GALILEO ROCK will not run in the Ladbrokes St Leger on Saturday unless the going improves at Doncaster.
Trainer David Wachman has warned he will switch his dual Derby-placed colt to the GAIN Irish St Leger at the Curragh on Sunday should he deem the ground at the South Yorkshire course to be unsuitable.
"Galileo Rock will be declared for the GAIN Irish St Leger and a decision on which race to go for will be delayed until tomorrow evening," said the County Tipperary handler.
"I want very much to run Galileo Rock in the Ladbrokes St Leger because of its prestige, prize-money and the fact it is confined to three-year-olds." The colt, third in the Investec Derby and second in the Irish equivalent, was among a field of 11 at the final declaration stage for the Doncaster Classic.
Aidan O'Brien bids to win the world's oldest Classic for a fourth time by saddling Queen's Vase winner Leading Light and the lightly raced Foundry, who booked his place when runner-up on his seasonal debut in the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York.
O'Brien's son Joseph rides Leading Light with Ryan Moore booked for Foundry while the Ballydoyle trainer removed his other entry, Eye Of The Storm. John Gosden, responsible for three of the last six winners, relies on Excess Knowledge. The Gordon Stakes second will be ridden by owner Khalid Abdullah's recently appointed retained jockey James Doyle.
As Gosden has withdrawn Feel Like Dancing his stable jockey William Buick will team up with Libertarian for Godolphin and their new trainer Charlie Appleby. Appleby also runs Cap O'Rushes; the Gordon Stakes winner is the mount of Mickael Barzalona, who was victorious 12 months ago on Encke.
Godolphin have a third Leger contender in Secret Number from Saeed bin Suroor's stable. Bin Suroor, with five Leger winners to his credit, thinks highly of Secret Number, who has not been beaten far in both the Gordon Stakes and Great Voltigeur.
"He's doing really well. I've always liked him. He was a bit weak in the past, but he improves from every race and he is ready to go," he said. "He's been working really well and I'm very happy with him. The ground - good, good to soft, I think it will suit him. He will be fine with it."
The only filly in the field is Investec Oaks heroine Talent, trained by Ralph Beckett, while the Brian Meehan-trained Great Hall, Andrew Balding's Havana Beat and Ralston Road, trained by Pat Shanahan, complete the field.
The rain-softened ground was the reason Jo Hughes withdrew London Bridge at the final declaration stage. "It's going to be too soft for him," he said. "There's no point running him."
"I'll have to get the programme book out and see what there is. We were geared towards this and it looked like he was going to get his ground until the last minute."
Brown Panther may not be able to participate in Sunday's Irish St Leger as he has a temperature. Joint-owned and bred by Michael Owen and trained by Tom Dascombe, the five-year-old was a close third 12 months ago and was being geared towards this event and the Emirates Melbourne Cup. Brown Panther has won both starts this season, most recently in the Goodwood Cup.
Owen revealed the news via Twitter, and said: "Desperate news. Tom and our vets will monitor him in the next few hours but his participation looks in doubt."
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