**St Leger - Donc 14th Sept**

Might supplement the fecker after that effort.

surely that performance in kg by the 2nd means that galaxy rock will be hard to beat in the leger,

Whilst a definite stayer, I suspect GALAXY Rock would get done for toe ;-)

oops

to my eyes GALAXY ROCK has looked like a St Leger horse since his debut win at 2, and given his close relative is a Cup Horse who excelled at 3yo at Donnys St Leger Meeting, I think Good Ground and given a good run and ride then he's presented to make his run 300/400yds out and squeeze the stamina out of the rest.

The Derbys for me, were a long-shot, and where he could get tapped for toe more easily, the Leger is a different matter entirely, and 'right up his street'.

Galaxy Rock, RIP.

Galileo Rock, live St Leger candidate.

Any news on Leading Light? All of a sudden no money to back and last matched at 10.5 after leading the market for quite a while

Like Hilly (on for a pound at 173) probably doomed. We all get revved up about the Leger and I make my annual pilgrimage and you usually find between 7 - 10 go to post and three will stay and obviously one does better than the rest. Problem is which one. Not usually a particularly high profile animal as we've seen because on paper they look good for the final couple of furlongs in truish run races to find them out.With the competition from elsewhere including Ireland now the quality gradually gets diluted. Looks good before Ascot and less so after York. No better than a top quality handicap and Laddies must be spitting because they have committed monster dosh. Nevertheless good day out and best course in the world and great running surface. Can well understand Tom sticking with anything Mr G runs. Makes sense dunnitt?

massive boost for the gosdens horse today, with dr livingstone winning .

SADLY no horses from Kremlin House Stables will be in action at York this week and Roger has released the following statement:

BACK TO LISTING
"Mutashaded, Ambivalent and Princess Noor will miss their intended targets (Great Voltigeur, Yorkshire Oaks, Lowther Stakes) at York this week after unsatisfactory scope results.

"Unfortunately they are not the only horses which are not 100% at the present time. We have had a foreign bacteria work its way around a large number of the string causing horses to cough and show traces of mucus.

"This would explain why I have sent out very few runners over the last couple of weeks and will also mean that I will have limited runners over the next fortnight or so.

"As we are in the middle of August it is obviously a very frustrating time to have a cloud over the yard, however I am sure that the horses will soon bounce back and already I am seeing signs that many of the horses affected are improving.

"I would like to thank my owners for their patience during this time."

Does anyone know if the likeable galaxy rock is an intended runner in this or going for the irish version

if anyone knows would like to know thx

galileo rock even... going senile in my old age

David Wachman has underlined the importance of fast ground for Galileo Rock as he gears up for next month's Ladbrokes St Leger.

The Galileo colt was last seen finishing second to Trading Leather in the Irish Derby at the Curragh back in June, with Wachman giving him a mid-season break in preparation for his Classic challenge at Doncaster on September 14.

Galileo Rock has only been out of the frame on one occasion in his five-race career, in the Autumn Stakes last October, and as that effort came on easy ground, Wachman feels quicker conditions are essential for his charge.

"He's in good shape, all's good with him," the trainer said.

"He's on course for the St Leger. The ground is important to him, he wants fast ground.

"He's had a bit of a break since the Irish Derby and so far, so go

Took the plunge on Telescope yesterday and read the paper this morning. FFS. My fault obviously but I do wish HH would sometimes keep his trap shut.

Is there a problem with Retirement Plan - taking a walk on the exchanges recently and B365 appeared to have taken him out of the list? I don't see any reason why if the horse is well Abdullah wouldn't want two bites at the cherry.

read that the stable had taken Telescope out of the leger weeks ago .

out of the race, that is retirement plan in sundays r post

Backed Eye of the Tiger at over 200s still in,hoping for run for money be nice as pretty decent form.

Eye of the Storm even.

He has been Galileo Rock twice already so was well overpriced, if turning up?

