Jim Crowley pushes Hukum out to victory
Jim Crowley pushes Hukum out to victory

Hukum earns St Leger quotes with Geoffrey Freer Stakes


Hukum ran out a ready winner of the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.

Owen Burrows' charge was racing for the first time since landing the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and took the step up to pattern company in his stride.

The 4/1 chance traveled powerfully through the race under Jim Crowley and mastered the front-running Max Vega at the furlong pole and came clear to win by two lengths.

Sky Bet, make him a 12/1 chance for the St Leger at Doncaster, Paddy Power and Betfair go 10s from the same price, and the winning rider admits it could be a target.

"Off that run he'd be worthy of running in it. There wasn't much of a gallop on and he picked them up really well and he's improving with every race," he told ITV Racing.

"His work was a lot, lot better going into this race than it was at Ascot and hopefully he'll keep on progressing. He's a lovely horse who would go on most type of grounds and he has a zip about him."

The winning trainer added: "He seemed to travel good, got into a nice rhythm and stayed very well which we were always confident he would. There was just a little question mark over the ground, he's only run three times and not on soft before, but he did it very well.

"We'll speak to Sheikh Hamdan, Angus Gold and Richard Hills and make a plan but he handled the ground and the trip and I'd have thought the Leger might be on the cards."