While Irish racing reels from its most extensive ever drugs scandal, the scene is set in Britain for what could prove to be a classic cross-channel feel-good story in Saturday’s St Leger at Doncaster.
Desert Hero carries the royal colours of the King and Queen of England into the world’s oldest classic due off at 3.35pm where his opposition includes a quartet of hopefuls from Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle team.
Ireland’s champion trainer is seeking a seventh victory in the venerable contest first run in 1776.
Ryan Moore teams up with Continuous who scored impressively last time in York’s Great Voltigeur, one of the Leger’s most established trials.
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He will be backed up by stable companions Tower Of London, Denmark and Alexandroupolis while Frankie Dettori aims to land his own seventh and final Leger success before retirement at the end of the year.
Even Dettori’s farewell tour has to concede the spotlight on this occasion, though, to what could prove a massive PR boost to cross-channel racing.
Desert Hero, bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, has already stepped up to the profile plate by supplying a first Royal Ascot victory for King Charles and Queen Camilla.
That came in handicap company in June but the chestnut son of Sea The Stars successfully graduated to Group Three success by picking up another recognised Leger trial in Goodwood’s Gordon Stakes last month.
For the last six weeks, momentum has been building towards the promise of a first royal classic winner since Dunfermline landed a famous 1977 Leger victory.
That filly defeated no less than the subsequent dual-Arc winner Alleged, since when the Leger’s lustre in elite bloodstock terms has steadily eroded.
But if the mile-and-six-furlong test is no longer on-trend within the sport, a classic win for royalty holds the promise of a publicity bonanza far beyond racing’s borders.
It’s a prospect not lost on Desert Hero’s trainer William Haggas who will leg jockey Tom Marquand on to the unsuspecting centre of national attention.
“I think it would mean the world to everyone in our industry. We have been fortunate for so long to have such stoic royal patronage and anything that can enhance that will be good. From that point of view, I think ‘Racing plc’ will be hoping Desert Hero goes very well and, as much as we all want to win, I think even connections of the other runners would enjoy a victory for the King and the Queen,” said Haggas.
Desert Hero overcame trouble in running to beat another Leger contender Chesspiece in the Gordon Stakes on soft ground. Having also scored on a quick surface at Ascot, and appearing to be still on the upgrade, he looks to tick a lot of Leger boxes. Both he and Continuous have yet to race beyond 1½ miles (12 furlongs) and the final furlong of the Doncaster test can feel very long indeed on a doubtful stayer.
Jim Crowley has a rare ride for O’Brien on Tower of London who’s bred to relish the stamina test as a full-brother to the 2017 Leger hero Capri.
“Continuous came out of York very well. He’s a horse that has class and you can take your time with over a mile and six,” said O’Brien. “Tower Of London will get the trip, he’s a brother to Capri. He handles good ground.”
Dettori can hardly be relaxed about having chosen correctly by opting for Arrest over his stable companion Gregory. However, all other narratives are relegated to the margins on this occasion as so many will focus on Desert Hero’s chances of living up to his billing.
Earlier on the Doncaster programme, O’Brien and Moore team up for Mountain Bear in the Group Two Champagne Stakes while Jessica Harrington runs Hurricane Ivor in the following Portland Handicap.
Saturday’s Gowran programme was cancelled on Friday after heavy rainfall although Joseph O’Brien will still be in action in France.
His Bad Desire, runner-up to Navy Seal on his debut at the Galway festival, lines up for Saturday’s Group Three Prix De Conde (off at 1.33pm Irish time) in Chantilly. Christophe Soumillon rides the Irish raider in the six-runner juvenile contest.
Domestic action
Gowran’s featured Group Three Cordell Lavarack & Lanwades Stud Stakes has been moved to Monday’s Fairyhouse card to make an eight-race programme there.
On Sunday Oisín Murphy teams up with Kieren Cotter’s Matilda Picotte in Doncaster’s Sceptre Stakes. Matilda Picotte was runner-up in Tipperary’s Fairy Bridge Stakes earlier this month and is joined in the seven-furlong event by Johnny Murtagh’s outsider, Clounmacon.
The race has last year’s 1,000 Guineas heroine Cachet making a belated start to her four-year-old career under Ryan Moore.
It is an all-National Hunt domestic weekend with Navan on Saturday while Sunday marks the start of the 2023 Listowel festival.
The week-long action is highlighted by Wednesday’s €200,000 Guinness Kerry National.
One firm has installed Gordon Elliott’s Salvador Ziggy as an early 7-2 favourite for the historic steeplechase while his Galway Plate-winning stable companion, Ash Tree Meadow, is at 10-1 to double up.
Elliott, who has already passed the €1 million prizemoney mark for the National Hunt season, sends six runners to Listowel for Day One.
They include the filly Wodhooh who makes her jumping debut in the opening three-year-old hurdle. She was trained formerly by Michael Stoute and will have just 10st 1lb on her back in contrast to Killarney winner Nurburgring who has to concede a hefty amount to her.
