John and Thady Gosden could have as many as four runners, led by G2 Queen's Vase hero Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), in the Sept. 16 G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster next Saturday.
The Wathnan Racing colourbearer was most recently third to St Leger rival Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York last month. He will be partnered by the retiring Frankie Dettori, who has already won the Classic six times including twice for Gosden with Shantou (Alleged) in 1996 and Logician (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in 2019.
“He came out of the race at York in very good order,” said the elder Gosden, who has already won five editions of the British Classic. “If the weather is set fair at Doncaster that won't bother him with it being top of the ground. I have had some luck going from the Voltigeur to the St Leger, but I often feel it is quite close if they have had a hard race and I have had a couple bounce, that can happen. I'm very pleased with him at this stage, he seems in great order and very content in himself.
“He's got a great mind and he is a pretty laid-back character. I trained both the mother and father and he's inherited all their good traits of their mental attitude towards racing. I think he'll enjoy the distance. We are perfectly aware it looks like being a vintage St Leger.”
Qatar Racing's Middle Earth (GB) (Roaring Lion), a winner of the Melrose H., will need to be supplemented to run, while Anthony Oppenheimer's stakes-placed homebred Lion's Pride (GB), another by the late Tweenhills stallion, is also a St Leger prospect. The final member of the quartet is Juddmonte's one-time G1 Betfred Derby favourite Arrest (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the G3 Geoffrey Freer S. in August, however the colt is ground dependent.
“Middle Earth ran a lovely race in the Melrose and I'm really happy with him,” said Gosden. “He has a very strong likelihood, all being well with his bloods and scopes, to be supplemented. Qatar Racing have won the race before and I think they are game to go.
“We're very pleased with Arrest, he took his race very well at Newbury. He's in top order but I think if it's good-to-firm at Doncaster I think you'll find him heading to Paris for the [G2] Prix Chaudenay rather than Doncaster. He's a lovely horse but he rolls his knee and he'll enjoy more what I call the autumn ground.”
Of Lion's Pride Gosden added, “I think there's a likelihood he will run in the race as well, after all there's only one St Leger. His sire was the last horse off the bridle in Masar (Ire)'s Derby but he didn't get the mile-and-a-half. This boy is out of a good source of stamina on the dam's side.”
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