike Prince admitted jockey plans will not be firmly in place until at least six days before the final Classic of the season.

“Obviously Christophe was going to ride, but he’s now going over to Ireland to ride for Aidan,” Prince said.

“We are just waiting really because it’s Irish Champions Weekend, there’s racing in Canada as well with Woodbine, so we are just waiting on some clarity on which jockeys are where.

“William, who rode him in the Irish Derby, obviously will have to see where Charlie Appleby is going and what he wants him to ride, so we aren’t going to know until Monday or Tuesday of next week.

“So we have to sit on our hands a little bit and see who is where, really. It’s a shame because there is top-quality racing all around the world on the same weekend. It’s a bit tricky. Come Monday or Tuesday, we will have a plan in place.”

Lazy Griff has placed in all of his three starts this season, with O’Brien’s Lambourn winning each Group contest.

The first of those came in the Chester Vase in May, a performance which led to Johnston setting out a plan for Doncaster and a possible fourth contest of the campaign between the classy three-year-olds.

“He’s had a nice rest since the Irish Derby and Charlie has been building him up nicely, he’s due to do his last piece of work on Saturday and then it’s all systems go for Doncaster,” Prince added.

“We thought we had a nice horse going into the season and then he obviously showed up well at Chester, but he’s run in the Derby and the Irish Derby – they were just both excellent performances.

“He had an excellent season so far and it is by no means over as yet.

“He’s by Protectionist – a Melbourne Cup winner – and the way he finished off in the Irish Derby, he was in his best work in those last couple of furlongs.

“This is the race that Charlie has had in mind for him since Chester really, so I think a step up in trip will suit him nicely and this spell of wet weather as well. Charlie’s gone on record saying that he doesn’t really want to run him on fast ground, but I don’t think he will encounter that at Doncaster now.

“The more rain the merrier, not that he wants it heavy, but the soft side of good and he’s got a good turn of foot and a bit of juice in the ground will suit him to a tee.”

Lambourn given St Leger focus

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Dual Derby winner Lambourn has been cut in the betting for the Betfred St Leger following confirmation from Aidan O’Brien that he is being aimed at the final Classic of the season.

While he was not the choice of Ryan Moore at Epsom, Moore did take over in the saddle from Wayne Lordan at the Curragh.

He was surprisingly beaten in the Great Voltigeur last time out when conceding a penalty, but in the immediate aftermath O’Brien was not despondent and said he was still in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe picture.

While he could still head to France with that race not until the first Sunday in October, he was cut to 7-2 from 5-1 by Coral for the Leger with Stay True, fourth at York one place in front of Lambourn, trimmed to 8-1 from 12s.

Surprisingly the favourite, another stablemate in Goodwood Cup winner Scandinavia, was eased to 5-4 from evens.

O’Brien said of his Doncaster team: “At the moment we’re thinking of three. We’re thinking of the horse that won the Derby, the horse that won in Goodwood and we’re thinking of Stay True.”

Leicester and Doncaster options under consideration for Zanthos

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Connections are considering the options with the exciting Zanthos after the prospect of soft ground scuppered a tilt at the Solario Stakes.

The €1million breeze-up buy lit up the July course with a dazzling display on debut, with trainers Simon and Ed Crisford open to taking on the colts in the Sandown Group Three.

However, put off by forecast rain and keen to ensure the daughter of Sioux Nation banks further experience on a sound surface, they will now consider a new route to high-ranking events at the end of the season.

Zanthos holds an entry for both the Rockfel Stakes (September 26) and Fillies’ Mile (October 10) on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, with the youngster’s team now weighing up a Leicester novice event on September 9 or Doncaster’s Betfred May Hill Stakes two days later as potential stepping stones.

Chris Wall, racing manager for owners Victorious Forever, said: “The plan was to run in the Solario, but we ducked out of that with the forecast and possibility of soft ground which it looked like being.

“The target is the Rockfel and it’s just how we get there as we feel she needs to have another run for experience and it’s then a question of where we do that.

