Saturday's £450,000 Ladbrokes St Leger is all set to be a high-class affair following today's five-day confirmation, which sees seven entries going forward for the world's oldest classic.
Heading the list of acceptors is the ante-post favourite Scorpion, trained by dual Ladbrokes St Leger-winning handler Aidan O'Brien and runner-up to Hurricane Run in the Irish Derby. On his last start on July 14, he was the impressive winner of the Group One Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp, registering a record time in the process. He could well be joined by his stable companion Avalon, the subject of good ante-post support, who will only be having the third outing of his career following a win in a maiden at the Curragh and an eye-catching third in York's Great Voltigeur Stakes last month.
The Great Voltigeur Stakes itself was won by Hard Top, who will be bidding to fill the one of the very few gaps in the CV of his trainer Sir Michael Stoute, who has had five runners-up in the Group One contest.
Speaking today on At The Races, the master of Freemason Lodge, revealed: "The Ladbrokes St Leger isn't the only race to be missing from my CV, but it is the only classic that's missing.
"In the past, we have been beaten on merit, with possible exception of Quiff last year, who couldn't get out when she wanted to be going and the ground was also quick enough for her."
Stoute talked about Hard Top's chances on Saturday: "Hard Top had one start at the back end of last year at Newmarket when he was fifth to Proclamation, which pleased me a lot.
"We had some niggles with him in the spring time - he was coughing, had an allergy and was just wasn't quite right. He then went to Lingfield and won his maiden very cosily.
"After that, we threw him in at the deep end in the Great Voltigeur and he acquitted himself really well for a horse that had only had two previous runs.
"He didn't have a very good preparation in the spring time just through circumstances in that he wasn't ready to be trained. So he comes into the Ladbrokes St Leger as a pretty fresh horse with just three runs.
"But he also lacks a bit of experience. York was a blessing in disguise as he had a good, tough battle and was trapped on the fence for a while. So he may be sharp enough mentally having had that experience.
"I think that Scorpion is a worthy favourite and may be a very good colt - I would have very healthy respect for him.
"The trip should be no problem for Hard Top as he is a typical staying type bred by Balymacoll Stud. He is pretty good over a mile and half and should certainly get the trip, but I don't see any problems with Scorpion getting the trip either."
21- year-old Ryan Moore takes over from Mick Kinane on Hard Top on Saturday but this is not something that concerns Stoute.: "Ryan rode this horse when he won at Lingfield and has ridden him at home so knows him well."
The other acceptors for the Ladbrokes St Leger include The Geezer, impressive winner of the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood before finishing runner-up to Hard Top in the Great Voltigeur Stakes last time out. He will be bidding to provide a first British classic success for his trainer David Elsworth.
John Dunlop, seeking his fourth win in the Ladbrokes St Leger, has left in both Kong, successful in the Lingfield Derby Trial and fourth in the Great Voltigeur last time as well as Tawqeet, who steps up in class having taken the Melrose Handicap at York last time.
Completing the field is Hattan, trained by Clive Brittain who is chasing a third Ladbrokes St Leger victory.
Hattan was successful in the Group Three Chester Vase back in May and also ran a good race when sixth to Motivator in the Derby. A return to form last time, saw him chase home Eccentric in the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor. He is set to partnered by Australian ace Kerrin McEvoy - successful in 2004 on Rule Of Law.
Latest Ladbrokes prices:
Evens Scorpion
11/4 Hard Top
5/1 The Geezer
8/1 Avalon
12/1 Tawqeet
33/1 Kong
40/1 Hattan
Each way 1/4 the odds - 1, 2
THE 2005 LADBROKES ST LEGER
Class 1, Group One, Total Prize fund £450,000. Doncaster, Saturday, September 10, 2005, 1m 6f 132yds. For three-year-olds only, entire colts and fillies. Weights: colts 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Entries closed Wednesday, July 6, entries revealed Tuesday, July 12 (39 entries). Forfeit stage Tuesday, August 23 (10 remained), £25,000 supplementary entry stage Monday, September 5 (0 extra entries recevied). Five-day confirmation stage Monday, September 5 (7 remain). Final 48-hour declaration stage 10.00am, Thursday, September 8. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and include the racing of Sunday, September 4, 2005. May not include some overseas form.
Form Horse Age Owner Trainer/Jockey
13 AVALON 3 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE/
5-11 HARD TOP (IRE) 3 Ballymacoll Stud Sir Michael Stoute/Ryan Moore
12021 SCORPION (IRE) 3 Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE
01-41531 TAWQEET (USA) 3 Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop/Richard Hills
11203112 THE GEEZER 3 Jeff Smith David Elsworth/
7 entries remain after five-day confirmation stage
2 Irish-trained
TICKET AVAILABILITY
Badges for the Members' Enclosure on both Thursday, September 8 (Ladies' Day) and Saturday, September 10 (Ladbrokes St Leger day) are now sold out and there will be no transfers on these days between this enclosure and the Grandstand/Tattersalls Enclosure. Tickets for the other enclosures are still available on these days, while there are still tickets available for the Members' Enclosure on Wednesday and Friday.
totesport EXTENDS GOLD CUP SPONSORSHIP TO 2009
totesport is to continue one of racing's oldest sponsorships by backing the totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham for a further four years, up to and including the 2009 running.
