Dee Ex Bee up for the Cups

Derby runner-up Dee Ex Bee more than likely ran his last race of the season when fourth in the St Leger at Doncaster last Saturday.

Mark Johnston's colt has struggled to replicate his Epsom form on fast ground through the summer, but with a bit more juice in the surface on Town Moor, he turned in a fine effort.

Connections are now viewing him as a Cup horse for next year, when his stamina will come into play.

Johnston's son and assistant, Charlie, said: "He's come out of the race absolutely fine and the only race under realistic consideration is a Group One in Germany, the Grosser Preis von Bayern over a mile and a half and usually run on very soft ground.

"He's still in that, but I would say the most likely course of events is that will be him for the year and you're most likely to next see him in something like the Sagaro or the Henry II at the beginning of next year.

"He looked like being swallowed up at one stage on Saturday, but he stuck to his task. Also, Old Persian was leaning on him for much of the straight and he would probably have finished closer but for that.

"I thought he travelled better than he had been in the first half of the race, he was still pretty much the first horse off the bridle and he looked in a bit of bother. He always gives 110% though and stamina is his forte - he was just beaten by some slightly classier horses on the day.

"His best form is on good or slower ground, but if we get away with fast ground, it will be over extreme distances so we think he'll be a nice Cup horse for the years to come, although because of the £1million bonus, the staying division looks as strong as it has for a long time with Stradivarius and a few others."