“We could go for the May Hill over a mile which I suppose if she ran well in that, we could then bin the Rockfel idea and head straight to the Fillies’ Mile. Or there is also a fillies’ novice race at Leicester the same week.

“As much as anything, and obviously her well-being at the time is also paramount, but wherever she goes could be dictated a little bit by the ground as she’s a good-actioned filly. I’m not saying she won’t cope with slowish ground but she wouldn’t want very soft ground.

“We’re all looking forward to her next run and it’s disappointing we couldn’t go to the Solario as it would have let us know where we stood and we could confidently make plans for the autumn, but we can’t help the weather and we take that on the chin and move on.”

Mission Central accomplished in Curragh victory

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Mission Central blasted out of the stalls and never saw another rival to win the Heider Family Stables Round Tower Stakes in taking fashion at the Curragh.

The son of No Nay Never is a rarity in that he hails from Aidan O’Brien’s yard and has a blue-blood pedigree but is a gelding, having shown wayward tendencies when making his debut at Dundalk in April when only fifth of six.

Following a 120-day break he reappeared at the Curragh earlier this month and absolutely bolted up.

With Wayne Lordan replacing the injured Ryan Moore, by halfway Mission Central had everything bar Ipanema Queen off the bridle.

Wayne Lordan stepped in to replace Ryan Moore on Mission Central
Wayne Lordan stepped in to replace Ryan Moore on Mission Central (Damien Eagers/PA)

With a furlong to run Listed winner Ipanema Queen could not keep up, but Mission Central (11-8 favourite) clearly has a quirk or two still left as his head began to get a bit higher and he was beginning to pull himself up.

That allowed Joseph O’Brien’s newcomer The Publican’s Son to make rapid headway and close to within three-quarters of a length and while that was a very promising debut, the market leader held on.

“Wayne said, unusually, he was still green,” said O’Brien, who pointed towards an outing at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting.

“He said he was there at halfway and he was waiting. He said he has a lot of natural speed.

“He learned a bit today, he had to get down and knuckle down.

“I’d say he’s quick, five would be no problem to him, and that’s slow ground.

“Wayne said he felt he was only hacking and the lads in the race felt they were flying, that’s the sign of a speed horse.

“I suppose he could be a Flying Childers-type of horse, he’s very fast and I’d imagine that’s the type of horse he is.”

Hawk Mountain (left) gradually pulled clear to win the opener
Hawk Mountain (left) gradually pulled clear to win the opener (Damien Eagers/PA)

O’Brien’s Hawk Mountain looks a nice middle-distance type for next year having opened his account at the second time of asking in the John Ormonde Wexford Sand Irish EBF (C&G) Maiden.

Fifth on his debut, he made every yard of the running under Lordan to justify 10-11 favouritism.

He holds entries in the Beresford Stakes and the Dewhurst, but that would represent a drop in trip having won over a mile on this occasion.

“I’m delighted with him, he came forward lovely from the first day,” said O’Brien.

“He’s a lovely straightforward horse.”

Bow Echo arrowing towards Haydock next

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George Boughey is struggling to contain his excitement for Bow Echo, with Haydock’s Betfair-sponsored Ascendant Stakes on Saturday week pencilled in for the impressive Newbury winner.

The son of Night Of Thunder created a deep impression with a dazzling display in the hands of Billy Loughnane on debut, with the Newmarket handler now seeing the one-mile Listed event as the perfect next step in the career of the budding star.

“The likelihood is he will probably go to the Ascendant Stakes at Haydock, he started over a mile and I think that is probably where he will be staying,” said Boughey.

“He was very impressive on debut and a very natural animal who hadn’t done a huge amount of work beforehand and was mainly there to have a nice experience, but he looked pretty good.

“He’s hard not to get excited about as he’s a very natural horse with a great pedigree and to see him go and do that on debut was great to see.”

The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid-owned Bow Echo holds an entry for Doncaster’s Betfred Champagne Stakes on September 13, but stablemate Protection Act – who is also one from one after a taking victory at Haydock – appears more likely to head to Town Moor on St Leger day.

