John Gosden admits Logician confronts a step into unknown territory as he wants to provide him with a success at the William Hill St Leger.
It is 23 years since Clarehaven’s master acquired the world’s oldest Vintage . He has since added to his tally with three wins in five decades courtesy of Lucarno (2007), Arctic Cosmos (2010) Masked Marvel (2011).
At winning his first three starts the Khalid Abdullah-owned Logician created his debut only but created a big impression – with a pair of strong wins at Newbury sandwiching a similarly screen .
Frankel’s son graduated with a success in the the Great Voltigeur at York to Group Two course and will line up in Doncaster on Saturday as a ritualistic favorite in the palms of jockey Frankie Dettori.
“He has been in amazing shape since York. He is very much a work in advance and didn’t begin racing until late in life,” said Gosden.
“I believed back May he is a Leger horse. He won a maiden down at Newbury, then a 0-90 handicap back at Newbury and a novice above a mile and a quarter at the July route, when it had been the first time he was ridden by Frankie. He’s come a long way in a brief time.
“He awakened again in the Great Voltigeur, and we’re very pleased with him.
“He’s fine on top of the floor, there’s no doubt he’s a better horse on good, easy side of good, but that might opt for a few others.”
Gosden believes the decision rather give him a while to mature continues to be crucial and not to operate Logician as a two-year-old.
He said:”He came to us quite late, and I believe giving him that time has profited him.
“He is a nice horse to be around. He is a character that is incredibly relaxed and contains a beautiful, long loping stride.
“I feel that the nice, long right at Doncaster should suit him nicely.”
Both obvious questions hanging heading into the Town Moor showpiece are whether his lack of big-race encounter could prove his undoing, and if his endurance will continue out within the distance.
Assessing both aspects, Gosden added:”We’ve been fortunate to acquire the Leger four times, and these horses were seasoned than him. It is a evaluation of a thoroughbred during that excursion – the 185 yards may be quite telling, and also the one-mile-six is something.
“You always know you going into uncharted territories with a youthful horse like him. It is not like he’s won a trial over a mile and three-quarters.
“He offers me the signals, as he is quite relaxed, that he will stay well.”
As always, Gosden is respectful of their resistance – giving special mention that maintained his fourth win in six starts this year in the month’s March Stakes.
He said:”I think it is a good renewal. You have a horse on the market which acquired the March Stakes and remained also. This has been a race I watched carefully, because we had been second in it (with Promissory).
“It will probably be an end-to-end gallop, and that isn’t a bad thing because it thins the field out.
“You’ll get trouble in running, and I remember a couple of horses that have been unfortunate not to win there. That will be left by me to the horse and Frankie – that they do not need any directions.
“When you see the horses that are still rolling involving the two-furlong mark and the one, that will tell us what sort of quality Leger it is.”
Dragon to flame
Sir Dragonet and Il Paradiso provide Aidan O’Brien a hand.
The Ballydoyle handler maintained his sixth victory from the Town Moor showpiece using Kew Gardens 12 months ago – adding to his previous triumphs with Milan (2001), Brian Boru (2003), Scorpion (2005), Leading Lighting (2013) and Capri (2017).
Chester Vase winner Sir Dragonet has had this season tilts Classic glory , finishing a close-up fifth when favourite for its Investec Derby at Epsom in early June.
He had been defeated in odds-on on his return from a midsummer fracture in the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh last month, however, O’Brien considers his charge will likely strip much more powerful on Saturday – and can be convinced that the step up to a mile and three-quarters will not be an problem.
Assessing the main market rival to the John Gosden-trained Logician, O’Brien said:”Sir Dragonet is a horse that has plenty of class.
“He was only ready to return at the Curragh. He got a little bit tired, which he had been entitled to perform. I was being gentle and careful .
“He’s never run anything less than a mile and a half, apart from the previous day over a mile and a quarter. We started him at a mile and a half and that we all think there’s a chance.
“I don’t think he is earth dependent. That was ground, and he just ran before Epsom on ground, and he also came out of the ideal.
“There is no doubt his very best run was that his Epsom run”
Sir Dragonet’s stablemate Il Paradiso has proved his stamina, having generated a functionality when third behind celebrity stayer Stradivarius at the Lonsdale Cup last month more than two kilometers.
“He remains really well and seems like a horse which will get a Gold Cup excursion – he seems like he will have two and a half kilometers,” O’Brien added.
“I think he is going to be happy . He doesn’t mind being ridden. You would be riding him like you are certain he will remain and another (Sir Dragonet) you’ll be taking your time with a little, I’d imagine.”
O’Brien also saddles outsider Western Australia.
Sir Ron Priestley has won five of his six starts this season – his blip coming at Royal Ascot. Mark Johnston’s fee is unbeaten in 3 following appearances and measures up to Group 1 level for the very first time.
Johnston, who has a second string to his bow in Nayef Road, said:”He’s (Sir Ron Priestley) has got a lot to find, and it might need to become a career-best, but he wants to be there.
“He’s done nearly everything right from the lower levels, with the exception of Royal Ascot. Now he has got to step up to the big one.
“I never underestimate the Leger, since I’ve run some high horses in it and they have been defeated. We understand he receives the trip, therefore we have no doubts about him there.
“Most of these in there’ll be getting the trip – they are class horses, so they should do. He stays the trip very well and can be a real horse”
Martyn Meade’s Geoffrey Freer winner Technician and Dashing Willoughby, from Andrew Balding’s lawn, finish the eight-strong field.
Balding said of his Royal Ascot winner:”He’s run well at Newmarket on Goodwood on fast ground so he does not need to get it tender.
“He’s run to a fair level annually and been really consistent, so I would expect he would run well”

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