St Leger: Doncaster Classic an 'option' for unbeaten star filly Haskoy as Ralph Beckett makes plans
Haskoy made it two from two with victory in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes at York this month; Ralph Beckett's filly could join 13 already entered in the final British Classic of the year at Doncaster, live on Sky Sports Racing on September 10
Friday 26 August 2022 11:29, UK
Haskoy has emerged as a potential candidate for the Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster next month, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Unbeaten in two starts, the Juddmonte-owned Golden Horn filly only made her debut at the end of July, trotting up by seven lengths at Wolverhampton.
She then stepped up markedly in class for the Listed Galtres Stakes at York, where she made up plenty of ground from the rear and stayed on strongly up the far rail to narrowly beat fellow Juddmonte filly Time Lock.
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Both those runs were over a mile and a half, but the extra distance of the Leger - for which Haskoy would need to be supplemented at a cost of £50,000 on September 5 - is not expected to prove a concern for Ralph Beckett's charge.
While the Park Hill Stakes at the Leger meeting could still prove the more likely destination, Juddmonte racing manager Barry Mahon told the Daily Mirror a possible Leger bid was "an option".
"It's an option. It's not on the radar as definitely happening, but it's an option," he said.
"It's a race she can run in that would suit her and it's something that we will look at."
The Juddmonte colours were carried to Leger glory in 2019 by Logician, while Sir Michael Stoute's filly Quiff was beaten just a head by Rule Of Law in the famous pink and green silks.
New London odds-on for Leger after big names ruled out
Hot favourite New London is among the 13 horses left in contention for the race, with Irish Derby hero Westover, King Edward VII Stakes victor Changingoftheguard and the previously unbeaten Francesco Clemente all scratched.
Charlie Appleby's colt claimed his fourth win from five career starts in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood on his latest appearance, readily accounting for subsequent Great Voltigeur winner Deauville Legend.
Appleby, who won last year's St Leger with Hurricane Lane, could also saddle Secret State, who finished second to Deauville Legend when bidding for a fifth successive victory at York last week.
Six-time Leger-winning trainer Aidan O'Brien, has five remaining contenders, with Anchorage, Bluegrass, United Nations, Waterville and Emily Dickinson all in the mix.
Roger Varian - successful in 2014 with Kingston Hill - is set to be represented by Eldar Eldarov, who has been given a break since losing his unbeaten record in the Grand Prix de Paris in July, while Zechariah looks a likely runner for Freddie and Martyn Meade following his recent success in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury.
The potential field is completed by Paddy Twomey's French Claim, Derby runner-up and Gordon Stakes third Hoo Ya Mal, who is now in the care of George Boughey, Ivan Furtado's filly Lizzie Jean and the Marco Botti-trained Giavellotto, who bolted up in a Newmarket handicap on his latest appearance.
Hoo Ya Mal takes Leger test at Goodwood
Hoo Ya Mal puts his St Leger aspirations to the test when he steps up in trip for the William Hill March Stakes (In Memory Of John Dunlop) at Goodwood on Saturday.
Second in the Derby behind Desert Crown at Epsom when in the care of Andrew Balding, he was subsequently sold to Australian owners for £1.2million with the aim of running in the Melbourne Cup.
However, before transferring to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the son of Territories has been allowed to continue with his domestic campaign in the hands of George Boughey.
He made his first start for the Newmarket-based handler when third in the Gordon Stakes last month and now returns to the Sussex Downs for his first try at 14 furlongs ahead of a possible run in the final Classic of the season.
"He's settled in well and we ran him only a few weeks after having him at Goodwood when he seemed to handle the track," said Boughey.
"He's obviously stepping up in trip for the first time and that's got to be a question mark, but he's been bought to win a Melbourne Cup so you've got to test him at some point. I don't think that will pose any troubles for him, he seemed to hit the line well the last day and this looks the right race for him.
"He's in the Leger, he takes his racing well and if he comes out of this race in good shape that is very much the plan before he heads out to Gai and Adrian in Australia."
Only four go to post for the one-mile-six-furlong Group Three contest, where Hoo Ya Mal's biggest danger could be William Haggas' Perfect Alibi. The Queen's three-year-old was far too keen when disappointing in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, but got back on track with a taking victory in handicap company at Newbury.
