GORDON STAKES winner Namibian, a 14-1 shot with the sponsors for the Ladbrokes St Leger on September 10, was undergoing treatment for colic at Newmarket Equine Hospital on Friday.

The Mark Johnston-trained colt, who also won the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, was beaten into fifthin the Great Voltigeur at York last week and had been receiving treatment after being struck into.

Speaking from Newmarket on Friday, Johnston said: "He's being operated on now. I was in Deauville and the night man called the vets at 5.30am this morning. He travelled down this morning and was diagnosed with colic.

"He was struck into in the Voltigeur and had staples put into his leg.

"He's been on antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and has had reduced exercise [since the Voltigeur].

"Whether all that contributed to this I don't know."

An update from Johnston regarding the Doncaster Classic hopeful is expected on Saturday.

I agree with you Sint in terms of Wonder Of Wonders. I think as far as a lively outsider for the Leger goes WOW looks the one. She could well improve for the step up and on their last few runs she isn't a million miles away from Blue Bunting so at the odds she is worth a punt IMO.

BLUE BUNTING, GENIUS BEAT & RUMH GO FOR LADBROKES ST LEGER
03 September 2011
© www.godolphin.com

Genius Beast is also set to run in Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster

© www.godolphin.com

Rumh will act as pacemaker for Blue Bunting

© Ian Headington

Godolphin plans to have three runners - Blue Bunting, Genius Beast and Rumh - in the final British Classic of the season, the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday, September 10.
　
Dual Classic winner Blue Bunting, bidding for a fourth Group One victory this season, was confirmed for the contest over an extended mile and six furlongs following a pleasing workout this morning, Saturday, September 3.
　
Her trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni is also set to be represented in the Ladbrokes St Leger by Genius Beast, who took fourth in the leading trial for the Doncaster race, the Group Two sportingbet.com Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on August 17.
　
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Rumh, who acted as a pacemaker for Blue Bunting when she won both the Darley Irish Oaks and the Darley Yorkshire Oaks, will be supplemented on Monday morning with the aim of ensuring a good gallop.
　
Blue Bunting started 2011 by winning the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas over a mile at Newmarket on May 1.
　
Simon Crisford, the Godolphin racing manager, commented: "Blue Bunting pleased in her workout this morning and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed gave her the green light to run in the Ladbrokes St Leger."

Mahmood Al Zarooni added: "Blue Bunting looks to be in the same form as she was before the Darley Yorkshire Oaks.
　
"I have been pleased with her preparation for the St Leger and it is now a question of waiting until next Saturday.
　
"We will take a chance with Genius Beast but I think that he can run a good race in the Ladbrokes St Leger. He stays very well and all the jockeys who have ridden him have suggested this race.
　
"He will be staying on at the end and I am hopeful that he can make the frame."
　
Classic Cliche (1995), Nedawi (1998), Mutafaweq (1999), Rule Of Law (2004) and Mastery (2009) have succeeded for Godolphin in the St Leger.

I think it will be hard to see Census out the first three here. I'd fancy him to confirm the form with Brown Panther and also to reverse the form with Masked Marvel back on a flatter track. All the value in his price has now gone at 5/1, and I cant see him being any shorter on the day unless there are some key non-runners so i'll wait until the day of the race now.

I wonder if they still intend on running Seville ?

Seville will prob run ya'd imagine,horses placed in the Voltigeur often fare better than winners of the race when it comes to the Leger,Census' value prob gone now alright,solid place claims,not sure he'll win though,certinly wouldnt begrudge him but there's something about Richard Hannon St Leger Classic winner that doesnt seem to have quite the same fit as with the names of some of the other trainers in the race

Not sure who'll win but Blue Bunting is a maximum lay for me at under 4/1.

*run and or won

Sorry for putting up the coincidence stat but it's something that interests me for other reasons than picking future classic winners and i was looking for any opinions. I do try and study the transfer of horses from different surfaces. I'm not sure where the handbag came from tbf ...

Having said Blue Bunting is a maximu lay I have one small caveat.

Looking at the Countryfile weather forecast it is a wet and windy week forecast - though Doncaster may actually be in the area that gets least rain.

If it also rains on Saturday and the ground gets genuinely very soft then form and ability can go out of the window a bit, in that case Blue Bunting may actually have a squeak as one thing she is is tough.

