3 minute read

Charlie Appleby is confident the decision to keep New London fresh ahead of the Cazoo St Leger will pay dividends in the final Classic of the Flat season at Doncaster.

The Dubawi colt has only lost once in five starts – on soft ground at Chester, although Appleby is relaxed about ground conditions on Town Moor.

Since that Chester reverse behind Aidan O'Brien's Changingoftheguard New London has won a valuable handicap and the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, a race which has produced the Great Voltigeur winner, a Goodwood Listed winner and the winner of a French Group Three.

"He had a piece of work on Wednesday and looked great," said Appleby, who was successful 12 months ago with Hurricane Lane.

"I've always said we wanted to come here as a fresh horse. The only blip he's had on his page was in the Chester Vase. People might say was that the trip and ground at the time, but I don't think it was either. I just think he'd run a good, solid race at the Craven meeting a few weeks earlier and he's best when he's fresh.

"That's why after the Gordon Stakes we always wanted to come straight here."

Frankie Dettori has ridden the winner of the Leger six times and partners the Juddmonte-owned Haskoy for trainer Ralph Beckett.

The Italian is bidding for a 22nd British Classic success aboard the least experienced runner in the line-up, although Haskoy – who was supplemented at a cost of £50,000 on Monday – has won both starts, latterly taking the Listed Galtres at York.

Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon said: "She adds something to the race. She's an unbeaten filly and she's been supplemented for the last Classic of the year.

"Obviously the Godolphin horse (New London) is very good, Roger Varian's (Eldar Eldarov) is a Royal Ascot winner and we know the form of George Boughey's horse (Hoo Ya Mal) from the Derby with Westover.

"It's a top race, but to have an unexposed filly going for it is exciting.

"We don't know how good she is. We could find out that she's not up to this level, but if she's improved from York she should be there or thereabouts.

"I think she'll stay – the way she hit the line at York you'd think a mile and six should be within her compass. The extra half a furlong is a little bit of an unknown, but I'd like to think she has every chance of staying."

Roger Varian feels Eldar Eldarov will appreciate stepping back up in distance.

Winner of the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, over a similar mile and six-furlong trip, the son of Dubawi lost his unbeaten record when back to a mile and a half in the Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp.

He said: "I thought his run in the Grand Prix de Paris was a fair performance, I don't think he disgraced himself.

"I'm not sure whether he was at his best or whether he showed that day he was a real staying horse.

"He'd won over one-mile-and-six-furlongs at Ascot and looked as though he needed every yard of it, but over the mile and a half at Longchamp the ground was very quick; it was a speed test over a trip.

"He was only just getting going as they crossed the line, I don't think he disgraced himself, he ran fine, he just showed us he isn't that type of horse."

Hoo Ya Mal, bought out of Andrew Balding's yard after finishing runner-up to Desert Crown in the Derby, comes into this race on the back of a Group Three success in the March Stakes at Goodwood over a similar trip.

Sent to George Boughey, he is set to further his career in the southern hemisphere by owners Go Bloodstock and Partners.

"He came to the yard not that long before his first run at Goodwood. We're still getting to know him but over the last couple of weeks, he's started to thrive," Boughey reported on his SBK blog.

"He's been a very straightforward horse to train, and we've always had it in the back of our minds that he's not really 'our' horse.

"We're looking after him for the meantime before he goes down (to Australia) and tries to stay two miles on his first start. It's been a case of slowing him down rather than quickening him up. He seems relaxed and in great shape."

Emily Dickinson seeks to give O'Brien a seventh win in the race, while Irish hopes are also carried by French Claim, who is trained by Paddy Twomey.

The latter was third to Westover in the Irish Derby on his previous effort in June and steps up to this trip for the first time.

Twomey said: "He has half a chance – that is why he is over there. He is a right progressive horse and every time he has run he has improved on the previous time.

"I think stepping up in trip will play to his strengths as will the big, galloping nature of the track.

"I think all the rain that has fallen recently will be a big help to him and he trained very well ahead of the Irish Derby and ran to a high level in that on ground that was plenty quick enough for him.

"He beat the Oaks winner (Tuesday) who was second in the Yorkshire Oaks on her next start and and that probably is the strongest piece of form in the St Leger, so we're looking forward to running."

Marco Botti saddles Giavellotto, a five-length winner of a handicap over a mile and three-quarters at Newmarket.

He said: "He has kept progressing through the season and stays well. As long as the ground doesn't get too heavy, he will appreciate a bit of cut.

"He is in great form and with the race losing a few strong contenders, he deserves to take his chance.

"We are hoping for a big run and he will be even better as a four-year-old."