Wednesday 20 July 2016 12:06, UK
The name of dual Derby hero Harzand was missing from the 42 entries revealed on Wednesday for the Ladbrokes St Leger.
The world's oldest Classic will be run on Saturday, September 10 at Doncaster, with this year's renewal attracting a marked increase from the number of entries from last year's lowly total of 29.
Boasting record total prize money of £700,000, up £50,000 from last year, the Ladbrokes St Leger takes place over one mile, six furlongs and 132 yards.
Ireland's champion Flat trainer Aidan O'Brien is seeking his fifth Ladbrokes St Leger success and has a total of 16 entries, the most of any trainer. The Ballydoyle contingent includes Investec Derby second US Army Ranger and Idaho, third at Epsom before going on to fill the runner-up position in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.
Also among the Ballydoyle hopefuls is Sword Fighter, who has already proved his stamina by landing both the two-mile Listed Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and the Curragh Cup over a mile and three quarters. Bhutan, a Galileo colt who was impressive when beating stable-companion Housesofparliament by three lengths on his only start in a 10-furlong Leopardstown maiden on heavy ground in April, is another O'Brien-trained entry.
O'Brien captured an early trial for the Ladbrokes St Leger when Housesofparliament was successful in the 13-furlong Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket earlier this month, in which Harrison was third and Harbour View fourth.
There could also be a first British Classic runner for O'Brien's son Joseph, who is in his rookie season as a trainer. O'Brien junior, who won the Ladbrokes St Leger as a jockey on Leading Light in 2013, has entered recent 14-furlong Leopardstown Listed scorer Arya Tara (20/1). The Dylan Thomas filly is owned by his mother Anne-Marie.
Another filly with an entry is dual Classic-placed Harlequeen (33/1), trained by Mick Channon, who finished third in the Oaks at Epsom on June 3 and then took the same position in the Irish Oaks last Sunday.
Aidan O'Brien has also entered one his star fillies, Even Song (25/1), who was successful in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot before proving so disappointing behind Harlequeen on Sunday.
Newmarket-based John Gosden has a fine Ladbrokes St Leger record, having won the race four times, and his pair of entries this year are Investec Derby fourth Wings Of Desire, set to contest the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, and Muntahaa, third to Across The Stars in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
One trainer yet to saddle a runner in the race is Lambourn-based Harry Dunlop. His father John trained the winner of the final Classic three times, most recently with Millenary in 2000.
Dunlop is considering the St Leger for his stable star Robin Of Navan (25/1), who landed the Group One Criterium de Saint-Cloud in 2015.
The French-bred colt returned to action this year when a staying-on second to old adversary Cloth Of Stars in the 10-furlong Group Two Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud on May 8, but has been on the sidelines since picking up an injury in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) over an extended 10 furlongs on June 5.
Dunlop commented: "I felt that we should give Robin Of Navan an entry in the Ladbrokes St Leger because it is the final Classic of the season and it would be lovely to build him up towards the race.
"He sustained an injury in the Prix du Jockey Club, which we think he may have done in the parade before the race when he whipped round as they were playing music.
"He pulled a ligament but it seems to be all good now and we are just quietly getting him back going again.
"He is back in normal work and is making good progress. We are going to see how he goes and we could look at running him beforehand, possibly in France again.
"The Ladbrokes St Leger is a big target to aim at, providing he is ready in time.
"We honestly thought that he was going best of anything in the Prix du Jockey Club and then he suddenly lost his action. We had beaten Apilobar, who was fifth, quite nicely in the Prix Greffulhe and I think Robin Of Navan had every right to be in the first three.
"He doesn't need soft ground and is pretty versatile. It was actually good to firm in the Prix Greffulhe - it was very hot weather and the time was quick for a French race - and genuine good ground is fine for him. The main thing is that he likes a strongly-run race.
"He won us an absolute fortune last year and ran a super race in the Prix Greffulhe. It would be lovely to get him back for the latter part of the season, but if we have to wait until next year with him, so be it."
Dunlop's brother Ed also has a Ladbrokes St Leger entry, Red Verdon, who was last seen out when the excellent runner-up in the Grand Prix de Paris at Saint-Cloud.
