Sans Frontieres takes Irish St Leger
Sans Frontieres, a horse whom Jeremy Noseda had always believed could be a Group One winner, proved his trainer to be right when he won the Irish Field Irish St Leger at the Curragh.
Lady Lupus and Tactic led into the home straight and Profound Beauty appeared to be travelling far better as she took the lead but then she was outstayed by Sans Frontieres, who was a profitable spare ride for French jockey Olivier Peslier. Johnny Murtagh had been in the saddle when Sans Frontieres won the Group Two Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury last month. However, he had been claimed by Aidan O’Brien to ride Flying Cross, who finished third.
Barry Simpson, racing manager to winning owner Sir Robert Ogden, said: "Sir Robert spends most of the winter away, so his interest in jumping has diminished a little bit. We've bought Flat horses for the last three or four years and we are delighted with what he has done today.
"Jeremy told me he earlier in the week he had done the best piece of work he ever has for him. I must admit the rain put us off a bit - he's coped with it but I don't think conditions really suited him. We will talk it over with Sir Robert, but the plan was to find out if he got the trip and the Melbourne Cup is very much on the cards.”
Zoffany’s bubble was burst when he could finish only third in the Group One boylesports.com Vincent O´Brien National Stakes. O’Brien’s colt, who had won five of his six starts, had looked a horse of some promise when he won the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last month but could never quite get on terms in the last quarter-mile as Pathfork collared Casamento in the final furlong to go a length up.
But then Fran Berry had to get serious with Pathfork as Casamento rallied and Pathfork was all out to hold on by a head, with five lengths back to Zoffany in third.
Winning trainer Jessica Harrington said that there were no firm plans about where Pathfork would run next.
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