DONCASTER RACECOURSE HOSTS ST LEGER ON SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2010

THEOLOGY COULD FACE SNOW FAIRY AND CAPE BLANCO IN LADBROKES ST LEGER AT DONCASTER



Dual Oaks winner Snow Fairy and Irish Derby hero Cape Blanco are among 42 entries revealed today for the world’s oldest Classic, the Group One Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday, September 11. Both are rated 8/1 hopes by Ladbrokes.



The extended mile and three quarters contest, which carries fantastic prize money of £500,000, was first run in 1776 and is the fifth and final Classic of the English Flat turf season.



Snow Fairy could bid to give trainer Ed Dunlop a first Ladbrokes St Leger victory after she complemented her Group One Investec Oaks triumph at Epsom in June with a stunning eight-length victory in the Darley Irish Oaks at the Curragh on July 18. The last filly to add the Ladbrokes St Leger to that Classic double was User Friendly in 1992.



Cape Blanco, among 12 Irish-trained entries and one of 11 in the care of Irish champion trainer Aidan O’Brien, clinched the Group One Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby over a mile and half at the Curragh on June 27, having previously defeated Investec Derby winner Workforce in the Group Two Dante Stakes at York in May.



O’Brien has three Ladbrokes St Leger triumphs to his name already (2001 Milan, 2003 Brian Boru, 2005 Scorpion). Alongside Cape Blanco, the typically strong Ballydoyle contingent also includes last season’s champion juvenile colt St Nicholas Abbey, whose biggest victory came last October at Doncaster in the Group One Racing Post Trophy over a mile.



O’Brien’s entry also includes Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby runner-up Midas Touch (the current 9/2 joint favourite with Ladbrokes), Investec Derby second At First Sight (25/1), Group One Jumeirah Dewhurst Stakes second Fencing Master (50/1) and Joshua Tree (25/1) who was last seen winning the Group Two Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot in September.



The Jeremy Noseda-trained Theology (16/1 with Ladbrokes) has emerged as a live Ladbrokes St Leger contender.



Owned by the Touchstone syndicate of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, Theology won his maiden over a mile and a half at Goodwood in May and followed that with a fantastic effort to finish second in the Group Three Queen’s Vase over two miles at Royal Ascot in June, a mere nose behind the winner Mikhail Glinka.



Harry Herbert, manager director of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, revealed today: “Theology has come out of the Queen’s Vase very well. It was a tough race and agony for horse, jockey and everyone concerned that he just lost out by a nostril. He is in good form now and Jeremy has been training him for Glorious Goodwood next week, either to run in the Gordon Stakes or the Goodwood Cup.



“We want to have a good look at those Goodwood races before we decide which one he runs in. We are hopeful that he will then continue to improve and the Ladbrokes St Leger will certainly be a target.



“It was a huge step up from winning his maiden to his run at Ascot. He was an inexperienced horse, a little bit immature mentally as well as physically, so Jeremy and his team did a hell of a job to get him running so well in a very good Group race. The form of the Queen’s Vase is working out well with Corsica (fourth, 16/1) going on to win the Group Three Bahrain Trophy.



“As Theology’s Ascot run shows, there is no question mark over his stamina for Doncaster. He stays well but I don’t think he is short of speed either. When William Buick asked him to improve and move through horses he did it very well, so if he has improved again, which we hope he has, then he is a really exciting prospect.”



Buzzword (16/1) gave trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni his first Group One success when winning the Deutsches Derby on July 18, and the colt is one of 10 Godolphin entries split equally between his handler and fellow trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Al Zarooni’s quintet also includes Epsom Derby third Rewilding (9/2 joint favourite), Irish Oaks runner-up Miss Jean Brodie (33/1) and Group Three winner Simon De Montfort (20/1).



Bin Suroor, who clinched a fifth Ladbrokes St Leger success for Godolphin last year with Mastery, has engaged Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes heroine Hibaayeb (40/1), also successful in the Group One Fillies’ Mile last term, and Racing Post Trophy third Al Zir (40/1).



Mark Johnston has entered Group Two King Edward VII Stakes winner Monterosso (12/1) alongside Corsica, who saw off the William Haggas-trained Harris Tweed (25/1) to win the Bahrain Trophy.



