Frankie Dettori fancies Sword Fighter in St Leger

Wings Of Desire had been Dettori’s main hope of winning a sixth St Leger. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Idaho is odds-on to give Aidan O’Brien another Ladbrokes St Leger triumph on Saturday but Frankie Dettori believes the trainer may instead hit the target with Sword Fighter.

Dettori is the winning-most current jockey in the St Leger, having ridden the winner five times, but is resigned to not being part of the action this weekend.

“Unfortunately, Wings Of Desire did not make it and I will probably be heading to Ireland,” he said.

“I like Sword Fighter – he won the Queen’s Vase and is a definite stayer – I think he will run a good race.

“Idaho brings the best form in the race – he won the Voltigeur but I thought he made hard work of it. He is a short price and I think the Ladbrokes St Leger is more open than people think.”

Recalling his own glories in the race, which forms part of the QIPCO British Champions Series, Dettori said: “Classic Cliche (winner of the 1995 St Leger) was my 1,000th winner and then I won it for John (Gosden) on Shantou (1996) which was his first Classic. I was a young kid then.

“Then came Scorpion (2005) and Sixties Icon (2006), while I broke Sir Michael Stoute’s hoodoo on Conduit (2008).

“Overall, every one of my Ladbrokes St Leger winners has been quite different.”