Sir Michael Stoute could be double-handed in the £650,000 Ladbrokes St Leger.
By Simon Jackson.
Sir Michael Stoute could be represented by Snow Sky and Kings Fete in the Ladbrokes St Leger, following news that the Khalid Abdullah-owned pair are amongst the 21 remaining entries.
Snow Sky first flagged his credentials when landing the Listed Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield in May. His three starts since then include winning a Group 3 at Glorious Goodwood and a staying-on second place to Postponed in the Great Voltigeur at York.
The latest effort impressed connections who believe he has a good chance of staying the 14 and a half furlongs distance of the St Leger, where he is priced at 7-1 with the sponsors in the market headed by Kingston Hill at 5-2.
“Snow Sky has come out of York well and the plan is to run in the Ladbrokes St Leger,” Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager, Lord Grimthorpe, said ahead of the £650,000 long-distance Classic at Doncaster on September 13.
“He settled very well and got into a nice rhythm in the Great Voltigeur. He joined Postponed two furlongs out but the winner quickened well.
“We stayed on well to the line and were gaining at the end, so I thought it was quite encouraging.
“We are all going to find out on the day if he will stay but given the type of horse he is and his pedigree, I think he has a pretty good chance of staying a mile and three quarters.”
Snow Sky could be joined at Doncaster by his stablemate Kings Fete, a winner of two of his five starts. At his last start he was beaten a short head and a length into third place over 14 furlongs at Goodwood after failing to settle. He is priced at 16-1 for the St Leger.
“Kings Fete has got to settle better if he is going to get the trip. He was a bit silly at Goodwood the other day but has some talent and we won’t discount him,” Grimthorpe said.
“At this stage, I would say it is unlikely but it has not been ruled out and we have left him in for good reason.
“We tried him in a ring bit instead of the hood at the weekend. I don’t think you want to overburden a horse with too many contraptions otherwise you get too clever, but obviously the ring bit wasn’t quite so successful.”
Stoute broke his Ladbrokes St Leger hoodoo in 2008 when Conduit was successful while Abdullah achieved Doncaster Classic glory with Toulon in 1991.
The Ladbrokes St Leger
£650,000 Total Prize Fund, Group One, part of the British Champions Series. Doncaster, Saturday, September 13, 2014, 1m 6f 132yds. For three-year-old entire colts (9st 1lb) & fillies (8st 12lb).
| Horse | Owner | Trainer | |
| Adjusted (IRE) | Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier | Aidan O’Brien IRE | |
| Alex My Boy (IRE) | Jaber Abdullah | Mark Johnston | |
| Astronereus (IRE) | John Connolly & Odile Griffith | Amanda Perrett | |
| Blue Hussar (IRE) | Sue Magnier,Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith | Aidan O’Brien IRE | |
| Forever Now (GB) | Lady Bamford | John Gosden | |
| Granddukeoftuscany (IRE) | Triermore Stud/Sue Magnier | Aidan O’Brien IRE | |
| Hartnell (GB) | Sh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum | Mark Johnston | |
| Indian Maharaja (IRE) | Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier | Aidan O’Brien IRE | |
| Kingfisher (IRE) | Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor | Aidan O’Brien IRE | |
| Kings Fete (GB) | Khalid Abdullah | Sir Michael Stoute | |
| Kingston Hill (GB) | Paul Smith | Roger Varian | |
| Marzocco (USA) | HRH Princess Haya of Jordan | John Gosden | |
| Min Alemarat (IRE) | Ahmad Abdulla Al Shaikh | Marco Botti | |
| Odeon (GB) | Alex Owen | James Given | |
| Romsdal (GB) | HRH Princess Haya of Jordan | John Gosden | |
| Scotland (GER) | Fitri Hay | Andrew Balding | |
| Snow Sky (GB) | Khalid Abdullah | Sir Michael Stoute | |
| Somewhat (USA) | Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum | Mark Johnston | |
| Streetcar To Stars (GB) | Christopher Tsui | John Oxx IRE | |
| Windshear (GB) | Michael Daniels | Richard Hannon | |
| Winter Thunder (GB) | Godolphin | Saeed bin Suroor |
21 entries remain. (There is a £50,000 supplementary entry stage for the Ladbrokes St Leger on Monday, September 8, when the five-day confirmation stage also takes place).
Ladbrokes St Leger, Ladbrokes bet: 5/2 Kingston Hill; 6/1 Romsdal; 7/1 Snow Sky; 8/1 Windshear; 12/1 Forever Now; 14/1 Alex My Boy, Hartnell; 16/1 Kings Fete; 20/1 Granddukeoftuscany; Kingfisher; 25/1 Marzocco, Scotland, Streetcar To Stars; 33/1 Adjusted, Blue Hussar, Min Alemarat, Odeon, Somewhat, Winter Thunder; 50/1 Astronereus, Indian Maharaja. Each way 1/4 odds 1-2-3, non-runner no bet.
HorseTalkUK.com 