Kingscote replaced by the more experienced Kieren Fallon to be onboard Brown Panther in St Leger
When talking about important and difficult decisions, very recently taken in horse racing, one can just not neglect the dilemma Tom Dascombe went through when it came to switching Brown Panther’s jockey from Kingscote to Kieren Fallon.
The nature of the decision was so intense that all the connections, the jockey, the trainer and the owner, were deeply involved.
At one end, something as prestigious as a Classic was at stake just because of a probable biased decision and on the other hand, the loyalties towards Kingscote were at test too.
Kingscote has stuck around with Tom Dascombe and Brown Panther through thick and thin whether it was the victory at the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot or an unlucky defeat in the German Derby and the most recent being the Geoffrey Freer at Newbury.
In all of his career races, Brown Panther has always had Richard Kingscote onboard.
He has till date won four of his five starts.
Richard Kingscote is a stable jockey to Tom Dascombe while for Fallon Saturday’s Ladbrokes St Leger is the only English Classic that the champion has yet to win.
Brown Panther’s previous performance at Newbury has been so impressive that it did not only bring tears in his owner’s eyes rather has also made the connections extremely hopeful about his succeeding chances at the Classic.
After serious consultation and consent of the connections, it has finally been decided that Fallon will mount Brown Panther for the Classic.
The trainer, Tom Dascombe, commented regarding the decision, "It has been a very tough, hard decision to make, but I spoke to Michael at length and it was decided on this occasion to go for a more experienced jockey. It has not been an easy decision, but
it is the one we have come to. Richard has done a very good job for me; we just thought on this occasion that you don't get too many chances to win a Classic”.
Besides Brown Panther, Fallon has also been confirmed to ride Red Duke in the Champagne Stakes and York Glory in the Portland Handicap. He is already a six time champion jockey, who has finished second, twice, once in 1989, riding Sapience.
The track is laid out for other potential candidates too.
One of them being Seville who has only been able to win one race in an eight-race career but Seville has made a reasonable impact by being a runner-up thrice at Group 1 level.
Other than Seville, Wonder of Wonders would be racing too and was the runner-up in the Oaks at Epsom in June.
Not to forget, Freedom, who is being counted upon as the pace builder during the race.
The attraction, however, for the Leger this time no doubt has to be the ever favourite, Sea Moon.
Sea Moon won the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month almost effortlessly.
His trainer, Sir Michael Stoute, is expecting the same ground conditions at Doncaster as well so that it suits the colt.
All the possible sacrifices and measures have already been taken on the connections’ end and it is now dependent upon the partnership of the colt and his jockey to determine the result of the race.
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