O'Brien pair on trial for Melbourne Cup bid

Aidan O’Brien sends out two of his three Emirates Melbourne Cup entries in the early hours of Sunday morning when Leading Light and Foundry feature in the world’s oldest Classic – the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster. The masterful Irish trainer has been successful on three occasions in the 2800-metre Group 1 with his most recent triumph coming courtesy of Scorpion in 2005, while he saw Camelot beaten in to second place last year in his Triple Crown bid.

O’Brien is responsible for two of the 11-strong Leger field, with the race due off at 12.50am AET – a matter of hours before his other possible Cup runner Ernest Hemmingway starts in the GAIN Irish St Leger at the Curragh.

Leading Light will be the mount of Joseph O’Brien and, having landed a Group 3 Derby Trial earlier in the campaign, the son of Montjeu displayed courage a plenty to score over 3200 metres in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

Click here to view Leading Light's International Profile.

O’Brien said: “We always thought the Leger would suit him well and before he ran in the Queen’s Vase he had never ran over further than a mile and a quarter (2000 metres).

“He got the trip well atAscotand we were then thinking of running him in the Great Voltigeur but he was not 100 per cent.

“We have been delighted with him the last three weeks and he showed he gets the trip well atAscot. He has been in good form since and we always thought this race would suit him as he travels well and finds plenty off the bridle.”

Joining Leading Light is stablemate Foundry who landed a Leopardstown maiden on his sole juvenile outing and then chased home Telescope in the Great Voltigeur at York on his only start this term.

O’Brien added of Ryan Moore’s mount: “He was only ready to start back atYorkand we were delighted with the run. He was only three weeks after coming back from a break and we did not expect him to run as well as he did.

“I would hope the trip is within his compass as he is a long-striding good-moving horse.”

Leading Irish interests will also be represented by the David Wachman-trained Galileo Rock who hasn’t been seen since his second to Trading Leather in the Irish Derby, and represents further Classic form having also been third in the Investec Derby at Epsom.

However, leaving Classic form aside and one simple way of finding the St Leger winner has been to follow trainer John Gosden, a man responsible for three of last six winners.

His Bahrain Trophy winner Feel Like Dancing was withdrawn at the final declaration stage leaving Gordon Stakes second Excess Knowledge to be his sole representative, with the latter arriving atDoncasterhaving been an unlucky second in that key Leger trial at Glorious Goodwood.

Gosden said: “Excess Knowledge will be ridden by James Doyle. He was making a nice run down the outside in the Gordon Stakes and there was horse wandering around in front of him every time we made a move. He flew at the finish but was just beaten.

“That is racing. I like him and, bred the way he is, the distance of a mile, six and a half furlongs should be within his compass.”

Godolphin struck last year with Encke to provide Sheikh Mohammed’s Global operation with a fifth Leger win and they are to represented this year by Gordon Stakes winner Cap O’Rushes, Great Voltigeur third Secret Number and Libertarian, who will be having his first start for new connections having ran down the field in the Irish Derby.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: “Secret Number is bred to be a mile and a quarter horse and he looks to be one of these nearly horses - he does not seem to win on the big occasion.

“Cap O'Rushes was disappointing last time in the Great Voltigeur but the ground on the Knavesmire was very quick. I would suggest you take a line through him and Excess Knowledge, who is one of the contenders to be favourite, while Cap O'Rushes is an unconsidered outsider.

“Cap Of Rushes did beat Excess Knowledge at Goodwood. Though Excess Knowledge was an unlucky loser, there is no doubt that Cap O'Rushes, given his ground, is the most interesting of our three contenders at the price.

“Libertarian was bought with the Ladbrokes St Leger very much in mind. We thought he would be an ideal candidate for the Classic. However, having said that, I cannot help wondering if that will backfire.

“His run in the Irish Derby was too bad to be true, but the ground was very quick that day and he didn't like it. It has taken him a long time to get over that race, while he had a very hard campaign in the spring.”

Oaks winner Talent also features in the line-up and bids to become only the seventh filly to win the Leger since the Second World War, while Great Hall, Havana Beat, andRalston Roadcomplete the line-up.