O'Neill Eyes Big Prize

Eoghan O'Neill is eyeing a huge pay-day for Ellmau in Wednesday's Samsung £300,000 St Leger Two-Year-Old Stakes at Doncaster.

A bargain 8,000 guineas yearling, the juvenile was fifth to Rio De La Plata in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood and had previously chased home Hatta Fort in Newmarket's Superlative Stakes.

O'Neill said: 'He had a bit of a setback after Goodwood. He was supposed to run in the Washington Singer at Newbury but coughed a couple of times before the race so we didn't want to chance him, but he's fine since he had a course of antibiotics and he's flying away now.

'The coughing wasn't related to his Goodwood run. I think he went off too fast that day and it was a bit of a mess really, so we'll draw a line through that and forget about it.

'He's a better horse than he showed that day. He's a grand colt and he's weighted quite nicely so hopefully he'll run well.

'He'd prefer to get his toe in. He wants good ground and wouldn't want it too quick because he's such a big-actioned horse.

O'Neill continued; 'I think we'll probably go for the Royal Lodge at Ascot if all goes well.

'We're stepping back half a furlong at Doncaster because of the prize. He's won over six furlongs and has plenty of toe to compete. Ideally, I think he's going to be effective over further in time.'

The going on Town Moor is currently good to firm.

(C) PA Sport