“There’s no harm leaving Bow Echo in the Champagne with weather changing and then see how we go, but Protection Act looks like going to Doncaster and he was equally exciting on debut, albeit in a slightly different manner,” added Boughey.

“The race has worked out pretty well and he was a decisive winner at the line having missed the kick.

“He is a horse who was very weak at the time of his debut and is still developing. It’s all a learning curve for him at the minute, as like Bow Echo he is going to be a better three-year-old and is still very raw.

“But if he relaxes like he did on debut then I think Doncaster will suit him well.

“It can often be a small field which is always a bit of a shame and I just hope we get a properly-run race. If we can get Protection Act there in the same form he went into his debut, then he should be competitive.”

Boughey is entitled to have high hopes for the smart team of youngsters assembled at his Craven House base which includes the classy Albany Stakes runner-up Awaken.

However, one who will remain in calmer waters for the immediate future is taking Windsor winner Hilitany who will be kept to novice company for his next start despite holding entries for both the Mill Reef and Middle Park Stakes next month.

“He’s a nice colt who is well-entered up,” continued Boughey.

“He’s probably going to stick to the novice route for now and we’ll see, he’s still weak.

“I was happy with him going into his novice win, but he’s a horse who is going to keep improving into the winter and into next year and we’ll take him step by step. He’ll definitely go to another novice before he steps up in grade.”

Carmers all set for Doncaster as 15 remain in final Classic

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Paddy Twomey’s Carmers will turn his attention to the Betfred St Leger after his fine run to finish second in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.

The Wootton Bassett colt arrived on the Knavesmire unbeaten in three runs, with a maiden and a Listed win followed by victory in the Queen’s Vase at the Royal meeting in June.

Stepping down to a mile and half for the first time in a field that included the dual Derby winner Lambourn with a penalty for his Ascot win, he did connections proud when beaten only a length, setting himself up nicely for a return to a longer trip in the Group One St Leger at Doncaster in mid September.

“We were very happy with him at York last week, finishing second in the Great Voltigeur on his first time dropping in trip to a mile and a half,” said Twomey.

“He travelled through the race well and hit the line strong, I thought it was a very good trial for the St Leger at Doncaster in a few weeks.

“On numbers it looked his best run to date, he’s a progressive horse and I think stepping back to a mile and six at Doncaster will really suit him.”

Carmers is one of 15 remaining in the hunt for Classic honours on Town Moor after the latest entry stage, with Aidan O’Brien responsible for over half of those to stand their ground.

Goodwood Cup hero and red-hot favourite Scandinavia heads Ballydoyle’s eight possibles, with dual Derby hero Lambourn also still in the mix along with Stay True after both finished behind Twomey’s Classic hope on the Knavesmire.

Surprisingly Minnie Hauk also remains in the Leger picture despite O’Brien’s suggestion she had alternative big-race alternatives, but stablemate Whirl is one of the more notable scratchings.

With Twomey and Joseph O’Brien’s Derby third Tennessee Stud making it 10 Irish challengers in total at this stage, it is left to Lazy Griff to lead a five-strong home defence made up from just four trainers.

Joining Middleham Park Racing’s dual Classic-placed contender among the potential runners is William Haggas’ Great Voltigeur third Arabian Force, Andrew Balding’s pair of Furthur and Melrose scorer Tarriance and Roger Varian’s Rahiebb.

Charlie Johnston banking on break in weather to spark St Leger dream

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Charlie Johnston is praying for rain, as he counts down the days until Lazy Griff goes for Betfred St Leger glory at Doncaster next month.

The Middleham Park Racing-owned colt has already given his connections a real thrill when placing in both the Derby at Epsom and Irish equivalent this summer, but Johnston has always felt the extended stamina emphasis of the oldest Classic would play to his stable star’s strengths.

Content to head straight to Town Moor fresh, Johnston was a keen observer of York’s Great Voltigeur Stakes last week. Although it is conditions in South Yorkshire that are giving him most concern.

