Ascot or ParisLongchamp in the reckoning for Eldar Eldarov

Adam Morgan
September 13, 2022 2:19 pm

Leger hero poised to run again this season, with big year ahead next term.

Roger Varian states there is a chance his Cazoo St Leger hero Eldar Eldarov will run again this season, as the Carlburg Stables handler begins to dream about what his classy son of Dubawi could achieve in the future.

A taking victor at Nottingham in his only appearance as a two-year-old, he made light work of his seasonal debut at Newcastle over a mile and a quarter to head into Royal Ascot unbeaten.

It was at the summer showpiece where the three-year-old first excelled over 14 furlongs, showing all of his staying prowess and a blistering turn of foot to run down Zechariah and lift the Queen’s Vase.

Eldar Eldarov wins the Cazoo St Leger at @DoncasterRaces. pic.twitter.com/7sdajSW9RI
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 11, 2022

Although losing his unbeaten record when dropped back to a mile and a half for the Grand Prix de Paris, the strong look of that race was confirmed when Eldar Eldarov returned to a mile and six furlongs for the final Classic of the season at Doncaster, winning the Town Moor Group One in imperious style.

He has reportedly taken his Classic exertions well, and Varian has highlighted two possible options for the autumn – either stepping up to two miles for the Long Distance Cup at Ascot on Qipco British Champions Day or head to Paris and stay at the one-mile-six distance in the Prix Royal-Oak a week later.

However, the Newmarket-based handler is already looking forward to next year when he will be trained to be a cup horse.

“He’s in good form, he’s come out of the race very well,” said Varian.

“I wouldn’t rule it out (running again). I have the option of running him again if I wanted to, he’s only raced four times this year and he had a nice break from the Grand Prix de Paris to the Leger.

“He’s only had five lifetime starts and he could run again and the two races to consider are the Long Distance Cup at Ascot or the Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp. They are not until October and are a week apart, so he’s got plenty of time and we’ve got plenty of time to make a decision.

“There’s every chance and no reason to think he won’t (make into a cup horse). His pedigree would suggest he will improve with age and he’s won twice now over a mile and three-quarters looking like he will be even better when he goes up to two miles.

“So we have to dream about him turning into a cup horse and see how things develop.”