John Leeper set to return at either Kempton or Longchamp

September Stakes likely to see clash with Hukum and Prince Of Arran.

John Leeper is set to return to action at the weekend in either the Unibet September Stakes at Kempton or the Prix du Prince d’Orange at ParisLongchamp.

The September Stakes is over a mile and a half on Saturday, with the French race over a mile and a quarter on Sunday.

The three-year-old colt, named after trainer Ed Dunlop’s late father, John, is on course to run for the first time in nine weeks in one of the two races.

The beautifully-bred son of Frankel out of six-times Group One-winning mare Snow Fairy was given a break after finishing third to Euchen Glen in the Listed Gala Stakes at Sandown in early July.

“Things weren’t right after Sandown. We weren’t happy with him and as a result of that he went and had a holiday. He was turned out for a month,” said the Newmarket handler.

“He’s come back and we’ve been very pleased with him and he seems much happier.

“He won’t have a penalty for winning a Listed race, so as long as he remains healthy and well, we’ll take him to Kempton or there’s a chance he might go to France on Sunday for the Group Three over a mile and a quarter.”

Hukum will set a high standard in the September Stakes
Hukum will set a high standard in the September Stakes (Martin Rickett/PA)

After winning at Newcastle and Newmarket in the spring, John Leeper was fancied for the Cazoo Derby but the race did not work out and he was well-beaten behind Adayar.

The nine entries for the September Stakes are headed by the Owen Burrows-trained Hukum, winner of Group Three races at York and Newbury on his last two starts.

Saeed bin Suroor has the in-form Passion And Glory, who completed a hat-trick in the Group Three Glorious Stakes at Goodwood, while Charlie Fellowes’ Prince Of Arran could try to better his two third placed efforts in the last two runnings of this race.

The possibles are completed by Brunnera, Fox Tal, Hamish, Outbox and Palavecino.

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