John Gosden and Frankie Dettori’s domination of Group 1 events this season continued on Saturday when the pair combined to great effect on Saturday as Logician captured the St Leger at Doncaster.
Logician came into the 1m6½f contest off the back of four consecutive victories this season, progressing from winning on debut in May to landing the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes at York last month.
With only seven rivals standing in his way of capturing an elite level event, Dettori was quick to move his charge towards the back of the pack and settle him into the contest, allowing the Aidan O’Brien-trained Il Paradiso to forge a path in front.
Dettori waited with Logician as the field headed up the home straight before moving out towards the stands side rail. From there Logician displayed his exceptional turn of foot to pull clear to win by two and a quarter lengths.
Paul Dean’s Sir Ron Priestley, who had been up with the pace throughout, produced a career best effort to finish second with his Mark Johnston-trained stablemate Nayef Road in third.
For Dettori, it was his sixth victory in the staying Classic having also ridden Classic Cliché (1995), Shantou (1996), Scorpion (2005), Sixties Icon (2006), and Conduit (2008).
It is the second St Leger winner for Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte operation after Toulon carried the famous pink, green, and white silks to victory in the 1991 edition of the race.
Logician’s pedigree is one full of standout performers as he is out of the winning Daylami mare Tantina, herself a half-sister to Bated Breath and Cityscape.
He is by another Juddmonte superstar in Frankel and becomes the second Classic winner of the season for the son of Galileo alongside Meon Valley Stud homebred Anapurna, who took out the Oaks in June and contests today’s Prix Vermeille at Longchamp.
Edward Murrell, Juddmonte’s Assistant Stud Manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted with that. He’s a lovely horse and saw out the race very well indeed.”
Magical fends off rivals in Irish Champion Stakes
Magical led home a 1-2-3 for O’Brien and Coolmore’s perennial champion sire Galileo as the four-year-old captured the Group 1 QIPCO British Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
The filly strode on under jockey Ryan Moore as she hit the front in the home straight and could not be caught. Magic Wand finished two and a quarter lengths back in second with a head to Anthony Van Dyck in third.
Earlier on Leopardstown’s card, Japan’s brother Mogul continued his rapid progress with an impressive victory in the Group 2 KPMG Champions Juvenile Stakes (1m).
War Diary tops Goffs Champions Sale
Before the first day of the Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown, Goffs staged its Champions Sale in the parade ring with Michael Halford going to €200,000 for the top lot, War Diary.
Offered by John Murphy’s Highfort Stables, War Diary had won a mile and a half Premier Handicap at the Curragh in June before finishing in the frame in a €65,000 contest at Galway.
Murphy also consigned Night Of Thunder juvenile Think Big, who was last seen finishing fourth in the Listed Roses Stakes at York last month. Think Big was bought by Gordon-Watson Bloodstock for €100,000.
Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said: “The Champions Sale is set up to give a unique opportunity to owners of quality Flat horses, to showcase their horses in front of an international audience.
“We judge our Flat boutique sales by different standards in that vendors are delighted it they sell for a good price, but equally are not overly disappointed if they do not sell.
“That was very much the case today, the two that sold, sold very well and the three that did not will race on for their existing connections and we wish them all well. The Goffs Champions Sale provides Goffs with another showcase on the international stage and has a bright future.”
Today’s racing
The Curragh stages the second day of the Irish Champion Stakes today with four Group 1 events on the card.
The Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes (5f) kicks off the top-level races with Edward Lynam’s Soffia bid to cap her impressive rise through the ranks this season. Juvenile fillies then take centre stake in the Moyglare Stud Stakes (7f).
Godolphin’s hotshot youngster Pinatubo contests the Goffs Vincent O’Brien Stakes (7f) and will bid to win a fifth consecutive victory. He will face opposition from O’Brien’s three-time winner Armory.
The Irish St Leger (1m6f) is the final Group 1 of the Irish Champion Weekend and ten runners will go to post including last year’s Melbourne Cup hero Cross Counter.
Over at Longchamp, the Qatar Prix Vermeille is the feature with a field of nine set to go to post. There’s British interest in the race with Oaks heroine Anapurna and Anthony Oppenheimer’s Star Catcher both looking to add another Group 1 to their record.
In Britain today both Ffos Las and Bath stage afternoon Flat meetings.
