With Royal Randwick referred to as ‘Headquarters,’ its Newmarket trainer James Ferguson who has Land Legend at $8.50 with Ladbrokes for the Moet & Chandon ATC St Leger Stakes.
To be ridden by Tyler Schiller and wearing the red and white silks of owner Bonifice Ho, who had Classic Legend win the 2020 TAB Everest, he’ll start from Gate 7 of 10 and carrying 52.5kg.
As actually a Northern Hemisphere 3yo, Land Legend was recently fifth over 2615m and 2800m at Newmarket and Deauville, having broken his maiden over 2050m at Newbury in March.
A €100,00 buy at the 2021 Arqana October Yearling Sale, he’s by the great sire-of-sires Galileo, from the winning Dansili mare Landikusic, herself a full-siter to former Coolmore shuttler Zoffany.
In a tight betting market at Aussie bookmakers it’s trainer Kris Lees who has the two race favourites with Cleveland at $3.40 ahead of Kalapour at $4.40, with Benaud next at $4.60, and onto $5.50 for Major Beel.
In this the seventh edition of the ATC St Leger Stakes, run alongside The Everest, it was former ATC Chairman Lauri Macri who stated ‘Why not the St Leger; it’s a famous and historical race.’
In fact, the ATC St Leger Stakes inherits the title as ‘Australian’s oldest classic run race,’ first run at Homebush in 1841, moving to Randwick in 1861, and not run in 1960-1979 and 2002-2016.
However, with the AJC St Leger not run it was a descendent of Major-General Sir Anthony St Leger, having the English St Leger was named in honour, who approached the AJC Committee.
With the race being reinstated in 1980, and run annually until 2002 before dropped again, returning in 2017 for 3YO’s and Upwards at Set Weights with Penalties and Allowance Conditions.
Although The $20m TAB Everest is why the day exists, but it’s the inaugural $5m King Charles III Stakes that has drawn all the attention and named in honour of His Majesty King Charles III.
In fact, it was at Royal Ascot in June that His Majesty inaugurated the race at a reception with Peter McGurran, Chairman Australian Turf Club and Peter V’landys, Chief Executive Racing NSW.
Now for 3YOs and Upwards, and carrying prizemoney of $5m the King Charles will be run over 1600m at weight-for-age and has inherited the Group 1 status of the former George Main Stakes.
However, in a field of 16 runners, it’s the challenges from Britain and Ireland that the Winning Trophy’s may be heading ‘north,’ with Light Infantry Man as the $6 Ladbrokes second favourite.
Again Newmarket trainer David Simcock sends Light Infantry Man to Ciaron Maher and David Eustce in Australia, and will be ridden by Zac Purton carrying 59kg, and starting from Barrier 10.
Sporting the blue, with green hoop silks of the Neversaydie and Light Infantry Partnership, Light Infantry originally came to Australian last year to run fifth to Corobus in the Golden Eagle.
Now coming off a second in the Superior Mile Stakes, he previously ran placings in three Group 1’s, while as a 3yo he was placed second twice at Group 1 level, and won twice at two-years.
A £82,000 graduate of the 2021 Goffs Breeze Up Sale, Light Infantry Man is by the sprinting sire Fast Company, being from the winning Kyllacky mare Lights On Me, the family of Americain.
At $21 is the Joseph O’Brian trained Irish raider Buckaroo who jumps from Gate 10 with Hogh Bowman at 59kg, having been second in Dillingham Park Stakes, and fourth in the Prix d’Isapahan.
In earlier winning the Heritage Stakes, and last year the Tetrarch Stakes, and over 1m½f at two, he’s by the Coolmore Australian shuttler Fastnet Rock, from stakes winning Galileo mare Roheryn.
However, there is no bye-passing the 6yo Mr Brightside was is $2.20 race favourite having won all last 6 starts, three at Group 1, for Ben, Will and JH Hayes and will be ridden by Craig Williams.
In a raceday of $31 million in stakes, it’s The $20m TAB The Everest that’s the ‘Richest Turf Race in the World’ and at weight-for-age its run over 1200m, with Thing It Over as the $4.80 favourite.