I fancy Secret Number, 20/1 a good price

34416    Cap O´Rushes24    3    9-0    Charlie Appleby     110    113    127
4-4111    Dabadiyan50    3    9-0    M Halford     —    102    121
581062    Dashing Star21    3    9-0    David Elsworth     95    114    118
127-32    Excess Knowledge45      3    9-0    John Gosden     106    90    126
13-2    Eye Of The Storm141      3    9-0    A P O´Brien     —    109    124
14521    Feel Like Dancing65    3    9-0    John Gosden     101    105    115
1-2    Foundry24    3    9-0    A P O´Brien     —    90    125
15-332    Galileo Rock77    3    9-0    David Wachman     —    118    132
7-611    Great Hall72    3    9-0    Brian Meehan     96    99    115
43537    Havana Beat45    3    9-0    Andrew Balding     100    103    116
41-111    Leading Light85    3    9-0    A P O´Brien     —    110    125
14128    Libertarian77    3    9-0    Charlie Appleby     117    108    132
711134    London Bridge30    3    9-0    Jo Hughes     94    109    117
531353    Plinth31      3    9-0    A P O´Brien     —    103    113
211870    Ralston Road28    3    9-0    John Patrick Shanahan     93    105    115
4-1212    Renew35      3    9-0    Marco Botti     91    100    117
136453    Secret Number24    3    9-0    Saeed bin Suroor     106    106    125
31-117    Talent56    3    8-11    Ralph Beckett     114    119    132
12-465    Willie The Whipper24    3    9-0    Ann Duffield     107    114    125

I'm with you thebloob, big fan of secret number for this.

Make that a 3rd huge Secret Number fan.

Not played on anything yet myself in the Great race. Galileo Rock would be my fancy for the race atm if he gets the go-ahead. The step-up in trip will bring about more improvement in him & his two Derby runs have been excellent. Should be fav imo.

I agree that Galileo Rock looks solid and would be a worthy favourite from the formbook. Somebody just hovered up everything in the antepost market on GR, only pennies but maybe someone in the know

His form with Cap O'Rushes puts him a long way behind the others.

Cap did not run to his best at York in my book.
His runs in the Ire Derby & Goodwood are solid runs imo.
IF the Rock lines up at Doony & gets gd ground, he will take the beating imo.

I wouldn't put a quid on Galileo Rock, regardless of the ground.

Get rid of Oaks next year thread ffs,Wide open open Leger Eye of turns up watch out?

Secret Number not been 1st 2 last 5 runs, surely cant be that unlucky imo.

Secret Number needs the trip and the Goodwood run is a lot better than the bare result

Agree about Secret N & runs like he needs a trip. Add to that the boysNblue do have a gd record in the race.
But the big tip we are waiting for with bated breath is, what G83 is having his "quid" on

Have to say i like secret number at a price...never seen so many so keen on a 16-1 chance on any of the threads before

looks like were all going to have it off

Yeah I went through Bin Suroor's record in the race the other day.

1995-2013; 13 runners in the Leger.

5 winners.
2 placed.
4 unplaced. Of these 4, 2 had been beaten in Conditions events as their Leger 'prep'.

He had a 1-3 in 1998 and a 1-2 in 2009. He didn't have a runner between Rule of Law winning in 2004 and Mastery/Kite Wood 1-2 in 2009. He hasn't had a runner since either.

Since 1995 all but 3 St Leger winners had run in either the King Edward VII Stakes or a Derby. The 3 who hadn't? Encke, Mastery and Nedawi. All 3 from Godolphin, but the last 2 trained by Bin Suroor.

Then look at the quality of horse Bin Suroor's run in either the Gordon Stakes or Voltigeur since 1995;

Hunter's Light - dual G1 winner
Mastery - St Leger and HK Vase winner
Meydan City - rubbish
Rule of Law - Leger winner
Mutafaweq - Leger winner
Sea Wave - went down the Niel-Arc route instead, unshipped jockey in Niel but 3rd in HK Vase following year behind Borgia
Stowaway - won the Sheema the following season

Duke of Venice - rubbish
Wareed - won Chaudeney next start and retired afterwards
Nedawi - won Leger

As has been said, Secret Number was painfully unlucky not to win the Gordon. He came to win the race & was blocked off. He then came BACK to win the race again and was blocked off again. Miles better than Cap O'Rushes (which puts him at at least Galileo Rock's level IMO) and miles better than the current Leger favourite.

