Storm The Stars to round off long hard year with tilt at St Leger

Connections of Storm The Stars are keeping their fingers crossed Saturday’s Ladbrokes St Leger does not prove one run too many for the tough-as-teak colt.

The three-year-old is set to make his ninth appearance of the campaign in the season’s final Classic, but undoubtedly sets the standard having been placed in both the Investec Derby at Epsom and the Irish Derby at the Curragh before clinching a deserved big-race success in last month’s Great Voltigeur at York.

Maureen Haggas, wife of trainer William, feels the youngster has thrived on his racing and hopes he can run up to his best once more on Town Moor.

“Early on he was not well behaved and he looked like he needed more education and that is why we kept running him.

“He is more professional and it has brought him on and it doesn’t seem to have done him any harm.

“Hopefully it [step up in trip] will improve him, but you never really know until they get to the track.

Doesn’t owe us

“The signs are that he should be better over further but it’s the end of a long hard year and he doesn’t owe us anything.

“If we get one more good run out of him that would be great.”

Simple Verse will bid to become the first filly to win the St Leger since User Friendly in 1992 after being supplemented by trainer Ralph Beckett.

The daughter of Duke Of Marmalade has won three of her last four starts, most recently running out an impressive winner of a Group Three prize at Glorious Goodwood.

Beckett has come close to winning the Leger twice with two Oaks winners, as Look Here finished third in 2008 and Talent was runner-up in 2013.

He said: “I think once we established that she was in good nick I think it became the obvious thing to do.”

Companions

Aidan O’Brien is responsible for three of the eight horses confirmed, with impressive Irish St Leger Trial winner Order Of St George joined by stable companions Fields Of Athenry and Great Voltigeur runner-up Bondi Beach.

The Ballydoyle trainer’s son, Joseph, may however stay at home to ride on the opening day of Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown.

“I’m not sure if Joseph will ride any of them. There is a possibility he will stay in Leopardstown. We have not really discussed it yet,” said O’Brien.

“They are all different performers. Bondi Beach and Order Of St George have run together and there was very little between them on fast ground.”