Gregory On Course for St Leger at Doncaster

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Royal Ascot winner Gregory is set to put his unbeaten record on the line in the final British Classic of the 2023 Flat season when he lines up in the St Leger at Doncaster. The three-year-old colt is considered one of the most exciting horses of his age group.

John and Thady Gosden’s runner stepped up in class at Royal Ascot to land the Group Two Queen’s Vase. That was his first attempt over the St Leger distance of one mile and six furlongs and he appeared to appreciate the stiffer stamina test.

Son of Golden Horn Tops Betting for Oldest British Classic

After impressing on the third of his three racecourse appearances, Gregory is now the +225 favorite in the horse racing betting with Paddy Power for the oldest British Classic in the sport. If successful, he would give Gosden senior a sixth triumph, while it would be a first since he shared his license with his son.

Gregory remains unbeaten with a commanding victory in the Listed @BritishEBF 40th Anniversary Cocked Hat Stakes with the Golden Horn colt galloping clear to win decisively in the hands of Rab Havlin for the John & Thady Gosden team ???? pic.twitter.com/nVrklyNKh8
— Goodwood Racecourse (@Goodwood_Races) May 26, 2023

As the son of the former Derby winner Golden Horn, Gregory is bred to have success at the highest level. He showed no signs of any inexperience when he prevailed on his debut at Haydock back in April, while a month later, he won a Listed contest at Goodwood by three lengths.

Success in the St Leger would bring Gregory into the conversation for being the Champion Three-Year-Old in Europe this season. He would then likely feature in the British Champions Long Distance Cup on British Champions Day at Ascot in October.

Savethelastdance Set to Be Leading Ballydoyle Representation

With six wins in the St Leger, no trainer in the modern era has had more success in the race at Doncaster than Aidan O’Brien. Like all Classics in the UK and Ireland, the Ballydoyle trainer has dominated the three-year-old’s races over the last three decades.

Only seven fillies since 1945 have won the St Leger, with Simple Verse being the last to do so in 2015, in what was a controversial race as the Express explain in their report. O’Brien will be hoping Savethelastdance can add her name to that list when she features in the race this year.

Savethelastdance battles back incredibly well to take the Irish Oaks! ???? pic.twitter.com/RdoB5VQ0dJ
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 22, 2023

The Irish horse went into the Oaks back in June as a strong favorite but she had to settle for second place behind Soul Sister in the British Classic, as documented in the BBC report. She did not have to wait much longer to become a Classic winner as she won the Irish equivalent of the race in Ireland a month later.

Tower Of London and Adelaide River are two other fillies that are set to travel across the Irish Sea with strong hopes of giving O’Brien his seventh winner in the St Leger. The former of those two horses finished second in a Group Three contest at Newmarket last time out, while the latter has been runner-up in two Group One races, including behind Auguste Rodin in the Irish Derby.

The 2023 St Leger takes place on September 16 on what is the third and final day of the meeting at Doncaster.