Joshua Tree can blossom to win St Leger
This year’s trainers’ championship has been a duel between Richard Hannon and Sir Michael Stoute but Aidan O’Brien can become a contender as well if Joshua Tree wins the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster.
Rewilding, who will be trying to give Godolphin as sixth win in the St Leger, has been the market leader for the race since winning the Group Two Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month, where he beat Midas Touch by four lengths, with Joshua Tree a further two-and-a-quarter lengths away in third.
The 3lb penalty that Midas Touch had to concede to the winner puts the two very close together for this re-match but, even by their own admission, the Godolphin colt is not the finished article yet. Joshua Tree, by comparison, won the Group Two Royal Lodge at Ascot last September but then did not run again until York and is entitled to improve greatly for that run. Snow Fairy, the dual Oaks winner, may well pose the biggest threat along with Arctic Cosmos.
Kieren Fallon reached a century of winners for the season at Goodwood on Tuesday and can take a high-profile double here. The Brian Meehan juveniles are in rare form and Waiter’s Dream looks the one for the Group Two Neptune Investment Management Champagne Stakes.
He impressed when winning the Group Three Acomb Stakes at York and he may just have a bit too much experience for the once-raced Saamidd who made a big impression when winning at Newbury. Approve has two Group victories to his name, including the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes at York last month, but he looks vulnerable under a 3lb penalty.
Fallon can also win the Ladbrokes Portland Handicap on Hogmaneigh who is now on a 6lb lower mark than when he won the race two years ago, while Premio Loco – beaten three-and-a-half lengths by Canford Cliffs in the Sussex Stakes – could be too good for the field in the Group Two Eddie Stobart Park Stakes.
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