Ladbrokes St Ledger 2010

3.20 Doncaster
Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3YO only)
Winner £283,850 - 10 run

Picks: Midas Touch (each/way), Artic Cosmos (each/way)

Artic Cosmos: Massively improving horse, who bolted up in AW handicap at Kempton prior to fine second to Monterosso in Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot; Only third in Gordon Stakes but never handled track for a second and was given way too much to do, closing into a late third, beaten only a length; This again tougher but demands respect given form that stable are in and blinkers may well pull out more improvement; Should relish trip.

Corsica: Has been most progressive and a model of consistency, winning 2 handicaps, a listed race and the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy this year; Went off too fast in Gordon Stakes but this again much tougher and doubtful he would have won anyway.

Dandino: 4 from 5 this year, raising game yet another notch when only just failing to catch Rebel Solider in Gordon Stakes, missing out by a short head but looking as if he’d stay this trip; This is much harder than that but sill improving, so can’t be ruled out totally.

Joshua Tree: Scrambled home over 7f in the mud at Gowran on debut, then better effort when second in 8f nursery at Listowel before showing immense promise when taking Royal Lodge Stakes; Suffered some holdbacks in spring and given how stable’s horses improve for first runs of season, remarkably encouraging how well he travelled into Great Voltigeur before giving way for third; Should improve for that but stamina for this trip not cast iron.

Midas Touch; Progressive in three runs at two and ended season with a decent fourth in Criterium International; Made a very good return when landing Derrinstown Derby Trial so was disappointing when lacklustre fifth in Derby; Ran a brave race when close second in Irish Derby, and ran well conserving he had to shoulder a 4lbs penalty in Great Voltigeur at York last month; Should stay the trip just fine and 3lbs pull combined with longer trip means that result is by no means a formality; Chance.

Rewilding: Graduated from Andre Fabre's stable with flying colours when taking a Cocked Hat Stakes in great style visually and supplemented for Derby off the back of that; Ran a good race in Derby, proving very unsuited and losing lot of ground on Tattenham Corner before making good late progress, looking like St Ledger winner in waiting and did nothing to discourage those opinions when slamming Midas Touch, Joshua Tree and Ted Spread in Great Voltigeur at York last month; Going to be near impossible to beat and worthy fav.


Ted Spread: Improved on all previous form and just pulled out more and more to win Chester Vase in gutsy fashion, beating off Icon Dream by ½ a length; Ran no sort of race in Derby but can be forgiven that and actually showed some promise when fourth in Great Voltigeur; However, it Is hard to envisage him being good enough to reverse form with those 3 ahead of him.

Theology: No fireworks on his first three starts, but penny has really dropped this year; Career best when beaten inches in 2m Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, and that form reads well; Disappointing when sixth in the Gordon, and while it’s probably true that he didn’t run a true race that day, much more is going to be needed.

Total Command: Steadily improving sort, who ran a perfect trial for this when stepped up in trip to 2m for the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, travelling strongly and showing a good turn of foot to go clear before faltering for stamina in the final furlong; With that in mind, bitterly disappointing when 9th in Great Voltigeur and leap of faith needed to back him now.

Snow Fairy: Has improved out of all recognition this season for step up to middle distances, showing impressive turn of foot to land the Height Of Fashion Stakes before making mockery of her price when coming with powerful burst under brilliant ride form Ryan Moore to land Oaks, even with troubled passage; No such trouble in Irish Oaks next time, completing Oaks double in emphatic style on soft ground; Ran a very respectable race when behind Midday last time out and while she should stay this trip fine, she may not improve for it; Major player and is only Group 1 winner in field.

VERDICT: A deservedly strong renewal of a great race, that hopefully will get field of this and better quality in the future. It’s near on impossible to oppose REWILDING, whose stong-finishing Derby third had St Leger written all over it and should be just fine with the trip. However, while he’s a worth fav, he’s a very short price and he has made way for some fantastic betting opportunities on the each/way front. MIDAS TOUCH is a consistent and classy sort who should love this test and is 3lbs better off for a 4 length beating in the Voltiegur. It was remarkably encouraging how well Joshua Tree travelled into the Great Voltigeur before giving way for third, but his stamina might give way. Snow Fairy demands respect bringing top form to the table (not to mention that Oaks winners have an excellent record), and should stay based on here Irish Oaks win. However, it’s notable that Ryan Moore is 2-2 on her and while Eddie Ahern is a good deputy, one has to wonder if the pair don’t have some kind of rapport (doubtful that any jockey other than Moore would have won the Oaks). Dandino is possibly capable of better still with more emphasis on stamina here, although this is a lot tougher than his Gordon Stakes near miss. That said, I’m strongly of the opinion that ARTIC COSMOS should have won that race, and with the possibility of more to come, he’s taken as a second e/w bet.