Optimistic Gregory team remains confident about St Leger prospects despite setback at York
GREGORY REMAINS POSITIVE FOR BETFRED ST LEGER VICTORY DESPITE YORK DEFEAT
The connections of Gregory are still optimistic about his chances of securing victory in the highly anticipated Betfred St Leger, despite suffering a narrow defeat at York last week. Despite going into the race as the favorite, he had to settle for third place in the Great Voltigeur Stakes.
Having maintained an undefeated record with a triumph in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, hopes were high that John and Thady Gosden’s colt would solidify his Classic claims by winning the Group Two event. Although Frankie Dettori rode him brilliantly and he made a late surge towards the finish line, it wasn’t enough to secure first place.
Despite this setback, Gregory remains at the forefront of bookmakers’ ante-post lists for the Doncaster showpiece. Richard Brown, racing adviser to Gregory’s owners Wathnan Racing expressed their confidence in his chances:
“We knew from early on that our main focus was on winning The Leger and saw this race as an obvious stepping stone,” said Brown. “While we were initially disappointed with our performance at York, observing where our competitors finished gives us some reassurance.”
Brown also highlighted how jockey Frankie Dettori took care of Gregory once it became clear they wouldn’t win:
“Frankie looked after him when his winning chance had gone and actually when he stood up on him, the horse ran on again on his own,” he added.
The upcoming race at Doncaster offers a more favorable distance for Gregory. Brown believes that returning to a mile and six furlongs will suit the colt’s abilities better:
“Back up to a mile and six furlongs in The Leger is going to be much more his game. I’ve been in racing long enough not to have overly high expectations as things can go wrong, but I genuinely believe he has a strong chance.”
Paddy Power currently places Gregory as the 3-1 favorite for The Leger, with Continuous, who defeated him at York, following closely behind at 4-1 odds. Desert Hero carries the colors of the King and Queen and comes next in line with odds of 11-2.
Brown concluded by expressing their excitement for what is expected to be an excellent renewal of The Leger:
“He’s come out of the race in great shape; John and Thady are very pleased with him. It looks like it could be a highly competitive event this year, especially with such notable contenders including one carrying royal colors. It’s definitely thrilling for racing fans.”