Favourite Westover leads 27 contenders for St Leger honours

Nick Robson
July 19, 2022 2:38 pm

Emily Upjohn another key name in the Doncaster Classic.

Westover and Emily Upjohn, the market leaders for this weekend’s King George at Ascot, head 27 entries for the Cazoo St Leger at Doncaster on September 10.

Ralph Beckett’s Westover shot to the head of the betting for the final Classic of the season when he was a fast-finishing third in the Derby at Epsom and that position was strengthened when waltzing away with the Irish equivalent.

Emily Upjohn suffered misfortune in the Oaks at Epsom as she stumbled coming out of the stalls and then lost out in a photo finish to Tuesday. She was supposed to run in the Irish Oaks last weekend but travel problems scuppered that plan.

Emily Upjohn (red) just missed out in the Oaks (John Walton/PA)

She is trained by John and Thady Gosden who have also entered the unbeaten Francesco Clemente.

Aidan O’Brien has entered nine in Aikhal, Anchorage, Bluegrass, Martinstown, Point Lonsdale, United Nations, Waterville, Emily Dickinson and Changingoftheguard.

The Charlie Fellowes-trained Grand Alliance finished second to the last-named horse in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and is all set for Goodwood’s Gordon Stakes next week after recovering from post-race soreness.

“He seems in very good order, he’s training very well. Interestingly the physio had a look at him after Ascot and he was really quite sore,” said Fellowes.

Another for Ryan Moore! Changingoftheguard JUST holds on from Grand Alliance the King Edward VII Stakes… #RoyalAscot pic.twitter.com/NI9w104afg
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 17, 2022

“Since treating him he’s been better. I might be looking at it with rose-tinted glasses and we won’t find that out until he goes to the track, but he seems a very happy horse at the moment.

“He’s probably going to go for the Gordon next week, down to timing more than anything. I think he needs time between his races and there’s only three weeks between the Voltigeur at York and the Leger.

“I don’t think ground is an issue, I think he’s versatile. I always felt he’d be better with some cut, but he’s never run on that and has run very well on quick ground. It was like a road at Ascot, so it’s nice not to have to watch the forecast.”

Charlie Appleby has entered Al Nafir, Hafit, New London and Secret State while others to note include George Boughey’s new inmate Hoo Ya Mal, who finished second in the Derby, El Bodegon and Eldar Eldarov.