St Leger tips: Horse by horse guide to 2022 Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster
We preview the potential contenders in line for Saturday's Cazoo St Leger as Charlie Appleby and Godolphin go for back-to-back wins in the Classic.
Cazoo St Leger Stakes (Group 1)
When: 3.33 Saturday, September 10
Where: Doncaster Racecourse
Winner's prize: £396,970
Where to watch: ITV Racing and Sky Sports Racing
ELDAR ELDAROV
Drop back to 1m4f and step up to Group One level appeared to catch him out when letting down favourite-backers in France last time but hard to hold that against such a lightly-raced colt. Had previously beaten Zechariah - albeit narrowly - in the Queen's Vase over this weekend's trip at Royal Ascot and a true end-to-end gallop should really play to his strengths here. Yard won the Leger in 2014 and this well-bred son of Dubawi looks well worth a shot at it.
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EL HABEEB
Set some very daunting tasks in his short career today and, having been supplemented into the race on Monday, this looks another unfortunately. To be fair to the colt he bounced back from being blown away in the Derby with a fair maiden second at Chester before winning a small novice event at Wolverhampton last month. The breakthrough win will have done his confidence some good but he's only rated 89 officially and clearly not up to this level.
FRENCH CLAIM
Bit of a dark horse who could yet step into the light this autumn. Forecast rain through the week likely to play to his strengths and he arguably took his form up a notch when third - beaten nine lengths - behind Westover in the Irish Derby when last seen. Plenty of stamina on the dam's side of his pedigree so this trip could unlock even more and he's not to be taken lightly for a trainer clearly going places.
GIAVELOTTO
Looks to be biting off more than he can chew based on ratings but no doubt the sizeable son of Mastercraftsman is progressing nicely with racing this year. Having won his novice back in March, he was back in the groove with a stylish handicap success over the Leger distance at Newmarket last month and it appears the hood - worn for just the second time in public that day - has helped him settle a lot better. More to come, no doubt, but in terms of pure class he just looks a little short of the mark at this stage.
HOO YA MAL
Unsurprisingly made huge money (£1.2m) at horses-in-training sale after finding only Desert Crown too good in the Cazoo Derby at Epsom and hasn't let anyone down in two subsequent starts, finishing two-lengths third to New London at Goodwood's big meeting before winning a Group Three back there last month. Step up to this trip posed no issues last time, despite stamina questions on pedigree, and he could go well again here before shipping off to Australia for a shot at the Melbourne Cup.
NEW LONDON
Won his maiden with a strong late surge on soft ground first time out over 10 furlongs last October and although he backed it up with a win on his seasonal return in April, something seemed to go amiss when a well-held second in the Chester Vase. Connections have given him time and the colt has responded in kind, bouncing straight back to form with an impressive handicap win from a mark of 99 in July before winning the Group Three Gordon Stakes with something to spare at Goodwood. Form of that race has worked out really well since, receiving another boost on Sunday with West Wind Blows winning in France, and he just looks to be peaking at the right time. Dam related to Leger winner Masked Marvel so no trip fears and very much the one to beat on bare form, as well as considerable potential for further improvement.
EMILY DICKINSON
Bred for staying distances so no surprise she stepped up on her earlier form when a short-head second in Group Three company over this 1m6f trip at Leopardstown in July. Has posted similar efforts in pure form terms at the Curragh and Goodwood since, running on from an almost impossible position to be third in the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood last time. Still more to come from her, no doubt, and she looks the yard's main hope without screaming 'Classic winner in waiting'.
HASKOY
Supplemented for the race on Monday and it's not hard to see why given the combination of factors including the apparent lack of strength in depth among the colts. This filly by Derby and Arc winner Golden Horn still looked to be learning on the job when supplementing her debut success in the Listed Galtres Stakes over 1m4f at York. Should certainly stay this longer trip on pedigree, just a big question over whether this sort of test will come a fraction too soon in her education.
LIZZIE JEAN
Another horse seriously out of her depth in this sort of company as, despite being bumped up 10lb for her Southwell success when last seen, she's still only rated 88 by the BHA handicappers. A long way behind Eldar Eldarov at Newcastle back in May and would be a shock to see her play anything like a major role this weekend.
Conclusion
Not a vintage edition by the looks of things and it's very hard to escape the notion that NEW LONDON is by far and away the most likely winner.
We're seemingly only just seeing the tip of the iceberg with Charlie Appleby's one-time Derby hope and the way he saw off a thriving Deauville Legend in the Gordon Stakes, despite idling close home, smacked of a colt going places this autumn.
The battle in behind him looks an interesting one and Danny Tudhope - who is already booked for French Claim - might just tweak the tactics on Paddy Twomey's charge and look to pick up the pieces. Few jockeys are as adept as he at pulling off a waiting ride and, with rain in the forecast, we could see a big career-best from the Irish Derby third who is fresh from a break with this time of year in mind.
The supplemented York winner Haskoy is an inexperienced filly but a fascinating addition all the same, while judging Eldar Eldarov too harshly on his run in France last time may be a little hasty.
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