I thought Telescope was the winner. Obviously he won't be, but I'd be very surprised to see Secret Number beaten with a perfect Leger prep against all these others who haven't run since the back end of June.

He's very likely to be a top quality horse, as evidenced by the horses Bin Suroor runs in the Gordon Stakes/Great Voltigeur, and the very fact he'll be running in the Leger looks a tip in itself. He should've won the Gordon Stakes, a race that 4 subsequent St Leger winners have won since 1995 - and what price would Secret Number be had he gotten a run at Goodwood? Given that Excess Knowledge is favourite, you have to assume that Secret Number would be favourite or thereabouts.

Instead 16/1 is still available. Value.

In fact, just looking at those 11 horses he ran in either the Gordon Stakes or Great Voltigeur, of the 4 who actually ran in the St. Leger...all 4 won.

16/1...

Having done my nuts on Telescope I thought Galileo Rock was the next likely winner. He is totally devoid of pace and just stays all day. He is gaggin for this extra 2f. But you can't back him ante-post because he needs it Good or better (according to trainer) even though he won his maiden by 8 lengths on Soft.

the market leaders like GR won't be going off much shorter on the day, but there is a lot of scope for Secret Number to shorten, I wouldn't be surprised by 8/1 on the day. The run in the Voltigeur wasn't great but Encke's was worse last year. If you ignore the result of the race at Goodwood and pretend the horse didn't get blocked badly, assume it got out and won cosy, because that is what would have happened, would it be 16/1 now? I doubt it

I'm already on at 20/1 but 16/1 still looks tempting

On breeding i'd have doubts about him tbh .. his half-brother was best at 1m to 10f.

On breeding he is a doubtful stayer sint & it may well be that the horse just needs a true run 1m4f. On what he has shown so far, he looks short of G1 class (winning one that is)
Watching his races he does run like he wants a trip tho, we shall see.
Personally there are a few in front of him in my book & he will need to improve for the step-up in trip, which on breeding would be far from certain.
Still see the Rock as the one to beat myself, gd ground would be perfect for him & he looks sure to enjoy the Leger trip.

backed 2 for the race some weeks ago, good to see everyone liking secret number as he was my first choice.

Ive also backed willie the whipper at 66s  with the magic sign a few weeks back.

Tough race to deduce what horses have been lined up specifically for the race.

lads go nr nb

The main hopes all stand their ground at the 5day stage.

Mixed reports regarding the weather. From what I've seen Friday looks the worst possible day for a down poor so i'd hold any bets unless your fancy handles both soft & good.

Only one horse im interested in now after the defection of Telescope and that is Galileo Rock. His form with Trading Leather is the best on offer.

i like excess knowledge here...will love trip ,any cut wouldnt be a problem i wouldnt think ,trainer record obviously second to none...took all the 8s and 10s i could get....heres hoping !!!

Eye of the storm just finished 2nd in a listed race at Galway so doubt he'll be in the leger.

I seem to remember a filly winning the Fillies Leger, then the ST LEGER a couple or so days later, is my memory
playing tricks with me?
Was it CANTELO?

"Secret Number is bred to be a mile and a quarter horse and he looks to be one of these nearly horses - he does not seem to win on the big occasion. For me, I would be surprised if he was good enough to win on Saturday. He is in good form and, indeed, did his best piece of work ever leading up to this race. But I would be a bit surprised to see him in the winner's enclosure."

Simon Crisford in the Sportinglife preview there.

I haven't backed it myself but you backers can start counting your money imo. He puts punters away every time he opens his gob.

He puts punters away every time he opens his gob.

You mean like when he told everyone on ATR St Leger website that they really fancied Encke last year and couldn't believe he was 33/1 and had me dancing round my living room covered in notes?

This year's renewal is wide open.

Cap O Rushes - winner of Gordon Stakes perhaps fortuitously and good run in Irish derby. Needs cut underfoot but not sure he will get home over the trip.

Excess Knowledge - don't like short priced horses that haven't won for a while (beaten last 4 and only a maiden win to its name) or have been unlucky lto. His form does not make him a 6/1 shot although the trip should be right up his street.