Prize money for the 2006 totesport Gold Cup is to rise by 14.3 per cent to £400,000 (from £350,000) enabling the race to consolidate its position as the most valuable non-handicap chase in Britain.
The championship event, run over three miles, two and a half furlongs, has been sponsored by totesport since 1980 and has seen some great winners in that time, including Dawn Run (1986), Desert Orchid (1989) and more recently Best Mate, who recorded a three-timer from 2002 to 2004, and last season's outstanding scorer Kicking King.
Peter McNeile, Commercial Manager at Cheltenham, said: "We are delighted that one of Cheltenham's longest-standing sponsorships is to continue for a further four years and, with its value in 2006 up by 14 per cent to £400,000, the totesport Gold Cup will continue to be the most sought after prize in jump racing."
Keith Oliver, Marketing Director at totesport, commented: "We are thrilled to have extended our association with this great race and the increase in prize money reflects the standing of this unique event.
"The last four totesport Gold Cups have produced some of the best and most thrilling moments in the history of jump racing and here's hoping the next four can go some way towards matching them."
The 2006 totesport Gold Cup will be run at Cheltenham on Friday, March 17, the last day of The Festival. totesport's antepost market is headed at 5/2 by Kicking King with Best Mate priced at 6/1 and 16/1 bar.
HKBC BUY SHARE IN RAKTI
The Hong Kong Breeders Club has purchased a 10 per cent shareholding in six-time Group 1 winner Rakti, who is set to retire to Huma Park Stud in Ireland for the 2006 breeding season.
Rakti, whose final start is likely to come in the Grade 1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin on December 11, boasts a racing record that few modern-day performers could rival, earning £1.85 million (around HK$26.5 million) in prize money so far during his glittering career.
At three he won the Group 1 Italian Derby when trained in Italy by Bruno Grizzetti and moved to Michael Jarvis the following year, when he enjoyed Group 1 successes in the Champion Stakes at Newmarket, defeating an outstanding field that included Russian Rhythm, Alamshar and Nayef, and the Premio Presidente della Repubblica in Rome. He also finished runner-up to Nayef in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and to Falbrav in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin.
Last year he made a brilliant seasonal return when capturing the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot and went back to Ascot later in 2004 to enjoy a further Group 1 victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, an effort described by the Racing Post as "a performance of complete authority." He was jointly rated the world's champion miler in the 2004 World Thoroughbred Rankings and was champion miler in the British Horseracing Board's 2004 Flat Awards.
But there was better still to come on his seasonal debut this year in the Group 1 Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May. Rakti strolled to an effortless five-length success and lowered the mile course record at Newbury by no less than 1.04 seconds. BBC television commentator Jim McGrath wrote in The Daily Telegraph that "it could well be the performance of the season". The victory prompted Rakti's vastly-experienced trainer Michael Jarvis to declare: "He's the best I've trained in 37 years." On his most recent start, Rakti finished second to Valixir in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot at York.
The Hong Kong Breeders Club is set to be officially launched tomorrow (September 6) and John McGrath, the HKBC racing manager, said: "Rakti is an exceptional good looker and mover in the traditional mould and has received his highest British Horseracing Board rating of 124 this year. Winning his two latest Group 1s over a mile, having won his other four Group 1s over longer distances is truly phenomenal.
"We have firm plans to support Rakti in Ireland and Wakefield Stakes (Gr. 2) winner Danroad at Hedgeholme Stud in Co Durham (England) next year as well as sending them some of our best mares in the Southern Hemisphere."
STALLION NOMINATION TO BE AUCTIONED IN AID OF CHRIS KINANE APPEAL
A nomination to the stallion Danroad is set to be auctioned at Doncaster Racecourse on Wednesday (September 7) in aid of the Chris Kinane Trust Fund.
Danroad, who is currently at stud in New Zealand, is a Group 2-winning son of Danehill who will stand at Hedgeholme Stud in Co Durham for the 2006 breeding season.
The nomination is being donated by the Hong Kong Breeders Club, who will donate a sum equal to that raised at the auction to the Chris Kinane Trust Fund.
Henry Beeby, managing director of Doncaster Bloodstock Sales, will conduct the auction after the third race (run at 2.25pm) on Wednesday.
Chris Kinane suffered serious head injuries when kicked by a horse in the paddock at Wolverhampton on April 2 and underwent 12 operations in 14 weeks. The Trust Fund aims to give Chris and his family financial support throughout his rehabilitation. All the costs of running the Fund will be met by the trustees and if there is any surplus it will be donated to the Injured Jockeys' Fund.
Chris was assistant to Ian Williams when the accident happened and has spent his whole working life in racing, initially as a jump jockey riding for Josh Gifford before assisting Guy Harwood in the era of Dancing Brave and Warning. He was then private trainer to Geoff Hubbard, overseeing horses that included Cheltenham Gold Cup second Strong Promise.
John McGrath, racing manager to the Hong Kong Breeders Club, said today: "Everyone in the racing world was shocked by Chris Kinane's terrible accident and we hope that by auctioning the nomination to Danroad and then donating the same sum again, we can make a contribution towards Chris's rehabilitation."
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