Johnston said: “Doncaster is coming round quick, it’s only 19 days – not that we’re counting them down.

“All is good apart from the weather and surely this summer will end at some point and the rain will come because we will need it.

“It was a fairly easy watch the Voltigeur for us, nothing too scary came out of that and I think if we can get a bit of ease in the ground then we will be really looking forward to Doncaster.”

The defeat of Lazy Griff’s dual Derby conqueror Lambourn at York saw his Aidan O’Brien-trained stablemate and Goodwood Cup scorer Scandinavia harden as favourite for the final Classic of the year.

The Kingsley Park challenger is now 11-2 second-favourite with the race sponsors, a position Johnston feels is a fair reflection of his claims, as the Middleham handler relishes another crack at the cream of Ballydoyle on September 13.

Johnston continued: “Even before the Voltigeur, I knew where we stood with Lambourn and I could see reasons why we could reverse that scoreline up in distance and on slower ground.

“We have no idea where we stand with Scandinavia and we’re under no illusions that he looks to set a high bar.

“But I do think we’re rightfully second-favourite now and his biggest danger and we’re looking forward to that challenge.”

Aidan O’Brien eyeing Leger date for Derby hero Lambourn

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The Betfred St Leger appears to be the most likely next port of call for Lambourn after the dual Derby winner’s defeat in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien raised Britain’s oldest Classic and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as possible options for his Epsom and Curragh hero prior to his trip to the Knavesmire, but the son of Australia was beaten into fifth place at Group Two level.

The Ballydoyle handler houses the red-hot favourite for the St Leger in Goodwood Cup winner Scandinavia, but Lambourn is also under serious consideration for the Doncaster showpiece on September 13.

O’Brien said: “The Voltigeur was only a sprint down the straight and was a waste of a race really. They only hacked and it was just a day at the races.

“It is very possible that he will go for the St Leger. He didn’t even blow after the race. We just needed to get a race into him.”

On the same day Lambourn could be in action at Doncaster, O’Brien plans to saddle Delacroix for what he hopes will be a third successive clash with Ombudsman in the Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Delacroix was a narrow winner when the pair met in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown in early July, but Ombudsman turned the tables in a fascinating Juddmonte International on Wednesday after the latter’s pacemaker Birr Castle slipped the field before being reeled in late.

Of Delacroix, O’Brien added: “He’s good, hopefully it will be back to Leopardstown and hopefully John (Gosden) and Sheikh Mohammed will come (with Ombudsman), we’ll have something to look forward to then.

“York was just a Mickey Mouse race really.”

Aidan O’Brien still positive despite Lambourn’s Voltigeur defeat

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Aidan O’Brien was not too despondent after watching his dual Derby winner Lambourn trail home in fifth place in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur at York.

A mildly surprising winner at Epsom, he then doubled up at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent and despite giving weight away all round to his rivals, he was sent off the 4-5 favourite to confirm his position as the best mile-and-a-half colt of his generation.

However, Ryan Moore was hard at work from some way out as first stablemate Stay True loomed up looking a threat, before the Ballydoyle duo were swamped by Ralph Beckett’s Pride Of Arras.

The winner had scored impressively in the Dante at the track in May but finished well behind Lambourn at both Epsom and the Curragh and had subsequently been gelded.

O’Brien fielded four in the Group Two and they filled the final four positions.

Lambourn is now 5-1 for the St Leger with Coral as his stable companion Scandinavia hardened to 4-5 favourite for the final Classic.

“He went grand, they went steady and he’s lazy, I think it was a steadily-run race,” said O’Brien of Lambourn.

“All of them ran grand. The reason we ran Lambourn here was so that he had the option of either the Leger or the Arc.

“I don’t think the Leger trip will be a problem, we know he stays a mile and a half well.

“Ryan (Moore) said he felt like he got a little but tired but we’ll see how he is.

“Stay True ran a lovely race, he’s always looked a lovely horse for the Leger so it looks like he’ll be happy doing that.”