Feel Like Dancing - not good enough for me. Can see it plodding on for around 5th

Foundry - only two runs in its life. Not battle hardened enough for the race and wouldn't be surprised if he missed this

Galileo Rock - needs fast ground according to trainer and unlikely to get this here. However has a 7 length win on soft ground to his name so goes on anything. Takes keen hold buty should get home but 7/2? Too short

Leading Light - good form figures but how many Queens Vase winners come on and win this? Anyone know? Hasn't run in the right races for me to be considered for this although stamina not in doubt

Libertarian - will love the track but chequered preparation and could either win or finish last

Secret Number - not sure he will stay but definitely seen worse 16/1 shots

Talent - overpriced at 16/1. Trainer makes a habit of having big priced soft ground winners at this meeting. Galloped on strongly to win Oaks and the last eight Oaks winners to run in the St Leger (from 1977 onwards) finished: 11121234

Selection - Talent 16/1 ew

eye of the tiger , love it !

My only plays are my small ante posts on Excess Knowledge at 16s 12 and 10s, and Feel Like Dancing(my first choice) at 25/1.

with all that rain today, I've gone for Libertarian taken the 8/1.

going is now Good to Soft with more rain forecast.

Rain fck off

Foundry and Talent like the soft, are there any others?

Ladbrokes and Bet365 are NRNB

Aren't you on Lib, BJG? I thought Galileo Rock was a cert on Good or better tbh! Have him in a couple of acca's

Libertarian will like soft, as will Cap O Rushes according to Crisford.

Soft ground would be a help for Libertarian imo.
If it does come up soft on Sat?

Av Lib but only at 8s after the derby! Much nicer bet on Galileo Rock at 20s

Don't think the Rock would want to see anymore of the wet stuff BJG.
On gd or faster ground he would have been my fancy for the Great Race.
Hope it dries out a gd bit by Leger time on Sat.

Been an up and down wettish day and I think going still good. Good draining track so remember that. Where is Town Moor these days and his dog walking?

I was a big Galileo Rock fan but given tonights forecast I would be trading any antepost bets at least to make a small profit.

I see they have gone for cheekpieces on Libertarian, probably not significant but if you want to take a positive view then half brother Zed Candy did win with first time cheekpieces over hurdles. Still if he doesn't perform on saturday then who knows maybe we'll see Libertarian over hurdles for John Ferguson one day

Galileo Rock may not run if ground is unsuitable according to RP

Time to trade.

No great surprise to see Libertarian will have some headgear applied as he does tend to run in snatches in his races & they will be hoping it helps him travel better until the charge for home. Solid ew chance granted some ease in the ground imo.

I have to say i am now deeply involved in libertarian as feel 8-1 is way to big about a horse with the best form and will like the ground buick on an extra plus. It must be remembered with this fellow that despite the ground last time it was his second poor performance on a right handed track...i have a small saver on the filly and a decent enough wager on the abdulla horse at 7's but mercionary that i am i don't particularly like him anymore as think i made a poor play... i don't think he will be tough enough for this and also feel the ground will be plenty soft enough would like to be wrong as he is worth the most but i fear for him and will not be topping up

galileo rock looks a non runner to me judging by the trainers comments a shame as he is such a likeable creature

As much as I think GR does prefer Good ground, it would be ridiculous not to run in a classic on Good to Soft, especially when you have the best form horse in the race.

How does Galileo Rock have the best form in the race please? Talent won the Grade 1 Oaks by 3 lengths. Galileo Rock has only won a Maiden. The price of Galileo Rock is laughable.

Backed Talent ew but starting to think Libertarian worth a punt also. He's better than Galileo Rock for me and Excess Knowledge and Foundry have done nothing of note

Read that in last 6 years, of the 18 horses that filled the first 3 places 17 had at least 2 career wins. Excess Knowledge, Foundry, Galileo Rock have only won once. Not sure what these have all done to be top 3 in betting to be honest.

Because the form of the Oaks is dire. Look through it.

Only the Lark has won from the race. The rest have been retired like Moth or Liber Nauticus.

