John Gosden admits as he bids to provide him with a success at the William Hill St Leger Logician faces a step.
It is 23 years since the world’s oldest Vintage was landed by the master of Clarehaven . He has since added to his tally with three wins in five decades courtesy of Lucarno (2007), Arctic Cosmos (2010) Masked Marvel (2011).
In winning his first three starts the Khalid Abdullah-owned Logician made his debut in May, but created a huge impression – with a screen being sandwiched by a pair of wins at Newbury .
The son of Frankel graduated with a facile victory in the the Great Voltigeur at York to Group Two class also will line up as a favorite in the hands of jockey Frankie Dettori in Doncaster on Saturday.
“He has been in amazing shape since York. He is very much a work in progress and didn’t begin racing until late in life,” said Gosden.
“I believed back May he might be a Leger horse. He even won a maiden down at Newbury, and then a rookie above a mile and a quarter at the July course and a 0-90 disability back at Newbury, as it had been the first time he was ridden by Frankie. He’s come a very long way in a short while.
“He stepped up again in the Great Voltigeur, and we were really satisfied with him.
“He’s fine in addition to the floor, there’s no doubt he’s a better horse good, simple side of good, but that might go for a few others.”
Gosden believes the decision give him a enough time to grow has been crucial and to not operate Logician as a two-year-old.
He explained:”He came to us quite late, and I believe giving him this time has profited him.
“He’s a wonderful horse to be around. He is a personality and contains a stride.
“I feel the fine, long right at Doncaster must suit him well.”
The two obvious questions hanging over Logician going into the Town Moor showpiece are whether his endurance will last out over the one-mile-six-furlong space, and if his lack of experience that is big-race could prove his undoing.
Assessing both aspects, Gosden added:”We have been lucky to acquire the Leger four times, and those horses were more seasoned than him. It is a evaluation of a thoroughbred during that trip – the one-mile-six is something, and the 185 yards could be telling.
“You always understand you moving into uncharted territories with a young horse just like him. It isn’t like he has acquired a trial over a mile and three-quarters.
“He offers me the hints, as he is very relaxed, that he will stay well.”
As always, Gosden is aware of their resistance – giving special mention to the Mark Johnston-trained Sir Ron Priestley, who claimed his fifth win from six starts this year in the month March Stakes.
He explained:”I think it’s a good renewal. You have a horse in there that stayed on and acquired. That was a race I saw carefully, since we were second inside (together with Promissory).
“It will likely be an end-to-end gallop, which is not a bad thing as it thins the field out.
“You’ll get trouble in conducting, and I remember a couple of horses that have been unlucky not to win there. I will leave all that to the horse and Frankie – .
“When you see the horses that are still rolling between the two-furlong mark and also the one, that will inform us exactly what sort of caliber Leger it’s.”
Dragon to flame
Il Paradiso and sir Dragonet provide a hand to Aidan O’Brien.
The Ballydoyle handler claimed his sixth victory from the Town Moor showpiece with Kew Gardens 12 months ago – adding to his past triumphs with Milan (2001), Brian Boru (2003), Scorpion (2005), Leading Lighting (2013) and Capri (2017).
Chester Vase winner Sir Dragonet has had this season tilts Classic glory , completing a close-up fifth when favourite for the Investec Derby at Epsom in June.
He had been beaten at odds-on on his return from a midsummer fracture in the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh last month, but O’Brien believes his bill will strip much fitter on Saturday – and can be confident the step up to a mile and three-quarters won’t be an issue.
Assessing the principal market rival to the John Gosden-trained Logician,” O’Brien said:”Sir Dragonet is a horse that has a lot of class.
“He was only ready to start back at the Curragh. He got a little bit exhausted, which he had been entitled to perform. I was being gentle and very careful .
“He’s never run anything less than a mile and a half an hour, aside from the previous day over a mile and a quarter. He was started by us and we think there’s a great chance.
“I do not think he is earth dependent. He ran on tender ground before Epsom, which has been floor, and he also came from that ideal.
“There isn’t any doubt his very best run was that his Epsom run”
Sir Dragonet’s stablemate Il Paradiso has already proved his stamina, having generated a functionality when behind celebrity older stayer Stradivarius in the Lonsdale Cup a month, more than two miles at York.
“He stays very well and looks like a horse which will find a Gold Cup trip – he seems like he will have two and a half kilometers,” O’Brien added.
“I think he is going to be happy enough. He does not mind being spat ahead. You would be riding him as you’re positive he will stay and the other (Sir Dragonet) you will be taking your time using a bit, I would imagine.”
O’Brien also saddles outsider Western Australia.
Sir Ron Priestley has won five of his six starts this season – his blip coming at Royal Ascot. Mark Johnston’s charge is unbeaten in three appearances and steps up to Group One degree for the very first time.
Johnston, who has a second string to his bow Nayef Road, said:”He’s (Sir Ron Priestley) has a great deal to locate, and it would have to be a career-best, but he deserves to be there.
“He has done almost everything right from the lower doses, with the exception of Royal Ascot. Today he has got to step up to the large one.
“I don’t interrupt the Leger, since I’ve run some high horses inside and they have been beaten. We know he gets the excursion, thus we have no doubts about him .
“Many of these in there’ll be receiving the trip – they are class horses, which that they need to do. He stays the trip quite well and is a genuine horse”
Martyn Meade’s Geoffrey Freer winner Tech and Dashing Willoughby, from the lawn of Andrew Balding, complete the eight-strong field.
Balding said of the Royal Ascot winner:”He’s run nicely at Newmarket on Goodwood on fast ground so he doesn’t have to get it soft.
“He’s run to a fair level all year and been very consistent, so I would hope he’d run well”
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