held up in 5th, switched left and headway between horses chasing leaders over 1f out, no extra towards finish
tracked leaders in 3rd, dropped to 5th halfway, pushed along over 3f out, weakened inside final 3f, tailed off
dwelt, held up off the pace in last pair, headway out wide over 2f out, weakened quickly and hung right 2f out
tracked leader until over 5f out, handy 3rd, led over 2f out, ridden and hung right over 1f out, stayed on strongly
sweating, held up off the pace in last pair, headway out wide chasing leaders over 2f out, went 2nd inside final furlong, stayed on towards finish, always held
tracked leaders in 4th on inside, headway out wide and every chance 2f out, soon hung right and ridden, 3rd and no extra towards finish
led until 5f out, tracked leader, every chance 2f out, chased leaders, no extra towards finish
Aidan O’Brien won this St Leger trial last year with Mogul and also in 2007 and 2015. Frankie’s mount Sir Lucan kept the straighter course when beating odds-on stablemate Wordsworth in a Listed race at Navan in May but the runner-up has left that form well behind since, placing behind Hurricane Lane in both the Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris after finishing second in the Queen’s Vase. Fellow Irish raider Ottoman Emperor is on an upward curve but Aleas was beaten a long way here in May, behind recent Newmarket winner Yibir, and bettered by Belloccio on his debut last year. THIRD REALM beat Adayar in the Lingfield Derby Trial and was then fifth in the Derby itself so gets a tentative vote with Chester Vase winner Youth Spirit apparently held on Epsom running.
Yibir 6-4fav (9-1) Close up, progress 4f out, ridden to lead over 1f out, ran on, won at Newmarket 1m 5f Grp 3 stks (1) gf in Jul beating Mandoob (9-1) by 2 1/2l, 5 ran.
Youth Spirit (IRE) 25-1 (9-0) Tracked leader until over 2f out, weakened quickly, 8th of 11, 19l behind Adayar (9-0) at Epsom 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) gs in Jun.
Aleas 7-2 (9-5) Tracked leader, led going well inside final 2f, stayed on strongly,, won at Hamilton 1m 3f lst stks (1) gd in Jul beating Title (9-5) by 3/4l, 6 ran.
Belloccio (FR) 5-1 (9-0) Dwelt soon led, ridden and headed approaching 2f out, weakened final furlong, last of 6, 5 1/2l behind Alenquer (9-0) at Ascot 1m 4f Grp 2 stks (1) hvy in Jun.
Ottoman Emperor (IRE) 4-1 (9-10) Soon raced in 2nd, pushed along 3f out, soon bumped with rival and 3rd, led 1f out, stayed on well inside final furlong, won at Navan 1m 2f gd in Jul beating Tazaral (9-10) by 1 3/4l, 5 ran.
Sir Lucan (IRE) 11-2 (9-5) Tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, 2nd 3f out and pushed along 2f out, ridden over 1f out, kept on well inside final furlong to lead close home, won at Navan 1m 5f lst stks (1) gd in May beating Wordsworth (9-5) by nk, 6 ran.
Third Realm 14-1 (9-0) Keen in mid-division on inside, ridden inside final 3f, outpaced soon after, rallied between horses over 1f out, plugged on in modest 5th, 5th of 11, 11 1/4l behind Adayar (9-0) at Epsom 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) gs in Jun.
Wordsworth (IRE) (9-2) 2nd of 11, 6l behind Hurricane Lane (9-2) at ParisLongchamp 1m 4f Grp 1 sft in Jul.