The form with Trading Leather who was 2nd in the King George and Juddmonte is the strongest on offer, though clearly it is not head and shoulders above everything else.

Not the strongest Oaks I agree but I'd rather have a 3 length Group 1 winner at 12/1 than a Maiden winner at 4/1. Can't understand why Galileo Rock and Excess Knowledge are so short.

Also the form of the Epsom Derby is equally as bad if not worse than the Epsom Oaks given how far Talent pulled clear. It's a poor crop of middle distance three year olds, i don't think there is a stand out horse so for me the value lies with the likes of Secret Number, Talent and Havana Beat

I wouldn't be surprised if Talent is price  wized.

My choice is Talent for small money at 14s.

wasn't the oaks last year a terrible race, but the fugue has shown shes top class, maybe talent will follow suit

Raining again but not particularly heavy duty stuff.

Not sure he is any value at all, but think Foundry is the one for this.

Huge step up required but think he will improve massively. Agree that Talent is over priced

Cap O' rushes   has as good a chance as any in an open race , he  is more likely than most to  get  the one mile six  trip  and the  vibes are there for a good run , should be about  8/1  imo , the very hard race he had in the Irish Derby when he was pacemaker for Libertarian did him no favours  ,but he has won since  a repeat of that effort  would see him  right there  gl

Why my long term fancy Gs Rock looking like a non-starter due to the softening ground at Donny, the Great race looks even more tricky to work out due to the likely soft ground.
Looking over all the form there is not much between a handful of them.
Gd luck with your fancies 2moro

Since 2001 there have been 16 runners in the Leger that have earned an RPR of 105+ in defeat in a 1M2F+ pattern race at Royal Ascot, 7 have won. In this years race, only Secret Number passes this test

he was also top 3 in the Voltigeur (5 of last 10 winners also did this)
also ran in the Gordon (4 out of 10)

His trainer has 2 winners and a second from his last 4 runners in the race

massive ew shout boys

surely GR a non-runner after the trainer comments? he's going to look pretty stupid if it runs now. I don't get the soft ground issue though, it looks like it goes well on softish

Sun is out and a bootiful day. I might just pop down.

keeping the faith with Galileo Rock and taken 6/1. Trainer happy to chance it, and he just looks made for this race, slow as boat over 12f and on breeding. Should improve for the trip.

this race is a car crash imo have backed 4 and still don't think that's enough!!

Small interest on Gs Rock as he has been my long term fancy, bit concerned about the ground, hence only a small play. Gd luck

I think Talent, Libertarian, Galileo Rock, Leading Light and Excess Knowledge have all shown a level of form in keeping with past Leger winners and there's very little between them. I have to chuck out Talent and Libertarian because of their disappointing last efforts, they might come back to form but don't interest me at the prices. I'd also like to see some more recent proof of Galileo Rock's well being, as I though he had two hard races earlier in the season, the ground could be against him too. Not a big betting race for me but I think Leading Light is a value price, most Queen's Vase winners are plodders but he showed he's much more than that when winning the Gallinule in a good time. Hopefully he's still in the same form, if he is he'll be hard to beat, but Excess Knowledge has been prepared to be spot on for this so could be the danger.

I'm going for Leading Light, proven stamina essential in these conditions and also has form on this ground.

Galileo Rock will prob run very well but may just find one or two proper stayers and hopefully Libertarians the one
Cap O Rushes could show its form all wrong

well done winners ...looked the winner from a long way out

Ascot Gold Cup next year you reckon?

well done Leading Light backers

decent performances from the front 3. They coped with the demands best. Talent couldn't get a gap when needed but the winner fights like a butchers dog.

Gd performance from the winner & the AOB team got it spot on with young joe on the big winner, well done to them & its backers. The filly ran a cracker to come from last to grab 2nd spot but found the winner just to strong. The Rock ran yet another soild race on ground that was prob a bit on the slow side but the form makes sense (or very close to it with the 4th horse) & he had every chance.

wd figgis, GC and other backers. Talk of the Arc now. Always the case after a Leger winner!! Masked Marvel,Sea Moon etc

No chance in the Arc. Absolutely none.

Don't expect him to be lining up in the Arc.