Logician goes into the unknown

John Gosden admits as he wants to provide a victory in the William Hill St Leger to him Logician faces a step into unknown territory.
It’s 23 years since the master of Clarehaven initially acquired the world’s oldest grey . He has added to his tally with three wins in five decades courtesy of Lucarno (2007), Arctic Cosmos (2010) Masked Marvel (2011).
In winning his first 3 starts, the Khalid Abdullah-owned Logician created his racecourse debut only but made a big belief – with a prominent screen being sandwiched by a pair of wins at Newbury .
Frankel’s son graduated using a victory in the the Great Voltigeur at York to Group Two class and will line up at Doncaster on Saturday as a favorite in the palms of five-time Leger-winning jockey Frankie Dettori.
“He has been in amazing shape since York. He is very much a work in progress and didn’t begin racing until late in life,” said Gosden.
“I believed back May he might be a Leger horse. He even won a maiden down in Newbury, then a novice after which a 0-90 handicap back in Newbury, when it was the very first time. He’s come a long way in a short while.
“He stepped up again at the Great Voltigeur, and we were really satisfied with him.
“He is fine in addition to the floor, there is no doubt he’s a better horse on good, easy side of good, but that might opt for a couple others.”
Gosden believes the decision instead give him the a enough time to grow has been crucial and not to operate Logician as a two-year-old.
He explained:”He came to us pretty late, and that I believe giving him that time has profited him.
“He is a nice horse to be around. He contains a stride and is a character that is relaxed.
“I feel the nice, long right at Doncaster should suit him nicely.”
Both clear questions hanging Logician going in the Town Moor showpiece are whether his lack of experience could prove his undoing, and if his endurance will last out over the one-mile-six-furlong space.
Assessing both aspects, Gosden included:”We have been lucky to win against the Leger four times, and those horses were seasoned than him. It’s a evaluation of a thoroughbred over that trip – the 185 yards may be rather telling, and the one-mile-six is some thing.
“You always know you going into uncharted lands with a young horse like him. It isn’t like he has won a trial.
“He offers me the indications, as he’s very relaxed, that he will stay well.”
As always, Gosden is aware of the opposition – giving special mention to the Mark Johnston-trained Sir Ron Priestley, that claimed his fifth win from six starts this season in last month’s March Stakes at Goodwood.
He said:”I think it’s a good renewal. You own a horse on the market which remained on and won. That has been a race I observed attentively, since we had been second inside (together with Promissory).
“It will probably be an end-to-end gallop, which is not a bad thing because it thins the field out.
“You’ll get difficulty in conducting, and I recall a couple of horses that have been unlucky not to win there. That will be left by me to the horse and Frankie – they don’t require some instructions.
“When you see the horses which are still rolling involving the two-furlong marker and the one, that will inform us exactly what sort of caliber Leger it is.”
Dragon to fire
Il Paradiso and sir Dragonet give a powerful hand to Aidan O’Brien.
The Ballydoyle handler maintained his sixth victory in the Town Moor showpiece with Kew Gardens 12 months past – including to his previous triumphs together with Milan (2001), Brian Boru (2003), Scorpion (2005), Major Lighting (2013) and Capri (2017).
When favourite for the Investec Derby at Epsom in early June, chester Vase winner Sir Dragonet has had this year tilts at Classic glory, finishing a close-up fifth.
He had been beaten in odds-on on his return from a midsummer fracture at the Royal Whip Stakes at the Curragh last month, but O’Brien considers his charge will strip much healthier on Saturday – and is convinced the step up to a mile plus three-quarters will not be an issue.
Assessing the major market equal to the John Gosden-trained Logician, O’Brien said:”Sir Dragonet is a horse which has plenty of class.
“He was only ready to return at the Curragh. He got a bit tired, which he was entitled to perform. I was being attentive and gentle .
“He’s never run anything less than a mile and a half an hour, aside from the last day above a mile and a quarter. He was started by us in a time and a half and we all believe there is a chance he’ll get the trip.
“I don’t believe he’s earth reliant. He only ran on tender floor before Epsom, which has been great floor, and he came out of that perfect.
“There is no doubt that his best run was that his Epsom run.”
Sir Dragonet’s stablemate Il Paradiso has proved his stamina, when behind star older stayer Stradivarius in the Lonsdale Cup more than two miles at York last month having generated a performance.
“He remains well and seems like a horse that will get a Gold Cup trip – he looks like he’ll have two and a half kilometers,” O’Brien added.
“I presume he is going to be happy enough. He does not mind being ridden. You’d be riding him as you are sure that he will stay and another (Sir Dragonet) you will be taking your time with a bit, I would imagine.”
Rank outsider Western Australia is also saddled by o’Brien.
Sir Ron Priestley has five of his six starts this season – his blip coming in Royal Ascot. Mark Johnston’s fee is unbeaten in three subsequent looks and measures up to Group One degree for the first time.
Johnston, who has a second string to his bow Nayef Road, said:”He (Sir Ron Priestley) has a great deal to locate, and it would need to be a career-best, but he deserves to be there.
“He’s done almost everything right in the lower grades, with the exception of Royal Ascot. Today he has got to measure up to the significant one.
“I don’t underestimate the Leger, since I’ve run some high horses in it and they’ve been beaten. We understand he gets the excursion, therefore we haven’t any doubts about him .
“Many of them in there’ll be getting the trip – they are class horses, so that they need to do. He remains the trip very well and can be a real horse.”
Martyn Meade’s Geoffrey Freer winner Tech and Dashing Willoughby, from Andrew Balding’s lawn, complete the field.
Balding said of his Royal Ascot winner:”He has run nicely at Newmarket on Goodwood on quick ground so he does not need to get it tender.
“He’s run to a fair level all year and been really consistent, so I’d expect he would run well”