One horse who enhanced his reputation despite losing his unbeaten record was the Paddy Twomey-trained Carmers, the Queen’s Vase winner from Royal Ascot who was dropping in trip.

He got caught flat-footed when the pace quickened before staying on for second, beaten a length.

“He maybe didn’t get the run of the race but I think it was a very good trial for the Leger,” said Twomey.

“I think he’s learned more today than he had in any race he won. It’s a big run and back up to the mile and six (furlongs) will suit him.

“I don’t think the ground makes any difference to him.”

Furthur returns to winning ways with Geoffrey Freer triumph

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Furthur put himself in the Betfred St Leger picture when making an impressive return to Newbury in the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes.

A winner at the Berkshire track at the beginning of the season, Andrew Balding’s colt would go on to run with credit behind dual Derby hero Lambourn when fifth in the Chester Vase and then took the runner-up spot in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

He left a disappointing display at Newmarket’s July Festival behind here, with Oisin Murphy taking full advantage of the gap presented up the inside rail to send the 13-2 chance on to an impressive three-length win over David O’Meara’s 3-1 joint-favourite Epic Poet.

Coral cut the winner to 14-1 for the final Classic of the season at Doncaster on September 13, with Balding confirming that would be his intended next target.

He said: “That was much more like it and for whatever reason he was really disappointing in the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket last time.

“I think it’s because I probably ran him back too soon after Ascot, but that was pleasing to see him settle nicely and then quicken like he did.

“We’re hoping we’ll be heading towards the Leger now, that seems the logical next step and he’s proved he’s worthy of his place there. The nice thing is he seems to handle any ground and we’ll hopefully be in good shape at Doncaster.”

Middleham Park happy to be heading straight to Doncaster with Lazy Griff

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Lazy Griff is firmly on course for a third tilt at Classic glory in the Betfred St Leger, as he prepares to head straight to Doncaster.

Charlie Johnston’s charge has performed admirably in defeat on each of his three starts so far this season, finishing second in both the Chester Vase and the Derby before taking third in the Irish Derby, on each occasion chasing home Aidan O’Brien’s Lambourn.

Owners Middleham Park Racing considered a trip overseas in a bid for a Group One breakthrough with Lazy Griff, but have instead elected to keep their powder dry for the world’s oldest Classic on September 13.

“We thought about going to Germany for the race Rebel’s Romance won (on Sunday), but it was quite a warm race and we didn’t really want to leave any Leger chances over there,” said Middleham Park’s Mike Prince.

Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff after his runner-up finish at Epsom
Christophe Soumillon returns aboard Lazy Griff after his runner-up finish at Epsom (PA)

“There’s the Great Voltigeur next week, but we felt there wasn’t going to be enough time between that and Doncaster. I think the ground will be plenty quick at York for him anyway and waiting for September just gives us the chance for hopefully a little bit softer ground if the weather breaks in the next couple of weeks.

“Charlie has had the Leger in mind for him all year and we’ll go straight there now, that is absolutely the plan.”

Paddy Power make Lazy Griff the 7-1 third-favourite for the St Leger, with the O’Brien-trained pair of Scandinavia and his old rival Lambourn the two ahead of him in the betting at 5-4 and 7-2 respectively.

Prince added: “I’d say Scandinavia might be the favourite (to run) out of the two, just because of the trips he’s been running over. I wonder whether they’ll go for the Arc with Lambourn, you never know.

“Whatever Aidan sends will probably go off favourite, whether it’s Scandinavia or Lambourn, and if he sends both then I suspect they’ll both be ahead of us in the market.

Scandinavia will be one of the big dangers to Lazy Griff at Doncaster
Scandinavia will be one of the big dangers to Lazy Griff at Doncaster (Matt Alexander/PA)

“He’s got plenty of ammo, but we’re all geared up and ready to go.”

The Middleham Park team have also started to make plans beyond Doncaster, with Prince saying: “We’ve given him an entry in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot and I suppose the options after the St Leger are that and the Prix Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud at the end of October.

“It’ll probably be the Leger and then one of those.”