Veracity Among 14 Remaining For The Group One Ladbrokes St Leger

A top-class renewal of the £500,000 Group One Ladbrokes St Leger looks assured with 14 high-calibre contenders remaining at the latest forfeit stage, details of which are revealed today, Wednesday, August 29, 2007.

Michael Jarvis came closest to Ladbrokes St Leger glory when 20/1 shot Meadowville forced the great Nijinsky to pull out all the stops on Town Moor in 1970, and the Newmarket trainer is hoping that Veracity, currently a 10/1 chance with the sponsor, can go one better on Saturday, September 15.

The Kremlin House handler revealed today: 'All being well, Veracity is an intended runner in the Ladbrokes St Leger.'

The progressive three-year-old Lomitas colt raced once last term and broke his maiden at the third attempt over a mile and a half at Wolverhampton in April. He added a Newmarket handicap before stepping up to Group Three company at Royal Ascot when he finished a highly creditable runner-up to Mahler (6/1) in the Queen's Vase over two miles.

Veracity showed high-class form against his elders at Goodwood on August 2, when finishing a half-length second to Allegretto in the two-mile Group Two ABN Amro Goodwood Cup.

Jarvis said: 'I was delighted with his last run in the Goodwood Cup. It was a good performance for a three-year-old.

'He handled Goodwood pretty well but Doncaster is a good galloping track and should suit him. He stays well and the Ladbrokes St Leger distance of an extended mile and six furlongs is a good test of stamina for a three-year-old.

'I was second in the race as a trainer many years ago and this fellow should run well too. On the ratings he would have a bit to find on one or two of the principle fancies in the race but when they get running over this extended trip, it's the horse that stays that wins the prize.

'He has been lightly raced so there could be more improvement to come. He was a backward two-year-old and only had the one outing, then we got him going fairly early this spring and he is progressive.'

Aidan O'Brien has won the world's oldest Classic three times (2001 Milan, 2003 Brian Boru, 2005 Scorpion) and the master of Ballydoyle has a strong hand with seven entries remaining.

O'Brien's powerful septet is headed by Soldier Of Fortune (4/1) who was the stunning nine-length winner of the Group One Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh on July 1, having taken fifth in the English equivalent behind Authorized.

Epsom Derby form is strongly represented with six of the first 11 home still on course for Doncaster Town Moor, including third-placed Aqaleem, the current 3/1 favourite with Ladbrokes, and fourth-placed Lucarno (5/1).

The Marcus Tregoning-trained Aqaleem appeared sure to relish the extra two furlongs of the Ladbrokes St Leger when narrowly failing to peg back Yellowstone in the mile and a half Group Three Gordon Stakes at Goodwood on July 31, while Lucarno, trained by John Gosden, defeated the latter by a length in the Group Two Ladbrokes Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on August 21.

Gosden also has the Khalid Abdulla-owned Raincoat (12/1) who was beaten a length when third to Yellowstone in the Group Three Gordon Stakes.

Coral-Eclipse Stakes fourth Yellowstone is part of the strong Ballydoyle contingent that also includes Ladbrokes Great Voltigeur Stakes third, fourth and fifth, Macarthur (7/1), Acapulco (16/1) and Mahler, totesport Ebor Stakes runner-up Honolulu (5/1) and the lightly-raced Song Of Hiawatha (50/1).

Mahler was the impressive three and half-length winner of the Group Three Queen's Vase over two miles at Royal Ascot.

John Dunlop has won the great race twice with Moon Madness (1986) and Millenary (2000), and the Arundel trainer may be represented by the maiden Samuel (20/1), who was runner-up to Tungsten Strike in the Listed Windflower March Stakes over the Ladbrokes St Leger distance at Goodwood on August 25.

Luca Cumani saddled Commanche Run to a famous Ladbrokes St Leger triumph under Lester Piggott in 1984 and the trainer has the thrice-raced Speed Gifted (20/1) who defeated the Barry Hills-trained Celestial Halo (40/1) in a mile and three quarter handicap at York on August 23.

Hills won the race with 40/1 shot Moonax in 1994, and saddled The Last Drop to take the runner-up spot last year at 50/1.