Sir Michael Stoute saddled his only Ladbrokes St Leger winner in 2008 when Conduit prevailed and the Newmarket handler has one entry this year, Total Command (14/1). The Goodwood maiden winner appeared not to quite stay two miles when third in the Queen’s Vase last time.



Meeznah (33/1), a close second to Snow Fairy at Epsom but unsuited by softer going when fourth in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh, could line up for trainer David Lanigan, while the progressive James Given-trained Dandino (12/1), who completed a four-timer in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot, and is owned by the 20,000-strong Elite Racing Club, is another engaged.



John Gosden, successful with Shantou (1996) and Lucarno (2007), has entered King Edward VII Stakes runner-up Arctic Cosmos (20/1).



Others engaged include another Irish entry, the Dermot Weld-trained Address Unknown (40/1), as well as Group Three Chester Vase winner Ted Spread (20/1), whose trainer Mark Tompkins won the Ladbrokes St Leger in 1993 with Bob’s Return.



The Ladbrokes St Leger is the feature race of the four-day Ladbrokes St Leger Festival at Doncaster Racecourse from Wednesday, September 8, to Saturday, September 11.



Entries for the Group Two Champagne Stakes and Group Two Park Stakes, both of which take place on Saturday, September 11, will be revealed tomorrow.







For more information, please contact:

Kate Hills

Director of Public Relations and Communications, Arena Leisure Racing

Tel: 01342 834800

Fax: 01342 835874

Mobile: 07813 947201

Email: kate.hills@arenaleisureplc.com





THE LADBROKES ST LEGER

Class 1, Group 1, £500,000 Total Prize Fund. Doncaster, Saturday, September 11, 2010. For 3yo only, entire colts and fillies. One mile, six furlongs & 132 yards. Weights: colts 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Entries closed July 20, entries revealed July 21 (42 entries). Scratchings deadline noon, August 24, six-day confirmation & £45,000 supplementary entry stage Monday, September 6, final declaration stage 10am, Thursday, September 9. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Monday, July 19, 2010.



Form Horse Owner Trainer

0(1)-520 ADDRESS UNKNOWN Khalid Abdulla Dermot Weld IRE

113-06 AL ZIR (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

12-51 ANHAR (USA) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

(4)4-(1)3(1)2 ARCTIC COSMOS (USA) Rachel Hood and Robin Geffen John Gosden

1-23245 AT FIRST SIGHT (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

10- AWAIT THE DAWN (USA) Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O’Brien IRE

55(4)(3)-(2)(3) BATTLEOFTRAFALGAR Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O’Brien IRE

(2)-51100 BRIGHT HORIZON Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith Aidan O’Brien IRE

5-04031 BUZZWORD Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

111-101 CAPE BLANCO (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O’Brien IRE

1(1)1341 CORSICA (IRE) Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Mark Johnston

214-220 DANCING DAVID (IRE) Catesby Clay Brian Meehan

02-1111 DANDINO Elite Racing Club James Given

1055-15 DREAMSPEED (IRE) Jeff Smith Andrew Balding

360-420 DUBAWI PHANTOM Sultan Ali David Simcock

(1)2-006 FENCING MASTER Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O’Brien IRE

41- FLYING CROSS (IRE) Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O’Brien IRE

(0)(5)-1212 HARRIS TWEED Brian Haggas William Haggas

21-0310 HIBAAYEB Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

(2)(1)(1)146 INTO WAIN (USA) Ahmad Al Shaikh David Simcock

121- JOSHUA TREE (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O’Brien IRE

11520-4 LAYALI AL ANDALUS Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor

33-124 MEEZNAH (USA) Saif Ali & Saeed Altayer David Lanigan

314-152 MIDAS TOUCH Sue Magnier/Michael Tabor/David Smith/Denford Stud Aidan O’Brien IRE

(3)12 MISS JEAN BRODIE (USA) Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

3 MOMKINZAIN (USA) Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon

0(4)-10 MONTEREY (IRE) Exors of Terry Mills, John Humpreys & Bernie Ecclestone Richard Mills

