Equinties - legend in the Leger

Gm Equinauts

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

A LEGEND IN THE LEGER

Ahead of the St Leger Saturday, it’s fair to say a lot of us thought the race was going to be … boring!

Three Aidan O’Brien-trained runners, two horses spanked in Derbys, a Melrose fourth and an Irish Oaks winner didn’t look too appetising, but then this happened:

The market couldn’t split them, and barely could they when they JAN BREUGHEL and ILLINOIS locked horns all the way to the line.

Two Coolmore horses battling, fighting all the way to the line, sticking out their necks out, both hungry to win was as brilliant to see as it was also sad. A poignant reminder of how much the racing world will miss GALILEO, none more so than by the by the ‘Lads’ at Ballydoyle who are desperate to find another.

They never will. The spirit of GALILEO was the legend in the Leger this year.

JAN BRUEGHEL was the one who came out on top, seeing off ILLINOIS to win by a neck and remain unbeaten.

His form works out too - he beat BELLUM JUSTUM two starts ago who won the Grade 3 Nashville Derby recently.

Furthermore, ILLINOIS got himself a form boost yesterday as he finished second to SOSIE, yesterday’s Group 2 Prix Neil winner, in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris earlier this season.

They shot at him on Saturday when he hit the front, but he repelled the challenge of ILLINOIS, SUNWAY and DEIRA MILE gallantly, so fair play to him.

So, in what looked like a ‘boring’ St Leger at first, it may be worth planting more praise on its head.

As for anything else to take out of the race, the Melrose did get a nice boost as WILD WAVES ran a good race.

He travelled well up the far side rail and actually even ran into the back of GROSVENOR SQUARE. MASTER BUILDER, third in the Melrose, won a big handicap at Haydock subsequently, so the form looks good.

THE BEST

The best. It’s a phrase that gets used a lot in our game, but KYPRIOS is certainly a contender for that title when it comes to stayers in the history of Flat racing.

Two Gold Cups, two Goodwood Cups, two Irish St Legers, one Cadran, and a host of Group 3 and Listed contests. That’s a CV that will put any name into the echelons of racings hall of fame for eternity, and this all comes from a horse who had two separate 340-day+ breaks due to setbacks!

Okay he was facing beatable field and yes, he was priced accordingly at 2/5, but you can’t help but smile when seeing a horse of his quality dance home in another Group 1.

The best bit about his second Irish St Leger success? Well, the GALILEO entire is going to stay in training next year, so we hopefully have another year of his brilliance.

That is great news.

And as if one horse triumphing on the big stage when at on point things looked very bleak was enough, the mighty BRADSELL was victorious in the Flying Five Stakes yesterday.

So, we may have been on the wrong side of the result having backed BELIEVING, but for a horse who has had more than his fair share of problems within his three seasons on the track, to land a Listed race and two Group 1 contests within five weeks is insane!

Archie Watson and connections said that they were going to keep him lowkey until the Breeders’ Cup, so in all honesty it was a nice surprise to see him out so quickly.

That didn’t matter in the end, and it’s now full steam ahead to Del Mar at the end of the year where he is sure to relish a sharp five-furlong test.

Watson said about Bradsell's future: "There are two further races which are a possibility. There is the Abbaye, although I wouldn't want it to be horrible ground or for him to be drawn 'stupid'. There is also the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, which should be right up his street, as it is a very quick five. One or both of those, all being well, would be the plan."

He’s a good horse, potentially the best we have in the division, and one we should relish before he goes off to breeding duties.

WEEKEND EYE-CATCHERS

SHIN EMPEROR – SATURDAY 15.25 LEOPARDSTOWN

Keeping this simple and to the point, SHIN EMPEROR put in a huge effort in the Irish Champion Stakes ahead of his main aim, the Arc.

It was his first run since May and the form instantly looks good with ECONOMICS, AUGUSTE RODIN, and LOS ANGELES.

He even had a bit of a rough route through, so the effort can be upgraded.

He’s 8/1 for the Arc now and that looks more than fair.

ELIM – SUNDAY 15.15 DONCASTER

Ed Bethell thinks quite a lot of ELIM, so he was probably a touch annoyed that she only finished second in the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes yesterday.

But fairness to the MAKE BELIEVE filly, she rallied nicely down the outside and was slightly unlucky to run into one in GREAT GENERATION.

She’ll be competitive in her next fillies assignment and is one to keep onside.

VAUBAN – SUNDAY 16.45 CURRAGH

Speaking of simple and to the point, it’s clear to see what was in the minds of Willie Mullins, William Buick, and VAUBAN in yesterday’s Irish St Leger. The Melbourne Cup.

The weights for the world’s most famous Flat handicap are due early this week and a victory over KYPRIOS would have blown his mark, but finishing two and a quarter lengths behind should put him in a good position to get a nice weight.

Furthermore, he’s been beaten three times this season and he just got up in the Lonsdale Cup, so it would be harsh if he got slapped with a big weight for the Melbourne Cup.

Willie Mullins isn’t the kind of trainer to let things go, so he will be out for blood in this year’s renewal of the race that stops a nation.

RISK ON

16.00 DISCO DAVIS 

The owner of this horse owns another with Dan Skelton called LAC DE CONSTANCE. LDC did nothing in bumpers but then was given a break and a wind op for him then to bolt up on hurdles debut. Now, we can’t say this is definitely the same thing that’ll happen with DISCO DAVIS today but given he’s fit, fresh and can now breathe, it bodes well as he’s by far the best bred horse in the race and it would be no surprise if he did! The drifting 11/4 is a concern but hopefully proves good bet against the gambled Olly Murphy horse who, despite loving todays conditions, is not bred for NH!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE WEEKENDER EDITION USING THE LINK BELOW.

Become a paying subscriber of Premium to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content.

Already a paying subscriber? Sign In.

A subscription gets you:

• • The weekender edition (Mon-Fri still free)
• • The weekends best bets
• • That warm fuzzy feeling inside knowing the intern gets fed
• • Only £1 a week!