Harry Herbert is keeping everything crossed that Census remains in one piece ahead of his bid for Classic glory in the St Leger next month.
Following a couple of creditable performances in defeat, the three-year-old looked the part when defeating Brown Panther in Saturday’s Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, elevating him to prominence in the pre-post lists for Doncaster on September 10.
Herbert, racing manager for owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, believes the youngster is improving with every run – and already has one eye on next season.
“He’s come out of the race fine, I believe, and he’ll now have a nice, easy week. Then it will be back to preparation for the big day,” Herbert said.
“It was great to see him win so well. He’s been improving all the time and the way that he won the race, I thought was very impressive.
“He travelled very well and was still a little bit babyish when asked to go and win his race. But then he knuckled down and you could see the further he went the better he’s going to be.
“He’s a horse we’ve been very careful with this year and looking ahead to next season, it would be nice to think we have a really exciting Cup horse in the making.
“We thought we might have a Leger horse and after Saturday we look to be going there with a proper piece of kit.
“He goes on any ground and seems a pretty versatile horse. We’re just hoping now that he stays in one piece and any niggles can stay out of the system over the next few weeks.”
PA AAP TURF