Bootiful if overcast day and looks like it is going to whizz it down shortly. Don't know how much rain actually fell in Doncaster yesterday but as I came past Ferrybridge on the A1M it was torrential and so bad traffic was actually slowing with wipers on full. TM gives terrific going stuff and updates if I remember correctly on Clerkwatch. Like rhinestone I think this might well become one long slog and the best stayer will win rather than class and whilst I have had a good go on Bunting I think Census is looking more and more like a place only bet to nothing. If it gets bad and turned over might connections pull something out. Sheikh Mo's lot look like they will be supplementing Rumh and that will hopefully ensure a very good even pace which will see off the non - stayers no doubt. Hope it is a spectacle and doesn't end up looking like at the end of a 4 miler round Sedgefield.

rhinestone
05 Sep 11 07:56

Not sure why your so against her unc Confused or is it just the price mate?

She's done nothing wrong and will improve for the trip, goes on any ground, hard as nails. Tough against the colts I know, and had a long season but her +'s outweigh the -'s for me ...

I agree with much of what you say but I just feel the form of the 3 year old fillies (English and Irish at least) is very weak, and while most of the colts aren't exactly vintage quality either (eg. Brown Panther and Census being 0-90 handicappers a couple of runs ago) I'll be very disappointed if there isn't at least one who can beat her.

I made Genius Beast my 'dark horse to follow' in the thread at the start of the season so maybe if it becomes really testing I'll give him another chance as massive odds.

After confirmations:

Brown Panther     
Buthelezi (USA)   
Census (IRE)     
Freedom (IRE)     
Genius Beast (USA)
Masked Marvel     
Sea Moon         
Seville (GER)     
Blue Bunting (USA)
Rumh (GER)
Wonder of Wonders (USA)

town moor






05 Sep 11 12:22
Joined:


30 Nov 07
| Topic/replies: 423 | Blogger: town moor's blog



Just back from the track at Donny. The grass has been trimmed to ankle height and it's being rolled at the moment. The surface is much improved over the last few weeks and there is a good covering of grass. I'd say the going at the moment is just on the fast side of good.
We're forecast for wet and windy weather over the next few days. There has only been 1mm of rain in my bucket over the weekend, and the clerk says he has no plans to water. I'd guess he'll be quite happy with a bit of rain over the next few days and unless we get an unexpected deluge we certainly won't have soft ground for the Leger.

Copied across from clerkwatch. as stated above it's pissed down since! I'll check the bucket later and walk the course again tomorrow. Bright and breezy again now.

re Seville, Cruise D, do you think he underpeformed on the ground ? Originally I thought he just ran flat and was not good enough, and before the race I thought he had no excuses to be beaten, but so many horses ran poorly during Ebor week and we are already seeing evidence of horses coming out and winning next time. Shumoos was beaten 10 lengths in the Lowther but won at Kempton over the weekend.

Trainer Sir Michael Stoute was today hopeful that Sea Moon, an eight-length winner of last month’s Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes at York, could put up a bold show in Saturday’s Group One Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster.

Khalid Abdulla’s home-bred is 11/8 favourite with sponsor Ladbrokes for the final Classic, worth £540,050 and staged at 3.10pm on Saturday, after today’s five-day confirmation stage, in which 10 entries remained and Godolphin’s Rumh was supplemented at a cost of £45,000.

Sea Moon, whose dam Eva Luna won the Group Two Park Hill Stakes over the Ladbrokes St Leger trip at Doncaster, had won a handicap at York in July on his only other outing this season.

Speaking at the Ladbrokes St Leger Lunch at London’s Landmark Hotel today, Stoute said: “Sea Moon is a horse that we’ve always enjoyed and rated and we went to York hopeful for the Great Voltigeur Stakes but didn’t expect him to win in the manner that he did.

“He had won a York handicap off a mark of 92 on his previous start and had progressed very nicely in his preparation for the Voltigeur, which he needed to do. He’d gone forward, but we weren’t expecting him to do what he did.

“He loved the conditions at York, it was a bit moist and dead, and we’d love the same ground at Doncaster although we are not guaranteed to get that.

“The vibes are good with him but it’s the most competitive Ladbrokes St Leger we’ve had for many years. He’s got a proper Leger pedigree, his three-parts brother (Brian Boru) won the race so you’d be hopeful that stamina wouldn’t be a problem.”

