Count Octave pitched into St Leger
Count Octave will attempt to give Qatar Racing a second success in the oldest British classic, the Gr. 1 St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Andrew Balding-trained Count Octave will line up in one of the strongest renewals of the William Hill St Leger, but hope is still high that he can run a big race. If he's to win he will need to reverse Royal Ascot form with Stradivarius, who beat Count Octave in the Gr. 2 Queen's Vase there (pictured), but there was only a neck between them that day, with the pair two lengthe clear of subsequent Melrose Handicap winner Secret Advisor.
Count Octave may have been defeated by Call To Mind in the Listed Goodwood Revival March Stakes at Goodwood last time, but he still ran to a higher Timeform rating than previously and the winner rather got first run on him. Going slightly further and a likely stronger pace at Doncaster will suit Count Octave, though soft ground will be something new. His half-brother Elidor (who runs at Doncaster on Friday) having won on soft gives us hope.
Andrew Balding saddled Phoenix Reach to finish third in the 2003 St Leger and Count Octave will be his sixth runner in the race. The colt will be just a second ride in the race for Oisin Murphy, who was seventh on Andrew's Ormito 12 months ago.
Oisin went within half a length of winning 'the Gr. 2 DFS Park Hill Stakes - the 'fillies' St Leger' - at Doncaster on Thursday when Melodic Motion found only her stable-companion Alyssa too good. While she couldn't quite emulate last year's winner Simple Verse, it was another cracking performance from Melodic Motion and there should be more to come from the Ralph Beckett-trained daugher of Nathaniel.
Qatar Racing also run Pallasator in the Gr. 2 Doncaster Cup on Friday, when he will be ridden for the first time in public by Rosie Jessop, and the returning Arod in the Gr. 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile on Saturday. Arod will be making his first start for David Simcock after coming back from Australia and will be ridden for the first time by Harry Bentley.