Fantastic line-up for Saturday’s Ladbrokes St Leger

Galileo Rock is one of Ireland’s leading hopes in Saturday’s Ladbrokes St Leger. Image courtesy of racingfotos.com.

A high class and wide-open Ladbrokes St Leger is in prospect on Saturday as 11 runners are set to go post for the final Classic of the British season.

Of the leading fancies, only one – the Aidan O’Brien-trained Leading Light – has run over a distance as far as the extended mile and three-quarters of the Ladbrokes St Leger.

He won over two miles at Royal Ascot in a three race unbeaten season and has to have leading claims. He has never run above Group 3 class, however, and has not run since that Royal victory in June, so there are one or two question marks against him.

On jockey bookings, Foundry looks like Aidan O’Brien’s second string after Leading Light, but one should read nothing into that especially as his rider on Saturday, Ryan Moore, has had so much success for Ballydoyle, including with Ruler Of The World in this year’s Investec Derby.

He has only had two races in his career, but on form looks to have stronger credentials than Leading Light having stayed on well over a mile and a half in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York when finding only the very smart Telescope too good.

Excess Knowledge edges favouritism after a very unlucky second in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood when he was badly hampered and only went down by a head to Cap O’ Rushes.

He is likely to relish the step up in trip and his trainer, John Gosden, has won this race three times in the last six years.

The Godolphin-owned Cap O’ Rushes was well beaten in the Great Voltigeur at York and would look on that evidence and his Goodwood run to have little opportunity to confirm his victory over Excess Knowledge.

On past Classic form, Galileo Rock, Libertarian and Talent all have strong form claims.

Galileo Rock, trained in Ireland by David Wachman, was third in the Investec Derby (just a short head behind Libertarian in second place) and then a fine second in the Irish Derby, a race in which Libertarian trailed in second last.

Simon Crisford, Godolphin’s racing manager, has very honestly expressed his doubts about Libertarian, saying that he has taken ages to get over the Irish Derby and he shows little or nothing on the gallops (mind you, that has always been the case with the horse when previously trained by Elaine Burke).

It’s not hard to side with Galileo Rock after hearing this and the Irish raider must have a huge chance.

Talent, meanwhile, sluiced up in the Investec Oaks but was then last on ground too firm for her in the Irish Oaks.

Saturday’s ground will be much more to her liking, though her trainer, Ralph Beckett, has expressed his concerns that she may need the run.

Godolphin’s third runner, Secret Number, must have place claims if running to his best. 

It may be hard to see him winning, something which Simon Crisford has also acknowledged, but he is consistent and should not be too far away.

Great Hall has won his last two starts and is clearly improving, but this represents a huge step up in class while Havana Beat and Ralston Road have a lot to find.