Godolphin’s colours have been carried to victory in the Ladbrokes St Leger five times since 1995 and the owner’s Blue Bunting is set to bid for a rare Classic treble on Saturday, having already won the QIPCO 1,000 Guineas and Irish Oaks this season. She heads to Doncaster on the back on another Group One success, in the Yorkshire Oaks at York.

Godolphin will also be represented by supplementary Rumh and Genius Beast.

Simon Crisford, Godolphin’s racing manager, said: “Rumh was supplemented this morning and will act as a pacemaker.

"We have not decided on jockeys yet for her and Genius Beast, who is an interesting horse. He does need to improve 6lb-8lb to get into the mix. His dam, Shawanda, was very special and won the Irish Oaks.

"Genius Beast is a nice horse, a Group Three winner who we do think will stay quite well. He definitely deserves to take his chance and will give a good account of himself.

"Ever since Blue Bunting was competitive as a two-year-old, when winning a Listed race at Newmarket very well, we knew she was a very good filly. She had a small flake taken out of an ankle after that which was why she stayed in Newmarket over the winter. Leading up to the Guineas, we felt then that a longer trip than a mile would suit her much better but she was brilliant that day on fast ground.

"That sent us straight to Epsom and she has done nothing but please us through this whole campaign. She is super tough and very resolute - she gives everything she has though she wins her races by a narrow margin. She has been such a revelation because she is quite an odd filly to look at - she is not a supermodel on the catwalk but very correct. Half her tail was eaten away by her siblings when she was a yearling. So she is not a queen to look at but absolutely she is a queen on the racetrack.

"She is similar to Kazzia but her constitution is better. Blue Bunting has held on to her condition throughout a tough and busy campaign.

"Looking at her now, she is as robust and healthy as she was back in May which is why she is going for the Ladbrokes St Leger. We thought we must let her take her chance against the colts while she was in such great form.

"Obviously, her sex allowance will be incredibly important and hopefully will give her every chance of beating the colts.

"Her work is always very straightforward - she works on her own and she is reasonably lazy - she just does what she wants to do.

"When she worked on Saturday, Sheikh Mohammed watched her and he was pleased to see that she was just her usual self. Sheikh Mohammed has been lucky in the St Leger, winning the race many times.

"As long as she seems to be enjoying her racing and training, there is every chance Blue Bunting will stay in training.

"The Ladbrokes St Leger is the oldest Classic in the world and a fantastic race - you have to have a very good horse to win it."

Actress Liz Hurley is among the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing ownership syndicate who will be cheering on the Richard Hannon-trained Census, winner of the Group Three Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury last month.

Hannon commented: “He’s a pretty good horse, he’s worked his way through the ranks and deserves to take his chance. He’s a fine, big horse who works well and we took him to Salisbury the other day for a gallop when he worked very well over a mile.

“He came to hand at the backend of last season and has just got better and better, he’s not been out of the first two on his last six starts. As long as the ground is good he’ll be fine and if it’s softer it won’t hamper him.

“We’ve had a few stayers over the years and the last horse we had for the Leger was Assessor (sixth in 1992) and he went on to earn a fortune. Census would be the same type of horse but with a little more speed. He’d going to be a really nice Cup horse over two or two and a half miles in the future as he’s getting a mile and six at three.”

Aidan O’Brien has won the Ladbrokes St Leger three times before (2001 Milan, 2003 Brian Boru and 2005 Scorpion) and this year he has three remaining entries in Freedom, the filly Wonder Of Wonders and Seville.

But although he still has to finalise plans, it is currently likely that Irish Derby runner-up Seville, who finished third in the Great Voltigeur Stakes on his most recent start, could be his only runner.

Speaking by telephone, O’Brien told the lunch: “Seville is our most likely runner. The filly (Wonder Of Wonders) ran a good race at York but wants better ground than she experienced there and at the Curragh (when a close third to Blue Bunting in the Irish Oaks) and has the option of dropping back to a mile and a quarter at Longchamp. She takes a lot of work and has been in good form since York but it’s only a possibility that she could run at Doncaster.

“It’s by no means certain that she or Freedom would run. With Freedom we were seeing what way the race was made up and if it looked like there was going to be much pace he could have made a nice pace for everyone. But it looks like there will be plenty of pace in which case he might not go.

“Seville ran very well in the Dante at York in May but then was slowly away and got a long way back at Epsom. He then found it strange going down the hill and it all may have happened a bit too quick for him that day.

