racing_news/

Scorpion And Hard Top Go Forward For Ladbrokes St Leger
23/08/05

Aidan O'Brien's runaway Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Scorpion is Evens favourite with the sponsor for the £450,000 Group 1 Ladbrokes St Leger following today's forfeit stage.

The Montjeu colt, who previously finished second to Hurricane Run in the Budweiser Irish Derby, is set for an intriguing clash in the final classic - run at Doncaster on Saturday, September 10 - with the lightly-raced Hard Top, winner of York's Great Voltigeur Stakes on August 16.

The Ballymacoll Stud-owned colt will try to deliver trainer Sir Michael Stoute a victory in one of the few major races still to elude him.

The Geezer, who finished second to Hard Top at York, along with the Great Voltigeur third and fourth, Avalon and Kong, are others remaining in the Ladbrokes St Leger while the John Oxx-trained Shalapour could bid to give his owner the Aga Khan a first victory in the world's oldest classic.

Kong's trainer John Dunlop looks to have a powerful hand that also includes the rapidly-improving York handicap winner Tawqeet and Unfurled, who most recently finished second in the Group 3 ABN Amro Stakes at Goodwood.

Chester Vase winner Hattan, who finished sixth in the Vodafone Derby, could represent trainer Clive Brittain, while Mr Vegas, a facile winner of the Listed Bahrain Stakes at Newmarket's July Meeting, is another engaged.

There is a £25,000 supplementary entry stage for the Ladbrokes St Leger on September 5 and among those who could be added to the field is Godolphin's Centaurus, 15-length winner of a Newmarket conditions event this month and a likely starter in the Listed March Stakes at Goodwood on Saturday.

Steven Clarke, General Manager at Doncaster Racecourse, said today: "A fascinating Ladbrokes St Leger is in prospect with Scorpion, already an impressive Group 1 winner, set to be taken on by a whole host of improving types.

"There is just a fortnight to go until the St Leger Festival begins and we have had excellent advanced ticket sales while the course is in terrific shape ahead of what should be a fantastic week's racing."

Balthazar Fabricius, spokesman for Ladbrokes, added: "Scorpion looks to be very special but, having hit the crossbar when Quiff finished second last year, Sir Michael Stoute appears to have an excellent chance of winning an elusive first Ladbrokes St Leger with Hard Top, who has been backed into 4/1 from 14/1 with us."

Ladbrokes' latest betting is:
Evens Scorpion, 4 Hard Top, 6 (from 8) Avalon, 8 Shalapour, 8 The Geezer, 16 Tawqeet, 25 Kong, 25 Unfurled, 33 Mr Vegas, 50 Hattan

THE LADBROKES ST LEGER

Class 1, Group One, Total Prize fund £450,000. Doncaster, Saturday, September 10, 2005, 1m 6f 132yds. For three-year-olds only, entire colts and fillies. Weights: colts 9st; fillies 8st 11lb. Entries closed Wednesday, July 6, entries revealed Tuesday, July 12 (39 entries). Forfeit stage Tuesday, August 23 (10 remain), £25,000 supplementary entry stage Monday, September 5. Five-day confirmation stage Monday, September 5. Final 48-hour declaration stage 10.00am, Thursday, September 8. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and include the racing of Monday, August 22, 2005. May not include some overseas form.

Form Horse Age Owner Trainer

13 AVALON 3 Michael Tabor & Sue Magnier Aidan O'Brien IRE

5-11 HARD TOP (IRE) 3 Ballymacoll Stud Sir Michael Stoute

603165 HATTAN (IRE) 3 Saeed Manana Clive Brittain

43-2104 KONG (IRE) 3 Neil Jones John Dunlop

0321210 MR VEGAS (IRE) 3 Vincenzo Covone Peter Chapple-Hyam

12021 SCORPION (IRE) 3 Sue Magnier & Michael Tabor Aidan O'Brien IRE

21132 SHALAPOUR (IRE) 3 HH Aga Khan John Oxx IRE

01-41531 TAWQEET (USA) 3 Hamdan Al Maktoum John Dunlop

11203112 THE GEEZER 3 Jeff Smith David Elsworth

62-1102 UNFURLED (IRE) 3 Heather Slade John Dunlop

10 entries remain after August 23 forfeit stage
3 Irish-trained