121140 MONTEROSSO Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum Mark Johnston

(2)(5)1401 MYPLACELATER Tony Thompson David Elsworth

(1)01 REBEL SOLDIER (IRE) The Honorable Earle Mack Jeremy Noseda

21-213 REWILDING Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

2254 SCOTTISH REEL (IRE) Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O’Brien IRE

110-11 SIMON DE MONTFORT (IRE) Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

430-111 SNOW FAIRY (IRE) Anamoine Ltd Ed Dunlop

111-6 ST NICHOLAS ABBEY (IRE) Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor Aidan O’Brien IRE

013-10 TED SPREAD False Nose 'n Glasses Partnership Mark Tompkins

30-412 THEOLOGY Highclere Thoroughbred Racing Touchstone Jeremy Noseda

62-413 TOTAL COMMAND Khalid Abdulla Sir Michael Stoute

2-315 VERY GOOD DAY (FR) Jaber Abdullah Mick Channon

2 VIBRANT FORCE (USA) Godolphin Mahmood Al Zarooni

(6)(1)0111 VULCANITE (IRE) Barbara Facchino Ralph Beckett

14-0 WEDDING MARCH (IRE) Godolphin Saeed bin Suroor



42 entries

12 Irish-trained

OPENING PRICES FROM LADBROKES



9/2 Midas Touch, Rewilding



8/1 Cape Blanco, Snow Fairy



12/1 Dandino, Monterosso



14/1 Total Command



16/1 Buzzword, Corsica, Theology



20/1 Arctic Cosmos, Flying Cross, Simon De Montfort, Ted Spread



25/1 At First Sight, Harris Tweed, Joshua Tree, Rebel Soldier



33/1 Anhar, Meeznah, Miss Jean Brodie, Vulcanite



40/1 Address Unknown, Al Zir, Hibaayeb



50/1 Await the Dawn, Dancing David, Dreamspeed, Fencing Master, Layali Al Andalus, Wedding March



66/1 Myplacelater, Very Good Day, Vibrant Force



100/1 Battleoftrafalgar, Bright Horizon, Dubawi Phantom, Into Wain, Momkinzain, Monterey



150/1 Scottish Reel



Not Quoted: St Nicholas Abbey



David Williams of Ladbrokes commented: “The decision to put the closing date of the race back three weeks has certainly paid dividends by handing connections more time to consider if they have a Ladbrokes St Leger contender on their hands.



“We are naturally delighted to see such strength in depth among the entries for the 2010 Ladbrokes St Leger with several Classic winners among the possible starters on September 11.”



BREAKDOWN OF ENTRIES BY TRAINER WITH PAST SUCCESSES IN THE LADBROKES ST LEGER





11 Entries

Aidan O’Brien IRE (2005 Scorpion, 2003 Brian Boru, 2001 Milan)

At First Sight

Await The Dawn

Battleoftrafalgar

Bright Horizon

Cape Blanco

Fencing Master

Flying Cross

Joshua Tree

Midas Touch

Scottish Reel

St Nicholas Abbey



5 Entries

Mahmood Al Zarooni

Buzzword

Miss Jean Brodie

Rewilding

Simon de Montfort

Vibrant Force



Saeed bin Suroor (2009 Mastery, 2004 Rule Of Law, 1999 Mutafaweq, 1998 Nedawi, 1995 Classic Cliche)

Al Zir

Anhar

Hibaayeb

Layali Al Andalus

Wedding March



2 Entries

Mick Channon

Momkinzain

Very Good Day



Mark Johnston

Corsica

Monterosso



Jeremy Noseda (2006 Sixties Icon)

Rebel Soldier

Theology



David Simcock

Dubawi Phantom

Into Wain



1 Entry

Andrew Balding

Dreamspeed



Ralph Beckett

Vulcanite



Ed Dunlop

Snow Fairy



David Elsworth

Myplacelater



James Given

Dandino



John Gosden (2007 Lucarno, 1996 Shantou)

Arctic Cosmos



William Haggas

Harris Tweed



David Lanigan

Meeznah



Brian Meehan

Dancing David



Robert Mills

Monterey



Sir Michael Stoute (2008 Conduit)

Total Command



Mark Tompkins (1993 Bob’s Return)

Ted Spread



Dermot Weld IRE

Address Unknown




END