“He worked well after that and then ran a good race at the Curragh, he then had a tough race in the Grand Prix de Paris but came out of it well.

“We always had one eye on the St Leger after that and wanted to slot in one race beforehand.  We were very easy on him before York and we thought if we were thinking of the Leger then we could lean on him a bit more. He ran well at York, he might have disappointed some people but the pace was a bit in and out and we were always looking towards the Leger.”

Footballer Michael Owen saw his home-bred Brown Panther win the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot and the colt was reported to be in great shape ahead of Saturday’s race by trainer Tom Dascombe.

Kieren Fallon, bidding for his first Ladbrokes St Leger success, is set to take over the ride from Dascombe’s stable jockey Richard Kingscote.

Dascombe said: “On the whole he ran a fine race when he was second in the German Derby, it was a big step up from winning a handicap to running in a Group One. The ground was softer than we’d anticipated and he had a good draw, the plan was to drop him in and unfortunately we ended up in front.

“The form has worked out and he had a hard race that day. We gave him a rest, then he ran a nice race behind Census at Newbury and if we are still improving then we’ve got a solid chance at Doncaster.

“In April he got beat in handicap off a mark of 73 which was fantastic training performance given he’s now rated 115! He’s gone up in the handicap after every run so you’ve got to say he’s still improving. Good ground would be perfect for him at Doncaster, just not extremes.”

Explaining the jockey change, Dascombe said: “I’ve spoken to Michael (Owen) at length and it was a very tough, hard decision but it was decided on this occasion to go with a more experienced jockey. Obviously I’ve thought about it an awful lot and it was not easy but the decision we’ve come to was to use Kieren Fallon.

“Richard (Kingscote) has always done a very good job for me but you don’t get too many chances to win a Classic and I felt that it was a decision I had to make and time will tell. It hasn’t been easy.”

John Gosden has sent out three Ladbrokes St Leger winners (1996 Shantou, 2007 Lucarno and 2010 Shantou) from his last four runners in the Classic and he relies on Masked Marvel and likely pacemaker Buthelezi to add to that excellent record this year.

Masked Marvel has not run since beating Census by a head in the Group Three Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket on July 7.

Gosden, successful in last year’s race with Arctic Cosmos, said: “The Ladbrokes St Leger is a great race, it’s run at a wonderful fair track and there are no hiding places. By the time they’ve run over a mile, six furlongs and 132 yards, usually the best horse has won.

“I get sent a lot of staying types of horse but the idea that a plodder can win this race is a myth. They have to have shown you a lot at two if they are going to be good enough and if they don’t have a turn of foot they will end up finishing mid-division or out the back.

“Masked Marvel kicked on a long way out in the Bahrain Trophy and beat Census. They are both really nice horses that deserve to be at Doncaster. The filly (Blue Bunting) is the only Group One winner in the race but it’s a proper Leger with some high-class horses in there.

“Our horse is training exceptionally well, he’s been freshened up for the race and will stay well.

“It’s looking like we might be over-run with pace but Buthelezi will bowl along, he’ll stay all day and it will be a pretty good pacemaker to be out in front.”

wouldnt shock me if Seville topped off a reeasonable season by winning,Ladbrokes certainly not against him

Rained (certainly sounded like) continually throughout the night and would think are a good few mm in TM's bucket (sure he'll give a more concise update). Just let the hound out and doesn't look that bad. Breezy. Donnie has always been a good drainer (probably one of the best). Not long to go. It's exciting.

My weather station (bucket) shows only 3mm of rain in the last 24 hours. There is the odd spot of rain blowing about in the wind, but the gale force winds are keeping it away at the moment. I'll walk the track again later. Currently if it doesn't settle the wind may be a big factor as it's a westerly which means it's blowing right down the straight into the horses' faces. Hold up horses may be worth a second look tomorrow.

I think it is to do with Census' impressive win lto. He travelled strongly and then stayed on strongly. He looks progressive,imo.

Masked Marvel beat him fair & square at Newmarket, but I personally thought Census didn't handle the track all that well.Other people disagree though and fancy MM at the prices.

Will MM handle soft ground if it pours down ?

I personally think that Seville could bounce back to form and take this.

His last run was way to bad to be true, I would not be surprised if he had caught the virus that effected Await the Dawn around the same time. They both ran similar races, travelling well but finding absolutely nothing when asked to go and win their races.
The rest of his form makes him the one to beat imo.