LADBROKES St Leger hero Conduit will be aimed at all the big middle-distance contests next season.
The three-year-old outstayed his rivals under Frankie Dettori – winning his fifth Leger – to come home three lengths ahead of filly Unsung Heroine to give trainer Sir Michael Stoute a first victory in the final Classic of the season.
Conduit, who is owned by the Ballymacoll Stud, has gone from handicapper to Classic winner since the start of the season.
Connections are looking at giving him a break for the season, before returning back next year.
“I don’t know if he’ll run again this season, but the main thing is that he’s a nice horse for next year,” said Peter Reynolds, racing manager for Ballymacoll stud.
“He showed a nice turn of foot and it looked a reasonable Leger. After all he’s beaten an Oaks winner (Look Here) and an Irish Derby winner (Frozen Fire). He seems to go on any ground and that’s always going to be a bonus. These staying horses and mile-and-a-half races are coming back into fashion which is great news.”
Unsung Heroine may run in the Prix de Royallieu at Longchamp on October 4 and the Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita.
Trainer Tommy Stack’s son and assistant said of the High Chaparral filly: “She’s home, she’s safe and well and seems okay.
“No excuses, she got beaten by a better colt on the day, but she ran a cracker. We were delighted with her and we’ll see what we do, whet-her she runs again this year. We’ll make our minds up in a couple of weeks. There are two options, the Breeders’ Cup Marathon or the Prix de Royallieu.”
Aidan O’Brien’s favourite Frozen Fire could manage only seventh in the Leger, but the Ballydoyle handler’s pursuit of breaking the world record for Group One wins in a year continues.
O’Brien completed a clean sweep of the Classics in his homeland with 1-3 favourite’s Septimus victory in the Irish St Leger, and Mastercraftsman consolidated his place at the head of the betting for next year’s 2,000 Guineas with a short-head victory in in the Bank Of Scotland (Ireland) National Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.
O’Brien has won the Group One juvenile contest seven times and Mastercraftsman’s success gave him a 20th win at the top level this season.
He needs just five more to equal Bobby Frankel’s record of 25.
Meanwhile in France Alain de Royer-Dupre’s unbeaten filly Zarkava won the Prix Vermeille on Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe trails day and is the 3-1 favourite with VCbet for Europe’s middle distance championship contest.
French Derby winner Vision D’Etat also maintained his unbeaten record in the Prix Niel while Zambezi Sun just landed the Prix Foy.
TODAY’S NAP: Totem Flower (5pm Leicester).
