St Leger

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Im just gonna have a read of this. Anyone else got any thoughts or tips for the St Leger?

The big battalions of Coolmore and Godolphin may have little in common but together they have certainly helped to resurrect the fifth and final British classic.

Little more than a decade ago, the race was in intensive care as troubles with the racing surface and owners' dreams of breeding middle-distance stars sidelining the Doncaster race.

But the 'big two' have won six of the last 10 runnings and the sceptics should note that many previous Classic winners or Derby-placed horses have gone to victory here.

They will have their ammunition out in force again with Aidan O'Brien chasing the world record of 25 Group One triumphs in a year while Godolphin desperately need to put some big-race success on the board.
Ironically, the betting is dominated by a trainer who has yet to saddle the winner of the final Classic.

Sir Michael Stoute boasts three serious contenders and only Doctor Fremantle has not spent some time as market leader.
Tartan Bearer would have made it four but was taken out at the latest declaration stage.

Patkai seemed to be the stable star after he was hugely impressive in winning the two-mile Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot but flopped inexplicably in the Great Voltigeur switched to Goodwood from waterlogged York.
No excuses have been put forward though the race was run at a crawl but he will have no problem with the trip though whether he has the pace is a different matter.

That has led to Conduit now disputing favouritism and on paper, he has done very little wrong.

An amazing last-to-first victory over 10 furlongs at Epsom in a very fast time was followed by an unlucky second at the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot when he met trouble getting through.

He was less impressive in wearing down useful handicapper Donegal in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood but the long, wide straight at Town Moor should help Ryan Moore wait till the last moment before launching his devastating burst from the back.

Tartan Bearer's Irish Derby conqueror Frozen Fire leads the Coolmore challenge though they have half a dozen others with varying chances.
However, Frozen Fire was a slightly fortunate victor at the Curragh and had twice finished behind Tartan Bearer, a head in the Dante Stakes and a massive 11 lengths in the Epsom Derby.

That doesn't seem to justify general 5/1 odds while Alessandro Volta, whose swerving at the Curragh hampered Tartan Bearer, is closely matched with his stablemate but was also well adrift of Tartan Bearer at Epsom.

Washington Irving followed a handy fifth in the Epsom Derby with stone last in the Irish equivalent and a recent defeat in a Group Three at Leopardstown hardly inspires.

In contrast Godolphin have just one horse to rely on but Campanologist has all the credentials to run a very big race.

Brought out of Mark Johnston's stable after winning the Feilden Stakes, he was just outpointed by Alessandro Volta and King of Rome in the Lingfield Derby Trial.

His narrow defeat of Conduit at Royal Ascot showed he appreciated the step up to a mile and a half and he lost little gloss in subsequent defeats to Mount Nelson in the Eclipse Stakes and Pipedreamer in the Skybet York Stakes over inadequate 10-furlong trips.

Godolphin chief Sheikh Mohammed has won the race seven times over the years and a general 20/1 seems a big price for a horse who might get a soft lead if the Coolmore brigade spend too much time watching the Stoute's hot-shots.

Few others come into the reckoning.
Great Voltigeur winner Centennial needs to be supplemented to line up by last year's winning trainer John Gosden but he has been well beaten on other occasions.
Oaks heroine Look Here has not been seen since that day in June because of a string of various niggles and fillies don't have a great record in the race while another female, Unsung Heroine, has won her only two races to date and will surely have to improve to win this.

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