Camelot just fails in Triple Crown bid

Godolphin's Encke (25-1) spoiled Camelot's Triple Crown bid in the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster.

Ballydoyle's red-hot 2-5 favourite was tucked in at the back of the pack as the field made their way around Town Moor and he had just two rivals behind him as they turned for home.

Joseph O'Brien still seemed have plenty of horse under him but needed a gap - which eventually appeared with two furlongs to run.

But Encke had stolen a march under Mickael Barzelona as Camelot went in pursuit under pressure from the distance.

He closed all the way to the line but only managed to get to within three-parts-of-a length as Encke claimed the final English classic of the season with Michelangelo (10-1) back in third.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "It wasn't what we thought it was going to be. It was a steadily-run race and Joseph said he was a little bit fresh with him, but that was probably always going to happen in a slowly-run race.

"You have to take your time on him over a mile and six which he (Joseph) did and when he got out he just stayed on rather than quickened.

"In the Guineas he quickened and in the Derby he quickened, but he just stayed on here.

"He ran a great race but just got beat. It's disappointing for everybody but that's the way it is. That's racing.

"We expected him to win and if I thought they were going to go that steady I would have had a pacemaker in or two pacemakers. But that's my fault.

"I was sure they were going to go a pace, but that's the way it was.''

Frankie Dettori - Michelangelo (third): "It was a straightforward race and I stayed on well for third."

Johnny Murtagh - Ursa Major (fourth): "He stayed on well at the end and I am delighted with him. They went a slow early pace and I got tapped for toe at the top of the hill but I am still delighted."

Ted Durcan - Main Sequence (fifth): "I missed the break which wasn't any help so I ended up last which wasn't the plan but he's run a solid race."

William Buick - Thought Worthy (sixth): "The ground was a bit too quick - it has dried too much for me but he ran a good race for a long way. The race went perfectly for him but the ground was just too quick."

Tom Queally - Thomas Chippendale (eighth): "I thought they might have gone a bit quicker but no excuses."

Robert Havlin - Dartford (ninth): "My horse led well and about halfway I had a little look behind and Joseph (O'Brien) was cantering on Camelot. Obviously I was too far behind to see the finish but I don't think there were any hard luck stories."